Author: Eli Nason | Major: Biomedical Engineering | Semester: Summer 2024
Medici Villa Lion
Ciao! This summer, I had the life-altering opportunity to study abroad in Rome, Italy, through the UofA Rome Center: Summer Campus program. I picked this program due to the rich history and culture of Rome and Italy, specifically the 4,000 years of quintessential human history that resides in the Eternal City. Additionally, the program is owned and operated by the University of Arkansas, so this made it a particularly safe choice to help reduce some of the anxiety that comes along with traveling abroad: the faculty all spoke English, you travel with other UArk students, and they take care of a lot of the logistical aspects of travel for you. I was abroad for 52 days, and I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my life.
While in Rome, I studied Art History and Global Studies/International Relations, with four classes in a week that each lasted three hours. These classes ended up being two of the most interesting classes I have ever taken (coming from an engineering major) and this is due to two main aspects of abroad education that I adore: the “classrooms” and the professors. Arguably my favorite aspect of taking the classroom abroad was the classroom locations. Undoubtedly, the Palazzo Taverna (the main campus of the UArk Rome Center) is extremely beautiful with its rich history (it is mentioned in Dante’s Divine Comedy) and renaissance era frescoes. Any student is lucky to be able to claim they took classes in such a beautiful, historic palace. However, my favorite aspect of my education abroad was that we spent half our time away from the villa: half of our time in the palazzo and the other half was spent learning on site in the city. It is one thing to learn of an influx in Syrian refugees in your International Relations class; it is far more enriching to take your classroom into their neighborhood and dance and cook through the night with said refugees. The same can be said for my Art History class. Our professor brought her lectures to life guiding us through museums of the ancient world, first century catacombs from early Christian persecution, Romanesque churches from the Middle Ages, and Renaissance-era villas with frescoes from the likes of Raphael. The two professors I had were two of the most interesting and knowledgeable people I have ever met, and it was my pleasure to have taken their classes.
Student life abroad can be an extremely challenging experience at face-value, but infinitely rewarding in hindsight. It is no secret that student life abroad can cause discouragement and certainly some discomfort; however, this discomfort is the catalyst that, in many cases, causes your trip to be so rewarding. Personally, the first day was tough for me: we had just landed after a twelve-hour flight, I did not know anyone within a five-thousand-mile radius, nobody spoke my language, and to cap it all off we had just been dropped off at our apartment where the AC was not great. Peachy. However, then my favorite aspect of student life came into play: the people you are there with. After my roommates all arrived, we discovered that none of us knew anybody there, none of us knew the language, and all of us were feeling overwhelmed. Through this common ground, we forged a friendship wrought out of the tribulations we faced together. First, we celebrated the trivial things: finding our first good spot to eat, getting to class for the first time without Google Maps, and using the metro seamlessly without getting lost. These victories seem miniscule, but the truth is its these little things that allow you to build confidence in yourself and strengthen the bond with your peers. By the end of the trip, we had hiked through the mountains of Manarola, flown to the Czech Republic, and traversed most of the historical district of Rome on foot (without Google Maps I might add). Truthfully, some of my favorite moments with my friends, however, were not these moments at all. They were the moments we were lost and tired, the moment when I got pickpocketed in a metro (they did not get much), and the moments we would sit around just playing cards together and talking about our lives. Student life abroad can be challenging. When you go through these challenges together, however, they become the fire in which memories and friendships are forged.
My experience of studying abroad was not magical. There were hiccups along the way and not everything went our way. However, the ability to learn in the original environment, the bonds and memories you form, and the confidence you build in yourself (perhaps the most important) make up for the downfalls tenfold. Truly, it is the potential of study abroad to be the crown-jewel of your life-long learning endeavors: a culminating achievement of your bravery, knowledge, and curiosity to explore the world.