On the plane

I believe that continuing to learn is a crucial part of a person’s life. Becoming satisfied with only what one knows can cause them to become ignorant. As I have aged, I find myself interacting with a larger amount of people from different backgrounds than myself. Going to Notre Dame, I have interacted with people from across the world with diverse interests of study. Diving into countless conversations with these people different from me has introduced me to a multitude of different ways one could view life. Therefore, I imagine living and studying in a different country can lead to a greater understanding of the people and their culture.

Studying in Italy as an outsider should be very challenging. I will have to ask for help every time I don’t know where to go or what to do, and nothing will be familiar. While I am usually very talkative and social, I don’t know how intimidated I will be when forced to communicate through a language I am not as comfortable with. Through this experience, I should be able to take a step back and really appreciate how impressive it is to be bilingual.

When abroad, I am really interested in hearing local’s perspectives on their current and past political situations. In my most recent Italian class, “Exploring Italian Culture,” we talked about the important historical events that occurred and how they affected Italy. Having the chance to speak to Italians about how they view their country is an opportunity I will be sure not to pass up. Furthermore, I hope to be able to find some of their favorite shows and music to take as recommendations. There is so much music, TV shows, and movies that I have only found through friends recommending them. Therefore, there must be a lot of Italian media that I would also enjoy. I am extremely excited and looking forward to the moment I land in Italy.