Introduzione
When I arrived at the Bologna airport, I had no idea how much I would learn and explore in 6-weeks. It seemed like such a short amount of time but through weekend trips, speaking with locals, and our classes, I’ve learned so much. Through my portfolio I wanted to show my improvements and also show the differences in life between Italy and the U.S.
During the first week, I was so energetic and ready to explore the city. It seemed that every day we were visiting a new restaurant or gelateria. The first full day I was in Bologna, I went to Piazza Maggiore and was entranced by the music, lively people, and historical buildings surrounding me. Even when we began classes that Monday, I had not processed that I was taking a course.
This was all so exciting and new. To think that we stumbled upon Bruce Springsteen that week and saw our first opera! The weekend trips were amazing experiences. Getting to see the differences between Bologna and more tourist-filled cities such as Florence gave me a newfound appreciation for where we were living. Up next was Venice! This was one of my favorite cities and I’d love to visit again and spend more time here. Another one of my favorite trips was with the girls in the program. I didn’t think that I had the time to travel to another country but Lugano, Switzerland is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen. It was a great experience that made me realize what great friendships I’ve made on this trip. I linked on my website the group instagram we made that captures many of these trips.
By exploring these other cities, I was able to try new foods and visit beautiful museums, but I learned the most in Bologna. I tried many different restaurants and cafés. By ordering food in Italian every day or even having small conversations with the cashiers, I found myself picking up vocabulary and overall felt more confident. As in every study abroad trip, there were moments where I felt overwhelmed and missed home but I learned even from those experiences.
The topics we covered in class were also such a significant portion of my learning. I loved discussing “slow food” and the importance of sustainable consumption. In many restaurants in Italy, they promote local food. Many of the ingredients are from nearby farms. Durham has promoted similar sentiments with the Duke Farm and other sustainable promotions in West Union. Due to this effort, I have a new appreciation for an eco-friendly lifestyle which is why I discussed the differences in American and Italian food culture for one of my blog posts. Here, I was able to go into detail on the importance of sustainability in Italy and even some of the food traditions.
One of my favorite units in the course was when we discussed immigration and emigration. I feel that this is a widely debated topic in the U.S. so, it was interesting to learn how Italy feels about this topic. We read a chapter from Igiaba Scego to further understand the struggles that children of immigrants deal with in Italy. The widespread sentiments varied widely but through musicians such as Ghali and writers like Igiaba, awareness has be spread about the mistreatment of individuals that aren’t from Italian descent. In my website, there is a link to a shared Spotify playlist that showcases some of these artists and other recommendations from Professor Laura!
Throughout the course we were able to do many activities that also taught me so much. After visits to museums, the cooking class, and even our first trip to eat gelato, we wrote about these experiences on EdDiscussion. As I looked back on my posts, not only was I able to reflect on the experiences, but I was also able to see my progress. My grammar and vocabulary had improved throughout the course which I speak more about in a blog post. I also have a dedicated blog post to the tour we did with a UNIBO student. Alice was able to show us many of her favorite places and even explained some of the important history of the city. It was great to see Bologna through the lens of another student. Finally, I mention one of the presentations I did on Basilica di San Francesco. It was a great experience to be able to talk about a work of art after having visited in-person. The Basilica was only a couple minutes from our apartment and I had sat in the park nearby so many times, little did I know the meaningful works that were within it. Overall, these class activities allowed me to learn and improve my Italian, not only in terms of grammar but also cultural awareness. During this trip, I wrote diary entries that detailed my weeks spent. I linked this in my website as another source where I reflected on my time here.
It’s difficult to put into words my feelings as I soon leave Bologna but I know that this was an amazing experience. It wasn’t perfect but that’s the beauty in traveling to another country. I was able to immerse myself into a new culture and improve my Italian speaking skills. I will miss Bologna but I’m so happy to have experienced 6-weeks in this beautiful city. I know that I will bring back with me the knowledge that I have gained here. Until next time, ti amo Bologna.
