I studied abroad in a 6-week program to Toledo, Spain from June 15th- July 27th, in order to learn about the Spanish culture and the language in an authentic setting. In addition to taking classes at an university in Spain, I lived with a host family on the outskirts of the city. I also traveled around to different cities in Spain in order to learn more about the culture and unique parts of the country.

While in Spain, there were many opportunities that taught me more about myself and the world while I was abroad. I learned a lot more about the importance of communication while I was abroad and the various skills that I possess to navigate unknown topics. This unique opportunity gave me new confidence in my language abilities and communication skills in any language. My view of Spain and Europe also changed during the time I was abroad. I got to know more about the people and less about the stereotypes. The culture in Spain was very similar to what I expected it to be, but I also got to experience Spanish culture in a new context. I got to see the culture in combination with the rest of Europe and in its natural environment. These two changes were vital to my understanding of myself and the world, and I wouldn’t have been able to experience them or reflect on them without STEP.

One of the most important relationships that changed my perspective on Spain and Europe were my interactions with my host family and my professors. Since these people were from Spain natively, they had a wealth of knowledge about the country. During lunch, one of the most important events was watching the news. By watching the news, I not only got to learn about the country and the way that the past dictatorship affects the current political and social atmosphere in Spain. The news also put Spain into association with Europe and the rest of the world. The news in Spain included stories from around the country, but also Europe and the United States. There were many stories that I understood what was being said, but I didn’t understand the full context, and having my host parents around to explain them to me was very helpful. Prior to studying abroad, I didn’t know much about the current events in Spain or Europe, but by living with people who were well versed in the political climate, I learned more about the nation and politics than I thought I would’ve when I started. This change was very positive, as it made me more of a global citizen. Understanding different political structures and the political climate of different countries is important to be a global citizen and well informed about the state of the world.

The professors were helpful for providing a new insight on the information. Even though the college was in Spain, it was for students from the United States, and all of the professors had spent at least a little bit of time in the Midwest, and were very familiar with the cultural differences. There would be certain phrases or cultural events that we wouldn’t understand, but the professors would work to explain these events and make sure that as students we fully understood the topics. The professors were also able to relate certain events in Spain to those that happened in the United States. The staff at the school I attended was also very knowledgeable about the cultural differences. They made sure to introduce us to the Spanish culture, but tried to not overwhelm us the first few days. There was a smooth transition that was facilitated by the professors and staff at the university, and it helped me see the true side of Spain, and made sure that I understood all of the cultural differences that I encountered. Since I had a strong support system, I felt free to travel more than I would’ve without their help. I also knew that when I traveled, I could talk to people before and after the trip about what I experienced and what I didn’t understand. The staff brought me a place where I could ask for help, but they also gave me the freedom to travel throughout my time abroad.

The personal transformation that I saw was mainly influenced by my traveling. I used the subway in Madrid multiple times, but sometimes the signs weren’t clear enough that I could navigate by myself. While I did get better about getting around on my own, I also had the unique opportunity to explore a metropolitan area where English was not the main language spoken. It tested my ability to communicate my needs, and in my second language. Also, traveling around Spain meant that I interacted with people who didn’t know that I was a student. When I was coming back from Spain, I was talking with a Colombian woman who even though she knew I was a student, she talked to me like I was a native speaker. This experience was super valuable for me, as it pushed me to use only Spanish, and to follow a conversation with someone who was using a different dialect than the one I had been studying. All of the chances that I got to speak Spanish outside of a classroom, and without people who also spoke English were very valuable to me. I was able to work on my speaking skills, but also I was able to get better about not letting my fear of talking to strangers stop me from practicing my skills.

My time in Spain changed me for the better. It helped me accomplish personal, professional, and academic goals. My personal goal going into my study abroad was just to travel to Spain and experience the Spanish culture, and I did get to do this to the fullest extent because of how much I managed to travel in my time abroad. A personal goal that I have created since going abroad is that I want to be a better advocate for myself. This wasn’t something that I set out to do before leaving, but during my time in Spain, I realized how much of a capacity I have to communicate, especially now that I can speak two languages. I realized that I should better use that power to better communicate my desires with other people. For most of my life, I have been shy and haven’t wanted to bother people, but I now see that it is important to fully communicate, in whatever languages you’re capable of using. My professional goals were accomplished because one of my driving desires to travel was to learn more about Spain in order to be able to teach more about Spain in the future. I was able to travel to a part of Spain that isn’t commonly talked about because it isn’t one of the main cultures, and in every city that I visited, I was able to visit at least one historic sight, and obtained a souvenir that was relevant to the history and culture of that one place. I now have personal pictures and stories that I can share with future classes of mine in order to teach them more about the culture of Spain and make it feel more personal than just learning from a textbook. I was also able to accomplish my academic goals. Not only did I take classes in Spain, I was able to take classes that were more specifically focused on Spain than the classes I normally take are. I was also able to incorporate my learning from these classes and previous ones with the real world by seeing the things that I was studying in person. One of my classes was focused on paintings by Spanish painters, and one of our assignments was to go and visit the museums where a majority of the work was housed. Getting to see these paintings made the class all the more valuable and it brought a new perspective to what we learned in class. Being in Spain gave me the chance to accomplish all of the personal, professional, and academic goals that I set out with, but it also gave me the chance to set and start to accomplish some new ones as well.

Links to my reflections while I was abroad:

Before I went abroad

During my first week

Traveling around Spain

About my classes while abroad

Expectations vs Reality about studying abroad

After returning to the US

Global May: Madrid

1. My STEP Signature Project was Global May: Madrid. I partook in an educational experience and study abroad program, where we travelled to several Spanish cities and learned about the past, present, and potential future for Madrid, and how these histories continue to shape the individuals who live in Madrid today.

2. If someone were to have asked me if I would ever leave the US without my family or friends, I would’ve laughed. I was challenged in so many ways leading up to, and during this experience, I cannot even put it into words. Going to Spain with 17 other students I did not know anything about was terrifying, if I am being completely honest. However, it ended up being the greatest blessing. I am now extremely confident in my ability to converse with others, use a foreign transportation system, and interact and appreciate those who are different than myself, whether that is people from my group, or locals in Madrid.

3. I think the aspect of this trip that led to my transformation to the greatest extent was the fact that we all lived at different stops and on different Metro lines on the Metro. This forced me, uncomfortably at first, to figure out how to navigate through a transportation system that I might even be nervous to do in America. I realized that if I wanted to spend time with someone who was not my roommate, I had to travel alone to meet my other friends somewhere, which gave me an immense feeling of independence and the “I can do this!” attitude.

The language barrier that existed in Spain changed the way I look at who I am today and who I hope                to be tomorrow, additionally. I am a Spanish minor and have taken Spanish classes since I was six years-old, so I would say I am proficient enough in the language to understand the basic level of conversation between native speakers. However, I often found myself, during the first week, speaking in English to Spanish speakers, knowing that they would probably know English and speak it back to me. Then, I realized how ignorant that was of me. When people are studying in my country and do not at least attempt to communicate in English, I get frustrated. So why would I do the same thing? So, for the rest of the trip, I tried to humble myself and always give it my best effort, especially when talking with my host-mom, María.

Finally, this may sound cliché, but I transformed the most as a human being by simply seeing Spain. I mean it when I say the day before we all went home, all 18 of us sat on a rooftop building and just sat silently, enjoying the insanely captivating panoramic view of the city that we lived in for a month. I got to have the most amazing experiences in Madrid, the greatest museum, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the most storybook-esque and beautifully enriching history of Segovia, and so many more. Simply existing in Madrid was transformational for me as a student, but more importantly, as a human being in general.

4. This experience will help me in many ways in the future, however the area that I think this will benefit me the most is in my professional life. I hope to be a teacher upon graduating. Furthermore, I would absolutely love to teach English in a Spanish speaking country, which I NEVER would have told you before this trip. I think that this trip inspired me to take my hard work further than America’s borders, and use my love of literature and adventure, to help those in Spain or Argentina.

This summer I studied abroad for 6 weeks in Florence, Italy through the Language and Culture in Florence Arcadia program. I took a photography class at Accademia Italiana and learned concepts ranging from the history of the earliest cameras, to framing and using digital cameras, to how to create an aesthetic and present work on a blog. The class consisted of classroom lecture/editing time and professor-led excursions into the streets of Florence to practice different photography skills.

While abroad, I learned so much about myself and the world around me that could never be taught in a classroom. At Ohio State, I am a pre-med neuroscience major. I spend most of my time working towards my dream of being a physician. Although I love the sciences and have chosen to devote my life to them, I have missed having the opportunity to explore my creative side, like I did in high school. The STEP program was the perfect opportunity to use one of my last summers before medical school to broaden my horizons and rediscover my creative roots. The photography class I took in Florence gave me just what I was looking for and more. I loved learning about a subject I’ve always wondered about and using the skills I was being taught to capture the beauty of Italy. I have felt a dramatic shift in my creative self because of what I learned this summer.

In addition to a creative growth, I have also experienced a personal growth through study abroad. I have gained new feelings of independence, confidence in problem solving, appreciation for culture and art, and more. I learned how to roll with problems as they arise and use my surroundings to figure out the best solution. I learned how to connect with people from completely different backgrounds and how to push myself out of my comfort zone and try new things. I better realize the importance of listening and observation before reaction.

Before this trip, I had never visited a country where the primary language wasn’t English. Stepping into Italy, I immediately felt the difference in social norms and knew that I would get the best experience out of my trip if I lived like Italians did rather than trying to bring America to Italy. I did this by speaking in Italian whenever I could, and although my Italian was very subpar, I found that locals appreciated my efforts and this gave me a better connection with the people around me. Attempting to immerse myself in a new culture gave me a completely different perspective. I immediately noticed how little I’ve observed my surroundings prior to this experience and now my eyes feel wide open. I feel more interested in what’s happening around me and I have gained a tremendous amount of patience.

Another key aspect of my experience was the independence I gained. This trip was my first time ever navigating public transport without the aid of my parents. I’m not from a town that uses public transport a lot, but using trains and buses is the European way so I felt determined to learn. Figuring out these systems took a lot of trial and error and pushed me into situations where I initially felt scared or uncomfortable but ultimately the public transport system opened me up to many travel possibilities that would be impossible otherwise. I traveled all over the country with the train system and barreled through the extremely narrow countryside roads with buses to see sights that were absolutely breathtaking. I was the person in charge of my own trip and I had to take on new, scary responsibilities to get the most out of everything. My road wasn’t free of hiccups and found myself lost more than a few times. I learned how to navigate a foreign land without internet or the aid of English and now the difficulties of my life back home feel minuscule in comparison. I am so grateful that I took that step out of my comfort zone because I had an experience I will never be able to put into words.

The photography class I took itself had a huge impact on my creative identity. Before arriving, I had no real sense of a personal style or aesthetic. This class exposed me to the history and genius of artists like Michelangelo in all the different museums and churches I visited, and I used that inspiration to find my vision. Through my lens, I had the power to capture the world how I wanted to see it. I could take use the patterns and brilliant color to create a narrative and a vision. For my final project, I decided to use my love of nature and create a blog that emphasized the beauty of Florence that is enhanced by the presence of greenery and new life. I used flowers and colors as symbolism for growth, self-discovery, and creativity. The pictures I took allowed me to express ideas I’ve never been able to convey any other way.

As a professional and individual, I want to be someone that embodies empathy, patience, intelligence, and open-mindedness. I don’t seek to lose my previous conviction and drive but I do see myself learning from my STEP experience and becoming more prepared to handle the unexpected. I believe the growth I experience in my time abroad will change the way I become a doctor and allow me to connect with my patients on a deeper level. I will take the mindset I embodied in Italy and apply it in my everyday life. I want to take every interaction I have and learn from it, knowing that everybody is living a completely different life than my own and I can learn from them. My STEP trip has changed the course of my future and has helped me become the person I’ve always wanted to be.

Link to Final Photography project: https://emilyphotoprojectflorence.tumblr.com

Cave of the Poets in Old Roca

Porta Napoli with a group of students

My STEP signature project took place in Lecce, a city in the Salento region of Italy. I immersed myself in Italian culture and learned Italian and became conversationally proficient over the eight weeks that I was there. While abroad I engaged in weekly excursions throughout the region and learned about the history of the cities I visited.

While abroad I believe my understanding of the world expanded. I became more self-reliant and extroverted and I developed an insatiable desire to see more and more of Italy. I began thinking of the world differently as I learned more and more of the Italian language. Their romanticism and lifestyle rubbed off on me. I also reflected on America and what things I liked better and worse about each country. I lost my assumptions that everything was perfect in Italy but remained firmly in love with my new home.

I was able to meet people from all over the country of Italy, as well as from the other side of the US and even China during my time abroad. I learned so much about them and feel lucky to have had the chance to make friends with people that I otherwise never would have met. I had many conversations with local people as I traveled who told me about their personal hardships, which ranged from rampant unemployment to taxation to racism directed towards southern Italians. I had little experience with what life looked like outside of the United States, let alone how individuals felt about their leaders, economy, or fellow citizens.

I also learned to accept a much more leisurely way of life. The people there close nearly all of their businesses from 1 pm to 4 pm to avoid the heat and enjoy their lunch time. I grew accustom to this lifestyle as I lived in Lecce and did my best to act as the Leccese did. I believe this has allowed me to reflect on my American lifestyle with a new perspective. I gained an appreciation for the range of employment opportunities available in my home, and I grew to understand where I could find work should I ever be fortunate enough to return to Italy.

Learning Italian allowed me to fundamentally change how I perceived the environment around me. Italians are infatuated with beauty, it’s one of if not the most common adjective used. Life is beautiful there, and I believe that rubbed off on me. I came to realize that one does not need to go half way around the world to find beauty around them, they only need to look closer. The historical excursions also made evident how much Italy had changed. In each city ancient roman architecture clashed with renaissance buildings and contemporary restorations. I was in awe of how much history existed there and how people continued to work and live for the future.

I believe that my time in Italy will help to make me a better engineer in the future. The interpersonal and self-sufficiency skills I developed are essential to being able to communicate and collaborate with other engineers. I think that new perspectives like the ones I acquired in Lecce are incredibly important in STEM fields and will help to guide the technology or systems that I hope to have a part in creating better serve more people around the world. Personally, I have always been interested in travelling to Italy and learning Italian, so this program allowed me to fulfill those goals. I also learned about the huge demand for English teachers in Italy which opens up the possibility of teaching in my professional career.

1. This summer I studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland for two months from June 4^th to August 4^th. While there, I took an Irish literature class, interned at Active Retirement Ireland, and class relating to my internship.

2.  Even though Dublin is a major world city, it was still a shock to live in a different country and adjust to their culture. I have traveled to different countries before, but never Europe. I was able to travel throughout Ireland to different cities, as well as throughout Europe. Living in a different country for two months allowed me to get a better understanding of the world around me. I was able to grow more confident in my professional life by working in a different country and adjusting to their work culture.

3. Working in Dublin for two months gave me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in Irish culture and become more confident. I was able to interact with my coworkers, Senators in the Irish Government, and members who belonged to the non-profit organization I worked for. I attended a festival for Active Retirement Ireland during which I met many members and was able to hear about what their Active Retirement Association did during the year. I was also given the opportunity to attend a lobbying meeting where we discussed Irish pensions and a referendum to the constitution. These events allowed me to fully understand how Irish politics work, as well as how the older population spend their days once they are retired.

While working, I was asked to make a presentation on something I believed Active Retirement Ireland should advocate for in the future. I was extremely nervous in providing recommendations since I am from a different country and was unsure if my options were even viable. However, after presenting my findings my boss told me that I did an excellent job. They plan to use my presentation at their next meeting with the Irish Government and use my recommendations for policy change. It gave me the confidence that as long as I worked hard, my work would be good enough.

Another way I was able to experience Irish culture was through traveling in the country. I had the chance to visit the west coast of Ireland, Northern Ireland, along with towns in Dublin county. Galway is on the west coast, and allowed me to see how they were similar, as well as different from Dublin. It was also extremely interesting to be able to travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where I got to learn about the Troubles, and see how being a part of the United Kingdom but on the island of Ireland affected the country.

4.Being given the chance to work in a different country helped me realize that I would like to do this in the future, and not just for a summer. Attending a meeting with a Senator to lobby for a referendum opened my eyes to the world of lobbying and how it could be an option for me in the future. It helped me see that it does not matter where I am from, but that as long as I work hard I can achieve my goals. Traveling allowed me to become more culturally aware and more understanding to those from different backgrounds as me.

For my STEP signature project, I studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain for four weeks from June 29th until July 28th. While I was there, I lived with a host family and took two classes that will count toward my Spanish degree at Ohio State.
During my time in Barcelona, my view of the world transformed. I think this experience has helped me to better understand views different from my own. A specific instance of this can be seen in the way my views changed of Catalonian independence. Before leaving, I thought I understood the issues at hand and also thought that Catalonia was being unreasonable by wishing for independence. However, my host mother was very much in favor of the independence movement, and I had a lot of conversations with her regarding that. Also, in the classroom, the professors had such a passion for Catalonian independence and brought up many good points on how unfair the current situation is. Through these experiences, my view of the situation was shifted. It made me realize that often times, only one side of the story is given. This can be applied to many situations in the world today, such as illegal immigration, wars that are happening, etc. I learned the importance of listening to all sides of a story before forming a judgement on anything. There was a transformation in this aspect of my life from my STEP signature project.
As I mentioned above, my relationship with my host mother had a large influence on the change in attitude I encountered while in Barcelona. She was very willing to share her views about the independence movement. She was a very pro-independence woman. She even made a hat with the Catalonian independence flag on it. I asked her to share her opinions on the independence movement, and she very clearly laid out her argument to me. The Spanish government has been taxing that region of the country more than any other reason just because the Catalonian region is so rich. She does not find it fair that they pay the government more because they choose to live in the beautiful and lively region of the country.
Another factor in the transformation that happened were my professors. Both of them had such a passion for Catalonia. The amount of love and pride they had for their region of Spain was so inspiring for me. Everyone from Catalonia showing their pride alone was another reason that made me ponder the entire independence movement. The media and a lot of professors focus on the Spanish side of the issue, which doesn’t show the full story. In class, I saw first-hand how much Catalonia means. It is as if there is a separate culture there. They taught us about the different language they have, the foods they prepare, the different art styles, etc. In this way, it does very much make sense for them to have independence to further create this rich and beautiful Catalonian culture.
The last activity that contributed to my transformation was traveling through the city of Barcelona. The amount of independence flags by far outnumbered the original Catalonian flag. This act of publicly displaying the independence flag shows a lot. In America, radical ideas like this are often hidden and people are embarrassed to show it. However, it seemed like the entire city of Barcelona was behind this movement. It was so inspiring to see how people came together to form demonstrations in the streets and show the passion they have for this political issue.
In Spain, I found that my understanding of the world altered. I learned that I need to be more open with understanding all sides of a story before forming a judgement of any aspect of the issue. This is such an important skill to have in life. It is a good skill to have for parenting, which is one of my life goals. I want to be the best parent possible. Also, understanding the world will set a great path for my children to follow. It is important for political reasons, so that I will have purpose behind my votes. Also, my professional goal is to become an attorney. This skill of understanding and listening is vital for that profession. It will help me understand cases and be passionate about what I am fighting for. On both a personal and professional level, my STEP signature project has benefitted me in so many ways. It was transformational and will benefit me in so many ways in the future.

I went to Siena, Italy for an 8-week immersive program that combined intensive Italian with a homestay program, volunteer work/community service and unique cultural experiences. I studied the sociolinguistics and emigration of Italy while spending time teaching refugees Italian and experiencing all of the wonders of daily life in Siena.

During my time studying abroad, I was going through a lot personally. I was in a relationship that I didn’t want to be in, and I was dealing with a lot of mental health issues as well as financial stress from back home. My first few weeks in Italy were very rough on me, not because of the cultural differences, but because of my own social anxiety. I was very worried about making friends with both Americans and Italians and have always felt a little out of the loop when in a group of people. However, I spent this time breaking out of my shell, and took initiative rather than waiting for an invitation. If I felt left out of a group, I moved on. I talked to strangers in the Piazza del Campo and invited my roommate out with me. We created our own little friend group, comprised of me, the American, her the Polish girl, our two Egyptian friends and and another from Zimbabwe. So not only did traveling to Siena help me push the boundaries of my own social anxiety, it gave me friends from all over the world.

There was a specific event during my time abroad that really affected me. It was so unsuspected, but allowed me to realize that I really am loved and appreciated as a person. In Siena, there’s the annual Palio horse race between the 17 contradas (neighborhoods) of the city. My host mom’s contrada, Tartuca, was running this year. Each contrada member wears a fazzoletto, or handkerchief, during the four days of the Palio. The fazzoletto for Tartuca is blue and yellow with a turtle on it. Non-members can’t and don’t typically wear them, out of respect (however, tourists will still buy gift shop ones to wear around, which cheapens the centuries-old tradition and offends Sienese people). The night before the race, there was this big celebratory dinner in the Tartuca contrada. During the dinner, my host mom found me and my friends and gave me a real fazzoletto. She had tied it the specific way that Sienese people tie their fazzoletti, and told me to never let it untie. This moment was so powerful for me because it showed me how much she cared about me, despite only knowing me for about a month at the time. She considers me a part of her family. I’ve never felt more at home than I did in Siena, surrounded by people I love and people who love me.

I am a military kid. I grew up moving around my whole life, pretty much every three years. It takes me about two years to get comfortable in any given place, and then I can only really enjoy that place for one year. I have always had a hard time getting familiar with a place, knowing the good places to go, making friends, getting to know the culture. However, I was only in Siena for eight weeks, and it felt like home after just one. Studying abroad this past summer not only gave me a unique learning experience, but it also gave me confidence and self-appreciation as well as a future place to call home.

 For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in the Siena Italian Studies study abroad program. The program focused on language development and service opportunities within the Italian community. During my stay, I lived with an Italian host family and took classes that were accredited by Portland State University.

My time in Siena, Italy, greatly impacted me in the best way possible. Before Italy, I would describe myself as a well-rounded individual who was very socially conscious and self-aware. It was not until I arrived and lived in the country for several weeks that I realized my previous statement was false. I was still a well-rounded individual, but my social consciousness and self-awareness were far from perfect because I still struggled with a heap of personal problems and biases that I had to face.

In terms of personal problems, I learned how to effectively handle them without putting too much stress on myself. Before this transformation happened, I would deal with my problems in a very emotional manner that would create more issues, rather than help the problem at hand. For example, I would enter an emotional state where my actions were reactive, not thought, and stress-inducing to me. This way of problem solving not only affected me, but it had an impact on the people that I would interact with as well. Since my friends and family were familiar with my way of “problem solving” they kept their concerns to themselves because they worried that I would react in a negative manner. In terms of social consciousness, I worked on my biases towards specific groups of people to become a more accepting person. Before this transformation happened, I would make comments and jokes about a specific group of people that I thought were harmless; however, I was not aware that I was offending those individuals. Unfortunately, I had to see how my words and actions impacted those individuals before I realized that I was being offensive and change my ways. Although I only spoke vaguely about my personal problems and biases, these are only a few of the transformations that I underwent while in Italy.

While in Siena, Italy, I was fortunate that I was able to meet new people and make friendships that will last a lifetime. One friendship that I developed and value deeply, not only for their character, but for what they taught and continue to teach me, is with a Turkish man (for the sake of anonymity, his name will be Emmanuel). Prior to meeting him, I viewed the world and lived my life in an American bubble, without even realizing it. After hanging out for a few times, we had deeper conversations about our cultural and environmental differences. These conversations helped me open my eyes to the world around and begin to think about problems that affect the rest of the world, not just America.

Another impactful experience that I had while in Italy, was teaching Italian to the African refugees. This opportunity was great for me because I have always had an interest in teaching, but ever had the chance to try it. Also, this is where I met another group of individuals who would eventually become my lifelong friends. While working with the refugees, I learned more about their African cultures and about some of the difficulties they faced integrating with Italian Culture. After taking the time to develop a relationship with my friends, they felt comfortable enough to invite me to their church service. Through this experience, my cultural experience grew and I was able to improve my social skills as much.

The transformations that I went through in Italy, are lifelong and applicable to every aspect of my life. Personally, my confidence grew so much because I was forced to talk to strangers for day-to-day necessities. Also, since I was one of a handful of black people in the area, my comfortability with my skin increased by a lot. Academically, I was challenged with the vigorous curriculum and heavy workload crammed into six weeks, but I managed to balance my load effectively. Professionally, I gained communication and networking skills; also, my Italian language skills greatly improved.

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.

Hannah Rensko

This summer I spent my time in Dublin, Ireland and Amman, Jordan studying peace and conflict in relation to the Northern Ireland struggles and the Arab-Israeli conflict. While in Dublin, we visited key landmarks including the GPO (General Post Office), Kilmainham Jail, and Glasnevin Cemetery. In Amman, we were able to get a real application of our studies after meeting with the Israeli ambassador to Jordan while still exploring the Wadi Rum Desert, Dead Sea, and ancient city of Jerash. Additionally, I spent one month of my time abroad in an intensive Arabic class to better my communication skills with the native people of the Arab country of Jordan.

After diving straight into the problems of these two areas, I developed a better understanding of the world around me just by being immersed in the surrounding areas and interacting with the people who are exposed to their culture on a daily basis. Before travelling, I assumed that Ireland, including Northern Ireland, was a peaceful country with no persistent problems. However, after visiting the city of Belfast it became all too real that segregation of religions here was still a prominent talking point.

In Amman, my assumptions were quite the opposite. I was expecting a conflict-ridden country in the Arab world. Yet, what I experienced was far from that. With heavy American influence, Jordanians lived in a very modern society that stayed true to their Arab roots while incorporating aspects of the Western world. Their unique culture contributes to their unique and different language, but that doesn’t stop these people from receiving foreigners with the utmost friendliness.

A huge reason as to why my views changed about these countries was from the interactions I had with my teachers and people of the cities. Our teacher in Ireland actually participated and remembers the times of the struggles there. His experiences and stories to us made the information easier to understand and more relatable. Our other teacher in Jordan was the former Jordanian ambassador to Israel. His experiences gave us a very real representation of the interactions of Arab countries with Israel without American bias for Israel.

The historical sites in Ireland also expanded my eyes into the world of peace and conflict in Dublin and Northern Ireland. While visiting key points in the struggle, such as, the GPO, Kilmainham Jail, and Glasnevin Cemetery the weight of the struggles felt by all of Ireland was laid on our shoulders. No longer were we being told about the history, but it was as if we were living it years later in the same location.

Jordan provided less of a historical aspect of the conflict because it is fairly recent that these problems have arose. In this way, I think that interactions with simple people like taxi drivers and waiters at restaurants gave me a better idea as to what Jordanian life was like. Interacting with locals in their native tongue was surprisingly easier than what I thought despite minimal proficiency. And this, I believe, is why we were received so well: we expressed genuine interest in their lives as citizens of a country in which they look up to.

Overall this experience and the transformation it has had on my life is incredibly important to someone like me who is majoring in a foreign language. By being immersed in the language that you try so hard to learn normally on an American college campus, you start to realize the hard work that you’ve put in really does pay off. This experience has taught me how to adapt in foreign situations and how to admire and respect other cultures. While there is no future job that uses these skills specifically, I think that this experience provided me with more real-world lessons. And for that, I am extremely grateful I got to undergo this adventure of a lifetime with my STEP funds.