Ciao!
If you’re wondering what “Ancora imparo” means, it translates to “Still, I am learning” in Italian. Michelangelo is credited with saying this when he was 87 years old. I thought this phrase was the most fitting way to describe my experience of studying abroad. This is because still, I am learning so much about myself. Still, I am learning how much I love to meet new people and move out of my comfort zone. Still, I am learning another way of life, culture, and language. Still, I am learning about the things that are truly meaningful to me and still, I am learning that bread is a utensil 🙂 and recycling is important.
I could go on and on but it’s only week 3 and I can safely say I know this has been and will continue to be a life-changing experience. This program has catapulted me into a whirlwind of activities, classes, and field trips that have opened my eyes. So far Frascati and Vienna have been the ultimate experience for me. Frascati is a quaint town located not too far from our home base in Ariccia. It has a lively town square and some incredible cafes, not to mention that it also has wonderful views of the Castelli Romani area. In addition, I went to Vienna, Austria this past weekend and it was indescribable. The architecture is amazing but the one place to really check out is Naschmarkt on the weekend. It has tons of food to try as well as shopping!
Something that really opened my eyes in class today though was a leadership conference that was centered around other cultures and their mannerisms. We learned how important it is to observe other cultures and what’s important to them in an effort to connect to them. We tried exercises to see how much we would observe and it also showed us that we definitely need to try harder. So, that is my current goal for this week while we travel to Naples and Pompeii and then Sicily this weekend!
-Marissa Probst

View from the top of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria