I have been studying abroad in Paderno Del Grappa, Italy with the CIMBA study abroad program! It has been an incredible experience these first five days. I have made many new friends, spoke to the locals about their lives and experiences, and learned so much about the Italian cultures, dialects, and lifestyles. This has transformed my view of the country as well as how I view myself.
What Italy Has Taught Me
- Flying to a new continent & country alone takes hard work and careful planning. I have learned so much about international travel, the rules and regulations, as well as the different expectations once you arrive.
- The people of Italy are incredibly friendly. From the moment I stepped off the plane, everyone has been incredibly kind and understanding as I practice my Italian. As I learn to navigate the piazzas and cities, I have been guided and befriended by many strangers along the way.
- CIMBA students are fantastically gifted and amiable. Everyone I have encountered here, without exception, has been delightful to be around. We all traveled here from different universities across America (and the world), but the authenticity and openness has made this time a blast.
- The professors are experienced and knowledgeable. I wanted to make sure that this summer would not only be great for traveling, but also for fulfilling and moving me closer toward my goals. The professors here have been part of CIMBA’s program many times and are full of advice and amazing stories.
- Friends are easy to come by. I flew here not knowing a single person. During these first five days, I have befriended a large number of talented people that I plan to travel to Venice with this weekend. I have been welcomed to sit anywhere by people I have never met from every background.
- You’ll definitely want to pack extra socks, underwear, shirts, and pants. The laundry room on campus only houses 2 washers and 2 dryers shared among nearly 300 students. The competition is fierce and I’m very glad I packed enough to last me until laundry day.
- No A/C means getting used to opening and shutting the windows and shutters. To keep the rooms at a moderate temperature, you often see windows and shutters being opened and shut as needed. 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘴.
- Pencil and paper rule supreme in my classes. Unlike the college education I have received during the last 3 years, I have been doing my assignments so far using pencil and paper. Tests, quizzes, and assignments have all been done analog.
- Traveling into the cities near PDG has been incredible. There are breathtaking views, just as the photo I took in Bassano below. I am incredibly excited to continue to travel this weekend.
- In Italy, it seems every moment is precious. Life is too short to not enjoy it.