| 
| 
| 
|  |
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
Italy: Student Comments
“I did an internship in Italy, teaching English to first-graders. It was definitely an amazing experience. Not only did I get to travel outside of the city I lived in, I also got to see how normal Italian kids behaved and how they viewed America. It was very interesting and touching to be able to help kids and get them so excited.” —Aishwarya Alok “Living in a foreign country can at times be frightening, but it's also an unforgettable learning experience. Opportunities are many and the education of the richest kind, as long as you push beyond the normal urge to back down from any problems.” —EAP Student “Unforgettable! You have to grow up real fast. If you are not yet independent, you certainly will learn to be independent right away. The first few weeks are very difficult, but the program leaders are there to help you out; use them!” —EAP Student “Best time of my life. I went to Siena, Florence, Rome, Venice, Cinque Terre, London, Paris, etc. I also met some great people who I still keep in touch with! I would do it again in a heartbeat!” —Dhonna Ayento, UC Santa Cruz “I don't really have a special project or internship to share, but everything is different and fun. So do it all. I wish I would have done a volunteer activity or internship. It is a good way to experience and be a part of the culture that you are living in.” —Griffin Barash, UC Los Angeles “My education abroad experience at the University of Padova has proved an unbeatable résumé-builder. I participated in the EU-sponsored conference in France, researched EU foreign policy issues, and had an opportunity to intern at the March 1996 EU/UNESCO International Conference on the Environment and Global Change in Rome. Combining these international experiences with a knowledge of Italian created an opportunity to work at the U.S. State Department in Rome when I graduated.” —Denyette DePierro, UC Santa Barbara “I would highly recommend living with a family. I lived with the most adorable family, whom I consider my best friends-we still talk all the time. Every evening after dinner I would sit and talk with them for hours into the night. As my language inproved our discussions became more sophisticated and meaningful. We talked about life, religion, politics, and love. I came to understand this culture from the inside out, and at the same time I dramatically improved my language skills. It's extremely fulfilling to see results right before your eyes as you comfortably converse in a foreign language and connect with another human being who seems so far away from the world you live in. Their passion is contagious and they made me feel like a native.” —Kimberly Devine, UC Los Angeles “I love Rome, my roommates, my experience. I learned a lot from the teachers and my classes and I am much more confident about my Italian.” —Amber Edwards, UC Santa Cruz “I had a wonderful experience. I grew close to my host mother. My host family was great and I still keep in touch with them.” —Nicole Ferraro “It is a great immersion program. While it is difficult to find your own apartment situation, it is well worth it in the end. Living with Italians is the best way to learn the language. Engage in extracurricular activities; it is another great way to meet Italians. Finding your classes will be frustrating, but relax, you are in Italy, that is the way things work. ” —Brooke Francis, UC Berkeley “The best thing I gained was the ability to speak the language. There is absolutely no substitute for full immersion. I learned more Italian in four months than I had in two years, and it was the most fun I have ever had. I lived in a beautiful (13th-century!) apartment building, learned from the best professor I have ever had, and met really fabulous people. ” —Jasmine Hajjiri, UC San Diego “Words cannot even describe my EAP experience; to put it in this little rectangular box wouldn't do justice to every aspect of me and all the people who have entered my life, and have shaped and molded me to the person I have blossomed into today. My EAP experience was just an awesome opportunity to learn about everything, from Dante to Calvino; to teaching Italian elementary school children English and Mandarin; from learning about the 13 different regional 'accents' of standard Italian to different regional dialects of Italian; from baking bread to making tiramisu; and learning Pizzica and Danza Sarda! In the process of learning all these things, I was actually learning about myself: who I was and who I can be. Studying abroad this year has set me free from all my false conceptions of what I can and cannot do, from what others had told me. Only you can decide for yourself what you can and cannot do, and you'll never know unless you try! I have been inspired to do all that I want to do and have ever dreamt of doing, and just go out there and be; it's the only way to live.” —Jenny He, UC Los Angeles “An international program called WWOOF (World Wide Opportunites on Organic Farms) is a good way to experience more culture than you get in the big cities. It is a good learning opportunity for those interested in the subject.” —Gabriela Holl, UC Santa Cruz “I volunteered at Misericordia in Siena, Italy, where I worked with other volunteers on an ambulance. We transported people to the hospital, mental institute, retirement home, and their own home. It was a great experience because I had the opportunity to converse with Italians and use the language. I also had a chance to see inside Italian homes and hospitals, which was an interesting experience.” —Melissa Hosboyar, UC Irvine “Living in Italy has made a great difference in my life. I faced challenges, learned a lot about myself, and gained confidence. I know now that my future plans include a career in an international field.” —Shala Hruska, UC Berkeley “Drinking wine in the local square till 4 a.m. Getting stranded on a random road in Italy and having to call a home-stay father in order to get home. Learning a new culture and experiencing a place (Siena) that virtually stands still in time.” —Josh Kizler, UC Berkeley “I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Siena. I came to learn the language, but I feel like I also learned about myself and how important it is to push your comfort level. This was a very valuable experience for me. It improved my Italian 110 percent and helped me to better understand both Italian and American culture. It has been invaluable; I now have a strong command of Italian, am able to say I lived abroad, and have a museum internship that I can list on a résumé. Siena is gorgeous in the spring. The medieval city is quaint with its cobblestone streets, gothic cathedral, and beautiful piazzas. By the end of my stay there I had learned the intricacies of the city and had made local friends. I was housed in a residence on the Via Porrone, which was a two-minute walk from both the school and the Piazza del Campo right in the heart of the city. The Italian train system is convenient and fairly inexpensive. I traveled around the country and still had money for shopping.” —Emily Lerner, UC Santa Cruz “I taught English at a local high school. It was a great way to get involved in the community and feel like an active member, not just a tourist.” —Michaella Madix, UC Santa Barbara “I did an internship teaching English to high school students. My favorite memory was the Palio horse race in Siena; the culture of this tradition was so moving.” —Francesca Martinez, UC Davis “One of my favorite memories was when the Pope was elected. My friend and I were just getting back from school, stepping off the bus, when we saw what had to be thousands of people running toward the Vatican. Men, women, and children of all ages were just sprinting for St. Peter's Square for this announcement, so we started sprinting becuase we got so caught up in the excitement. Everyone was saying Il Papa! Il Papa! We got into the middle of St. Peter's square and everyone was just so happy to be there and excited to hear the news. Then finally after waiting for an hour or so and listening for the bell to ring and the white smoke to billow, they announced Pope Benedict XVI.” —Chloe McGibbon, UC Santa Cruz “Taking courses by Italian sociology professors, meeting and really knowing incredible people, and learning to express myself-all in a new language of words, gestures, and cultural expression-was more amazing than anything I'd ever done. The sense of fulfillment that came at the end of the year made choosing to stay another semester at the University of Padova impossible to resist.” —Annalisa Miron, UC Berkeley “It is such an awesome experience. I enjoy meeting foreigners; I talk to them as much as I can (it helps my language proficiency as well).” —Swarupa Mohan, UC Irvine “Studying abroad allowed me to capture my dream and transform it into a reality. It was the most memorable time of my life and one I would repeat over and over again.” —Amy Nguyen, UC Irvine “My two years in Padova were the most significant of my life. More than any other single experience, this time abroad defined my interests and values, and made possible all of my subsequent academic accomplishments. On EAP, university study became sheer adventure, and the inspiration I received then has never left me. I can truly say I would not be the person I am today had I not participated in this program.” —Christopher Nissen, UC Berkeley “I transferred to UC Santa Barbara after two years at Santa Barbara City College, and a year later participated in the EAP program at the University of Venice. EAP gave me the chance to perfect my Italian and study art history at a prestigious university. It was great to sit in a class and listen to a world-renowned professor talk about a major work of art and then actually go out and see it for myself. I feel very fortunate to have had this experience and will always value the time I spent on EAP and the opportunities it gave me.” —Sylvia Parisotto, UC Santa Barbara “The entire Siena quarter program was fabulous. There's no one particular experience that was better than the rest. The staff and the students helped make it one of the highlights of my academic career.” —Bindi Patel, UC Los Angeles “Rome has a touch of everything, from art to music, to unbelievable local foods and kind people. The classes I took were small and were led by unbelievable scholars. One of my teachers was a world-renowned archaeologist and the executive director of the American Institute for Roman Culture. He made class exciting; he took his lectures to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Augustus' Palace, and many other historical sites closed off to the general public. The manner in which the classes were offered made it memorable. Rome is an amazing city in which to study and live. ” —Gadiel Rachelson, UC Davis “Living for an entire semester in Rome was the best experience of my life! I loved living among the ancient and modern worlds all in one place” —Gina Ramirez, UC Davis “I met some of the greatest people while I was abroad. It allowed me to create friendships with students from other UCs, which made the experience worthwhile and memorable.” —Charles Tolliver, UC Santa Cruz “I was a DJ at a local café/nightclub and it was the best experience of my life! To see how music is really a universal language and how music impacts so many people's lives was amazing. Being a DJ in Italy has been a priceless experience that I will never forget!” —Bianca Yarborough, UC Irvine “As for highlights, I went to the same place for lunch every day in Siena for three months. I became friends with Armando (the owner) of the deli and when I was leaving he made me two large sandwiches for the road and gave me a huge hug. I think he would have happily had me marry his daughter if I could promise I'd stay in Italy and take over the business. I really liked living in a small town.” —Anthony Bertuca, UC Los Angeles
|
| x | Copyright ©
the Regents of the University of California |
