The trip to Italy was one of the most stimulating, educational, and fun ventures I have experienced in my life. Going to another country is such an enriching experience and really shows you new perspectives and ways of life that you might’ve never even thought of before. I made many new friends with the people on the trip, I had been worried about not knowing many of them, but it wasn’t an issue because everyone was so great!
The food was amazing (especially the gelato), and the people there were very interesting to talk to. One of my favorite parts was how different and good-looking the architecture was. In both Rome and Florence, the buildings all had an otherworldly presence in my eyes. They were all so unique and interesting to view and walk into, especially the churches and museums. Even with all the beautiful artworks inside I still found myself staring at the arches and ceilings, wondering why the buildings back home all didn’t look this amazing. However, a downside of staring at the architecture all the time was that I found myself a bit lost when I decided to listen to the tour guide again, but I’m still glad I got many opportunities to appreciate the beauty of Italy.
Another big part of going to Italy, or another country in general, is experiencing their cuisine. I learned a lot about how they make their food and how different it tastes from “Italian” dishes in the United States. A word of warning though, the pasta dishes they have there are very deceiving, looking at them one might think it wouldn’t be that difficult to finish a meal and then the next thing you know you’re full halfway through eating it. Despite that everything looked and tasted amazing, even if I wasn’t hungry, I still tried because it was all great. After arriving home, aside from the incredible drowsiness and our garage door having fallen off, I felt a sense of accomplishment and improved understanding from the trip. Studying abroad helps a lot with expanding one’s horizons and to form new appreciation for the differences in culture, and as a plus it’s really fun and enjoyable!
– Daniel, SPC Italy (High School) Study Abroad Program, March 2024