From a Returning Study Abroad Student

In the past, I would never have imagined I’d visit Italy nor travel outside my state of Florida over a year ago, and if you were to have told me when studying on that trip that I’d be returning with St. Petersburg College once more, I’d have thought you were crazy.  Both then and now, it’s intriguing to see how both Italy itself has changed through its hustle-and-bustle.  More striking to me however, is how I’ve have changed along my time from my first study abroad to the one I embark upon now.  Since that time and experience gained, I have been able to further an appreciation and understanding for the art, history, and various forms of expression our class has seen while studying in Italy.

Presently, we are in Florence, having visited Brunelleschi’s most well-known work, the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore.  While I’d spent a great deal of time studying the duomo and its facilitating birth into the architectural and spiritual worlds of history, it is even more impressive to see today despite the dome itself not being the emphasis of my HUM 2950 course.  When seeing Brunelleschi’s work for a second time, I was reminded of something my professor had said some time before when regarding the great works of Italy, “No matter how many times I see [them], the works are always striking.”  Once having arrived in Florence only a few days ago, I’d realized the words of my professor to be true not only in a personal sense, but also true in a more universal sense – truly great works of art and the history behind them are always impressive if they adhere to what they wish to display and persevere through they known trails they faced.

In the near future, as our studies and travels continue, I look forward to re-evaluating my prior reflections when studying over a year ago.  In addition to my reconsidered reflections, I look forward to seeing first-hand the great works of Italy I hadn’t been able to see when studying with the college priorly.  Despite few students having the opportunity to study abroad, I have been fortunate enough to not only see what were foreign works to be study in person, but also have unimaginable opportunity to further strengthen and consider new perspectives towards the greatest works  and history revolving the world of Humanities.

Ciao from Florence!

Written by Michael Gruber, a returning study abroad student.