Hugging the Leaning Tower of Pisa!
Author: Ella Hollingshead | Major: Exercise Science | Semester: Summer 2023
Cimba Italy was an absolute dream come true. I can not imagine going to college and not having this experience. I chose this program for a multitude of reasons. One being the academics. I was given the opportunity to speak a foreign language in my native country. Italy Live might be my favorite course I’ve taken in college so far. I learned a large introduction to the Italian language and also so many fascinating things about the culture. Italian life taught me the ins and outs of daily dialogue. In this course I learned how to order coffee and gelato as well as having full conversations with Italian students.
The campus is located in the middle of the north-western part of the country. The town we lived in was very small and quaint. The Italian students were taking English classes while we were taking Italian! So one of our main assignments allowed us to practice our Italian and them to practice their english! The second course I took during my time at CIMBA was Greek mythology. Now I know what you’re probably thinking, Greek Mythology in Italy? Surprisingly enough, some of the greatest Greek sculptures were made by Italian artists. This class gave me the privilege of reading Greek stories in class and then viewing the sculptures that represented them in person. This course created an entire new appreciation for museums. I now enjoy visiting the Greek mythology section to guess what god or goddess each sculpture is mimicking. The biggest difference in taking these courses in Italy vs. the USA is the obvious location. Had I taken either of these courses in Fayetteville, I would have never experienced the class field trips and encounters. A huge part of this learning experience was being in Italy. My instructors were from different campuses which was also super exciting. My Italian live teacher was from Italy! She taught at a campus nearby in the normal school year! She was completely bilingual and made learning Italian so much easier.
Although my academic experience was perfect, the culture of Italy is unmatched. Oh, what I would give to be back at the local pizzeria right now! Italy might just be my favorite place in the whole world. The food is divine and so inexpensive. The pizzas are cooked to perfection and the pasta is so rich and tasty. The buildings were absolutely beautiful. Nothing compares to the landscape of the Italian countryside. Within all of the greenery were small Italian homes with so much character. The music was understated in the best way. Art is the most desirable thing in the whole world. Every museum I walked into had some ancient iconic sculpture or painting. Seeing these beautiful pieces created by Italian artists in person was an out of body experience. The local people near campus were so kind. They seemed to love when we would visit their cafes and restaurants. They spoke with such grace to our broken Italian. They seemed excited to see we were trying to learn and happy about the extra business. We stayed on campus four nights a week. The other three nights were the weekends which was time we used to travel! We visited cities all over italy!
Our main form of transportation was Trenitalia. The Italian train system is complicated yet so convenient. It took some getting used to but after almost 30 train rides we had it mastered. The culture of Italy is one that I love and respect. If I could do it all over again, i’m not sure I’d change a thing about it. Any frustrating moment or freakout we may have had over the four weeks is what made our experience our own. Every single moment is one I never want to forget. If I could recommend a study abroad program it would be CIMBA. These people and this place are incomparable to anything else you could experience. It is the most incredible way to immerse yourself in a different country and get the full study abroad experience.
My biggest piece of advice would be to pack lighter than I did. Hauling 3 suitcases around the venice airport is next to impossible LOL. If you are considering studying abroad… do it! It will quite literally be the best decision you ever make.