My Time Abroad

               Upon coming to Clemson, I chose to sign up for an Italian class. I wanted to learn the language of my ancestors as a way to connect with my grandma who passed away when I was very young. Soon this one class turned into my minor, and eventually became my major. This was a very difficult decision for me, as I was unsure how this change would impact my future. What I didn’t know was that this decision would lead to the greatest experience in my life. To go to europe, a dream I’ve had since I was seven. I had never been to another country before, I was filled with anxiety and excitement as the day of my flight approached. Finally the day came, as we left for the airport I checked my list over and over, thinking it would prepare me for this experience. Upon landing in Italy I stood by the conveyor belt waiting for my luggage, which did not come. Despite having no change of clothes and getting lost on my way to the apartment because my phone died, I  couldn’t help but feel anything but happiness. I made it. I was in Italy. Hot and tired, desperately in need of food and a shower, the only thing I wanted to do was explore. I couldn’t wait to see everything and try all the foods. But I would have to wait until the morning.

 

           Originally when asked what the purpose of my trip was, I would say to improve my Italian skills. But I realized that Italian is not just a language, but rather a culture, a way of living. I wanted to learn the history, see the monuments, admire the architecture, and eat the authentic version of the food I had grown up on. To say that Italians live differently than Americans is an understatement. This was not the same fast-paced, constantly moving world I knew. No one was grabbing a sandwich to go and eating it while walking down the street. This was a place where people took the time to sit with their friends and talk over a meal. How quality of life is valued  is the one aspect I found to be the most shocking about Italians.  As an American, I can say that we often prioritize money, success, tactile things over our mental and physical well-being. It is almost as if people only live to work. But in Europe, people who are just working just  to make a living. They do not allow the job to consume them, not even physicians. One way Italians are able to maintain this work-life balance is by closing their shops/ offices in the afternoon (between 1-4pm). During this time they are able to go home, cook and eat a nice meal and rest for a little while before returning until they close. To take the time to put away work for a few hours and eat with your family is the thing I found the most admirable about their culture. 

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            Another major difference between Italy and America is their education system. In America, it is the standard that a child attends school from kindergarten to twelfth grade (with elementary schools ending at grade five and middle schools ending at grade 8). Afterwards, it is encouraged that one attend a university, technical school or trade school in order to start their careers. Italy also has the bases of kindergarden, elementary, middle, and high school but it has many differences. The first one being the length of high school; in Italy, students often enter high school at age 14 and finish at age 19. This is because in starting in high school, the students are allowed to to pursue a speciality- in which their classes are focused on a subject that will provide the, to go straight into university or a career if they opt not to go to university. Which brings me to the third difference- the fincances regarding school. In Italy, the tuition comes at an extremely low cost- it can be compared to the cost of attending an in-state technical school. 

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           Although the main focus of my trip was Italy, it also provided me with a door to explore other places in europe.  One of my favorite places was Croatia. I had never even thought about this place and truly did not have much information about this country or their culture. But my roommates mentioned it and I thought, well I will look it up and see. Once I saw pictures, I was amazed, I had to see it in person. After a twelve hour long bus ride, we had arrived. I was taken aback by the true natural beauty of the town, the cobblestone streets, the blue water crashing against the dock, and the quiet, it was so quiet. This is the kind of peacefulness one can only dream of, you could feel the crisp air on your face, you could smell the ocean water, you could hear the birds chirping, no one was in a hurry, it was almost unreal. 

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                Even though I jumped at any opportunity to travel and see other parts of this beautiful country, my main focus still remained to be school. I attended Lorenzo de Medici (Ldm) where I  took two courses each “semester” and would meet for two and a half hours each day, monday - thursday, for four weeks. These classes were filled with people from all over the US, even some from other countries. At first I was nervous because of the adjustment for me as my teacher insisted on strictly speaking in Italian in the classroom.  Sometimes it can be hard for me to understand new people speaking in Italian, due to differing accents and dialects. But it was not long before I found myself naturally understanding her as she spoke. I felt encouraged about my abilities, and empowered to try and converse with others in Italian. Whether it be asking the price of an item or ordering a meal, I wanted to try in Italian, rather than just speaking to them in English. I did find this difficult because Firenze is a tourist hot spot, many store owners and waiters will automatically speak to you in English before you even open your mouth. But despite this, I continued conversations in Italian. Sometimes I would pronounce something incorrectly or they would not completely understand me, but they appreciated the effort. When observing how the other Americans interacted with the locals, I noticed they would not even say “Ciao” or “Parli inglese?” but rather just start speaking English, assuming they would understand. This really opened my mind to how little language diversity we have in America. Sure we may have to take two language credits in highschool, but these individuals have been taking English courses since elementary school, becoming nearly fluent by graduation. My classmates and I were given the opportunity to  converse  with Italian students so they may practice their English and us, our Italian. I found this to be an eye-opening experience, as these kids were still in highschool, nearly fluent in English and also learning a third language on top of that.  I hope that eventually public schools in America will open language courses from an earlier age, helping to increase the diverse knowledge amongst their students  beyond just English and our culture. 

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                   Overall, this experience provided me with memories I will hold onto and new friends I will cherish forever. I learned many things during my time abroad that have allowed me to grow as a person. The most important being the realization that I need to take in the moment and admire it, not rush through it.