Things You Will Gain During Your Time Abroad: An Acrostic Poem
An opinion piece by Ava Donovan
As there are only a few days left in the semester, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my time in Perugia so far. The first thing that comes to mind is how much I’ve learned already! This semester has been one of incredible growth, my friends and I marvel over it all the time. I’d like to take this opportunity to share everything I have learned. So, whoever you are reading this post, I hope you will appreciate my perspective on what you will gain while living in a new country.
Perseverance
You will absolutely need to be perseverant during your time abroad or pick up this trait very quickly. The first time I utilized perseverance was before I even came to Italy when filling out my application to study abroad. The paperwork is never-ending and sometimes it feels like it will continue forever. But before you know it, you will be on a flight to the destination of your dreams! When you finally do get to where you’re going, you will continue to use perseverance. You’ll need it if your flight gets delayed again and again, or when you get dropped off at the train station at 3 am, and have to walk back to your apartment (trust me, I speak from experience). Being perseverant is a life skill and if you already are, you’ll be a thousand times more perseverant at the end of your semester abroad.
Experience
I have gained so much experience throughout my time abroad that it’s hard to wrap my head around. Before coming to Italy, I seldom booked my own trips. Now, close to 3 months into my time here, my friends and I have planned and gone on more than 7 trips. Having the ability to plan trips and get to new destinations is a life skill. I know I will carry this skill with me forever. Going hand in hand with all of this experience I have gained, is open mindedness. When you are abroad, you cannot afford to be close-minded. You will miss out on so many amazing new things. To have as many new experiences as possible, you have to commit to your decision to study abroad. You have to say “yes” to life! Say yes to trying that new food, say yes to talking to the stranger on the train. You will be grateful you did.
Responsibility
Although living with my friends at my home university technically counted as living independently, when studying abroad you will experience a whole new level of independence. But don’t be afraid! It’s a good thing. Of course, you can still call your parents or your friends back home, but they will not be able to help you out as much as they might be able to when you are living in the same country. You are responsible for feeding yourself, without the easy option of having a “free” dining hall to resort to. You will have to take into account what businesses are open on which days. You must pay close attention to your finances, and budget accordingly. This is especially important because, with the Italian visa, you do not have the option to pick up a job to make some extra spending money. With such a strict attendance policy at Umbra, you have to hold yourself accountable and be responsible enough to get yourself to class every day.
Understanding
Since living in Italy, I have a whole new perspective on the world. I have gained an appreciation for different cultures and the beauty of the world in general. I have a better understanding of how America is viewed by the rest of the world. I’ve gained insight into my role as an individual and the impact I can make. Through my Education in Italy class, I now understand how the education system in Italy works, especially in comparison to the system in the United States.
Gratitude
Although I would consider myself a pretty grateful person, my time here has given me so much more gratitude for my life. I’m grateful for the ability to study abroad in the first place, for the ability to travel, for my friends and support in my life. You will become instantly grateful when you get to Perugia and wake up to the sound of the church bells and pigeons every morning.
Intention
One of the first things I noticed about being in Italy, is that the people here seem to live so much more intentionally. I see this in the way they take the time to walk at a slow pace wherever they’re going. They are not hasty when getting their morning coffee and croissant. I think that’s one of the reasons why you have to ask for your check when you are out for meals here. Nobody is in a rush to do anything, and enjoying every little moment in life is important to them. The juxtaposition between the Italian way of life, and America’s honestly makes me angry. I have tried to adopt this habit of living life more slowly and with more intention. Why are we always in a rush anyways? When you slow down, you will start to appreciate the smaller things in life, like feeling the sun on your skin, or hear kids laughing as you walk past. I only hope I can hold onto this way of life when coming back to the United States.
Association
Umbra’s program does an amazing job of helping their students become associated with Perugia. They offer volunteering opportunities, but community engagement is an element of several classes at Umbra. I’ve been lucky enough to participate in community involvement through student teaching as a practicum for my Education in Italy class. I think a big factor in feeling like you belong when living in a different country is becoming familiar with the culture and community. Being a part of daily life at Italian schools has truly made me feel like part of the community.
There are so many more things I could talk about, but for brevity’s sake I’ll leave it at that. You only have to remember one word that sums up what you will gain from studying abroad, and that’s PERUGIA!
Perseverance
Experience
Responsibility
Understanding
Gratitude
Intention
Association