I used my STEP funds to study abroad in Siena, Italy for six weeks. I lived with a host family, took classes, and explored Italy all while pushing myself to challenge my confidence in myself and others.
Going abroad for this long was an experience I didn’t think I would ever be able to participate in. I thought that financials, or family, or my own anxiety would hold me back. This project proved me wrong. I realized that I have the confidence to travel by myself and adapt to new situations. Flight cancelled? That’s fine I’ll get a new one. Missed the last bus home? Guess I have to figure out how to use the taxi’s here now! I turned into a more easy going, confident person. I learned that even if things go wrong, I shouldn’t freak out because it will all end up okay. I feel that after those six weeks I became a better version of myself because I have the confidence to stand up and be sure of myself.
I have always loved studying new cultures. I knew before going to Italy that the way of life there was different than in the Untied States, but I didn’t realize how different it would be. I adjusted to a new way of life, and realized that America doesn’t do everything the best way every time. The culture in Siena showed me how other people live and I am so thankful for that.
Anxiety is something that I have struggled with for most of my life. I knew when I went broad that I would have to trust myself, and I understood that not everything would go right. The biggest challenge I faced was actually on my way back from Siena when my last flight from Newark, NJ to Pittsburgh, PA got cancelled. I ended up being stuck in the airport overnight for over 14 hours before I could get on a flight for the last hour flight home. I was very upset, but I’m happy that I was able to deal with it. After spending so much time abroad talking to strangers, the 3 hours I spent at the United desk getting a new flight really wasn’t that scary.
The culture of Siena is something I wish I could take with me. The city of Siena is made up of several areas (and groups) called contradas. When you are born in an area of Siena, you are born into that contrada and are “baptized” into it soon after. Your contrada raises you, and in turn the connection and pride in the contrada grows as you age. This pride leads to n overwhelming sense of safety and community in Siena. Siena’s crime rate is almost non-existent because of how the Sienese people were raised. What person does reflects on their contrada, so most people don’t commit crimes. These contradas helped open my mind to community and the good of people. Other than some rivalries between contradas, everyone manages to live together peacefully. I loved that, and it really changed the way I look at conflict in the United States.
My host family was also a huge aspect on how I changed my view of my own family and family culture in general in the United States. My host family consisted of my host mom, Lucia, a 60 something year old retired woman and her dog, Trilly. Her son, Lorenzo, was 38 and lived in Siena proper, but always seemed to be around to visit. Children in Italy stay at home and a around home much more than they do in the US. Lorenzo was over a lot: for dinner, to swim, and sometimes for no reason at all. I admire the way that they interacted. Dinner was always a family affair, free from electronics and work. I loved ow welcoming everything felt because they weren’t afraid to take a moment to relax and just be together. The US seems much busier now that I am back, and I’m not sure how I feel abut it.
My goal is to one day work in higher education. This experience is useful to me because in my career I hope to surround myself with people of many different cultures and I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be in a new place. I loved that I got so confused and pushed out of my comfort zone because I grew from it. I had to stop being afraid so afraid to speak Italian because without it I would get no where. My Italian grew so much so quickly and I couldn’t be happier. I was so afraid before, but after this trip I passed all my personal goals.