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Rome 2005
Summer Study Abroad

by Maria Ng

For a lot of people, going to Italy would be the ideal way to spend the summer. This is exactly what I did. For the entire month of July I lived in Rome, making occasional excursions to the other areas of Italy. I spent this month exploring another country, absorbing a different culture, interfacing with new people. It was a trip I will never forget, one where I was able to have as much fun as I learned. 

This was not a vacation or some backpacking expedition, however. Rather, this was the Stony Brook University and Westchester Community College sponsored summer study abroad program in Rome. There might be skeptics that question the sense in participating in a study abroad program when they can just take an individual vacation and not have to have the hassle of worrying about courses and grades. But the reason for my wonderful experience was not due to the fact that I was simply in Italy. Rather, it was the people that I met in the program and the teachers that took it upon themselves to show us around Italy. 

The courses themselves added rather than took away from the experience. All of the classes were based on Italy’s culture, economics, and history. By being in the country that we were learning about, it was possible for the teachers to add to the classes by introducing lecturers we would not have been able to secure in the United States. 

On site visitations were incorporated into the courses too. For example, in my art history class, I was able to see the actual sculptures and paintings we were talking about rather than just looking at a picture in the book. Being able to see the actual pieces brought the subject to life and intrigued me a lot more than any art history class would have without this on site experience. The ability to experience something first hand not only gives one more of a grasp on the subject, it enhances the interest one takes in the subject. 

Italy was an amazing country because I knew what I was looking at. Like many people, I traveled to other parts of Europe after the program, like England and France. However, none of the other countries held the same interest for me as Italy even though I had the same initial interest in these countries at first. This was because I understood the significance of what I was seeing in Italy. I wasn’t just looking at some sculpture or structure because a tour book listed it as the “Top Ten Things to See in….” My interest in the places were my own and genuine.

The courses were also bearable because the grading was more lenient than it would normally have been during the school year. The teachers realized a study abroad program is a once in a lifetime opportunity and therefore allowed the students a certain amount of leeway. So in return for taking a few credits, you gain a personal and well informed tour of Italy that you would not get on an individual vacation. 

Even though the classes were bearable, the process of getting into the program was like most things, too bureaucratic. Forms had to be obtained, recommendations obtained, and applications filled out. Then, once the people chosen for the program were identified, more paperwork had to be completed. But everything was worth it. The forms also gave parents and students a sense of security because the coordinators made sure everyone was well informed on every situation. 

Once in Rome, the Italians were like most populations. Not everyone was polite, but generally people were well mannered. No one experienced any outright discrimination due to their nationality or even ethnicity. In fact, a lot of Italians seemed willing to carry on a conversation. This was pretty uniform in all parts of Italy that we visited. 

These excursions to other parts of the country included going to places like Venice, Florence, Padua, Assisi and Capri. Italy was absolutely amazing. I received a lot more from this trip than I had bargained for. It is incredible to be able to visit a completely different country without being completely lost, not even in terms of directions but in terms of being lost within their culture or their history. The classes and teachers were a big help with that. 

Italy was an unforgettable experience. The month of July 2005 is definitely one I will be remembering for a long time to come.