Submitted by Brooke Minotti on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of English…
My program to Italy has come to an end, and I have a lot to reflect on! I think the most powerful lesson I’ve learned is the power of language. Knowing a few words from a country, and what little I’ve picked up of Italian, made a huge difference in how much I’m able to get around and communicate with others in a foreign country. Not being able to communicate can be scary! Being able to even say the basics (hello, how are you, how much does this cost, thank you) made me feel much more in control in a foreign place.
Italy, overall, was amazing. This was my first time traveling to Europe, and my first time traveling on a foreign country’s public transportation by myself. It was empowering and thrilling. Even though my journey was so short, I was shocked by how quickly I started to get the hang of “living” in Italy. Our group traveled from Rome to Florence, and a few days in, I was already able to roam around by myself, familiar with where some of the essential locations were. Not only could I pinpoint the main tourist areas, but some of the smaller churches we had seen on our tours, as well as local eateries we had discovered on our own. I know I’m far from being a local, but having such familiarity with the world around me made me more confident in going out and trying new things on my own. I also became so much closer to my classmates! My roommate and I started out as total strangers, and now we are already making plans to hang out when we get back to the University of Delaware.
On the last day of our program, an American boy overheard my friends and I ordering some pasta and asked where we were from. He had just arrived with his school for the spring semester, and was asking for some advice on what to do, what to see, and where to eat. I was shocked by how easily and genuinely I was able to answer, and with my own opinions and advice. It really showed the difference only a few weeks in a place could make! While I wish I could stay longer, I think winter session was the perfect amount of time for me to feel adjusted in a country, while also craving to come back soon.
