Exploring Burano, a small island off of Venice!
Author: Annika Foust | Major: Nursing | Semester: Summer 2023
Hello! My name is Annika Foust and I will be a junior at University of Arkansas. My major is nursing and I am a part of the College of Education and Health Professions. This summer I had the opportunity to study abroad through CIMBA and am excited to share a glimpse of my experiences!
Although Italy’s pace of life is slow, time has remained relentless. I now come to the realization that a month has quickly passed since I eagerly stepped off the plane to begin my journey with CIMBA study abroad programs. With it being my first time in Europe and in a country where a different language was spoken, little did I know the incredible memories, experiences, and invaluable learning that awaited me in the quaint town of Paderno del Grappa, Italy. This past month has been a journey filled with challenges, growth, and discovery that I will carry with me through all aspects of life.
Studying abroad has been a long-standing dream of mine, as I believe it can greatly contribute to my personal and professional growth. As a nursing major, I recognized the importance of having a diverse skill set to thrive in an ever-changing healthcare industry. CIMBA study abroad programs stood out to me as the business coursework would provide me with a background to better understand financial decisions and management in a healthcare setting. While nursing is my passion, I understood that complementing it with some business knowledge could open up new opportunities in healthcare management and provide an improved foundation for my leadership and decision-making as a future nurse.
After rigorous coursework in the past two years, I was grateful to take classes at CIMBA outside my major that will significantly benefit my profession in healthcare as well as personally. The management courses I took contributed to my overall decision making, leadership, communication, and team collaboration. My professor from KU, Jana Fitchett, taught this course in a way that was applicable to many professions. Learning how to manage people as a whole was greatly beneficial as a nurse working with patients, co-workers, doctors, and various health professionals. Effective management also requires making well-informed decisions, which nurses face constantly. I feel better equipped with decision-making frameworks that consider a variety of ethics, potential consequences, and outcomes. This fresh perspective now motivates me to pursue advanced leadership positions in nursing that require staff management and an understanding of the inner workings of the hospital or clinic as a business.
From a healthcare perspective, it was interesting to be placed in a small town in Italy where I could examine the impact that a region has on daily life, dietary choices, and the effect this has on one’s wellness. As I traveled on the weekends, I interacted with people from all different walks of life and felt as though I can better empathize with a diverse group of patients’ perspectives and feelings.
Additionally, CIMBA gave us the opportunity to travel on the weekends, which taught me valuable life lessons in adaptability and independence. Through travel, we quickly learned how to navigate the public transportation in each city, including many trains, the metro, boats, and buses. Although transportation seemed to be much more efficient abroad, we still experienced some hurdles figuring out how to use the train system and getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods. We occasionally had to change plans, resolve, and learn to embrace the unexpected challenges along the way. I even had the experience of traveling solo one day through suddenly closed train stations and strikes. I ventured to find an alternate route independently by using Google Translate to communicate and ask questions, determined to reach my destination. This experience made me much more confident in my navigation and interactions through the rest of my travels.
I am incredibly thankful for the chance to step beyond my comfort zone and experience personal and professional growth through CIMBA. If I were to offer advice to students considering studying abroad, I would wholeheartedly encourage them to embrace every opportunity and say “yes” to new experiences. Saying “yes” to the unknown has the potential to bring about life-changing adventures and memories. By immersing oneself in foreign landscapes, languages, and life, students can learn invaluable traits for future success such as adaptability, resilience, and independence. My “yes” has brought about new relationships, skills, and professional growth I will forever cherish.