Veronica studied in Italy on the Florence: Studio Art Centers International program in the Spring of 2016.

If you could give only one reason, why would you suggest other students study abroad?

Studying abroad allows you to gain a world-wide perspective- to experience, to learn, and to more fully understand a culture different from your own.

If you could go abroad again, what would you do differently?

If I could study abroad again, I would have taken more time to learn the language before embarking on my journey. Studying in Florence, Italy (a relatively large tourist town) almost everyone can speak at least the basics of English. And although that is comforting to know that, it can also become a crutch and keep you from pushing yourself to step outside your comfort zone and butcher those Italian words because, well…because you have no other choice. And although I did learn quite a bit while studying abroad, I think I would have enrolled in a basics language course the semester before I left to really get me up to speed.

What specific factors influenced your decision to go abroad?

I had always been interested in incorporating my studies into an abroad education. As a student studying Mechanical Engineering and Fine Arts, I will be entering into the world of product design after graduation and will be working with global customers. In order to more fully understand the culture of others different from me (while continuing my education), I wanted to go abroad. As I mapped out my schedule for the upcoming years, I arranged it such that I could carve out a semester where I only took classes that contributed to my studio art degree. And, what better place to take art classes than in the arguably the birthplace of art itself, Florence, Italy.

What concerns/fears did you have about studying abroad, and how did you overcome them?

One of my biggest concerns was the language barrier. I had a pretty jam-packed schedule in school with little room to take a course specifically corresponding with my country of travel before departure. In order to prepare myself, I enrolled in a “survival” Italian course once I arrived in Italy in order to learn the basics. I also brought with me Italian-American dictionaries and other books I had bought in order to help learn a little bit each day.

What was it about your program specifically that fit your personal goals over other programs?

What attracted me to SACI (Studio Arts Center International) was the location of study as well as the wide breath of courses available for study. For an art student, studying in Florence, the home of Michelangelo’s David, Brunelleschi’s Duomo, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Botticelli, and so many others, is simply an honor. And the courses that the school provided such as fresco painting, book binding, batik, weaving, and dozens of interactive art history courses, allowed students the opportunity to learn the techniques of the masters and to study first-hand the works that they created.

How have you used the skills you learned abroad now that you are back; either in job searching, or in other activities?

As I mentioned before, I am a student studying mechanical engineering and fine arts. I will be incorporating these two areas of study into a packaging development role with Procter & Gamble after graduation. With P&G being a global consumer goods company, I will be working on assignments that will require me to not only travel to different countries, interact with employees and customers from that country; but, also, to understand the wants and needs of the consumers in that country. My study abroad experience has provided me with the skill to be able to understand a culture different from my own. And with that, to produce a product that fits the needs of a consumer in that particular country.

Did you participate in any service projects while on your program? How did that enhance your study abroad experience?

I did participate in service projects while I was abroad. Every Friday afternoon I volunteered at the local Italian elementary school (located across the Arno river) and helped to teach the students how to read, write, and speak in English. This was a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community that so graciously was allowing me to call their city “home” for the next several months. In addition, I was able to learn more Italian for arguably the cutest little Italian teachers.

What experiences did you have while studying abroad that you feel you could not have had if you had stayed at Penn State?

A lot of the courses that I chose to study while abroad were courses that were not offered at Penn State. In these courses, I was able to learn old Italian techniques of producing art, using unique tools that are almost impossible to find in the United States. The courses that I enrolled in abroad led me to study the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini, and other Italian masters firsthand and not simply through a page printed in a textbook or a slide projected in a lecture hall. Instead, I was able to walk arms-length away from some of the most influential artworks ever to be created, walk on the same grounds as these masters, and use the same techniques they did to produce works of art. This, this is something I never could have done had I chosen to stay at Penn State.

What advice would you give to outbound study abroad students to help them make the most out of their study abroad experiences?

The best advice I would give to an outbound study abroad student would be to go out an explore on your own. You’ll meet so many people (many of them Americans) in your classes, and you’ll enjoy spending time with them in this new country you both are getting to know. But, I think it is extremely important to get out, to travel, and to explore on your own. By doing so, you come to learn the transportation systems like the back of your hand. You learn more of the language. You can more fully morph and blend into the natural and everyday lifestyle of the culture you are living in. You become independent and really get to know the country you are privileged to call home for four months. Yes, it is fun to make friendships with fellow Americans with whom you can potentially bond over these experiences for years to come; but, don’t underestimate the serenity of spending a weekend exploring on your own.

Share an experience where you interacted with someone in your host culture in a way that taught you something.

When I first went to the elementary school to teach English to the students, I was expecting the teacher to be fully fluent in English- this was not the case. Her English was very broken and with a strong Italian accent. This was my first experience where I learned I could not rely on English serving as the “universal” language. This experience really helped to jump-start my discipline to study the Italian language and to learn as much as I could while I was there.