Fall Break in Germany
Author: Sadie Stark | Major: Nursing
Ciao! Mi chiamo Sadie Stark, I am an honors student in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. I had the privilege of studying abroad in Rome, Italy for the fall semester of 2021. This program was the perfect opportunity for me to develop my nursing skills and my personal competence. Being abroad allowed me to see aspects of healthcare from a different lens. Seeing other models and thought processes is something I will carry with me in my future career. It was eye opening to see these unique perspectives. I was able immerse myself in Italian healthcare at Gemelli Hospital in Rome via my clinical rotation. Learning content through lectures and textbooks is the beneficial however hands on experience is invaluable, especially when you must navigate a language barrier.
This program was a challenge to say the least, but it is one I will forever be grateful for. Academics abroad were well aligned for the Nursing Across the Lifespan in Rome program because we had two nursing professors make the trip with us. This provided us with the same high level of courses we were used to back home. This experience taught me what it is like to walk into a room and not understand what is going on. It allowed me to understand the patient point of view, whether it be not understanding medical jargon or the language, this helped me grow as a person and as a nurse.
During my time abroad I was able to travel to many places across Europe and truly submerge myself into various cultures even beyond Italy including Spain, Austria, Germany, France, England, and Sweden. Growing up in small town Arkansas I hoped I would one day see all of these beautiful places, but it was until this program that these hopes became a reality. Before I got on that plane in August, I had a picture in my head of what Europe would be like, but I have never been so happy to be so wrong. To say I underestimated it would be an understatement. The people, the history, the food, the culture; all rooted in such immense tradition stemming from centuries old ways of life. I have now advanced my travel ambitions to set the goal of visiting every country. There is no way to describe the feeling of being abroad, meeting people and continually transforming my perspectives on life.
I have had many phenomenal opportunities and experiences in my life, but nothing compares to studying abroad, I am not saying this for fluff or because someone told me to but because I genuinely believe it. If you are trying to decide if studying abroad is something that you want to do, I would say do it, take the jump, you will not regret it. In my four months I grew incredible amounts not only as a student but as a person. This program is an amazing avenue for nursing students to see healthcare in different ways, to grow as professionals but also to develop a level of understanding that sometimes gets lost. Lastly, I would simply like to say thank you to everyone who made this adventure possible! Ciao for now!