Author Archives: campus

Italy – Just a Chapter in the Journey of Life

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When an opening for travel arrives, take it- take it and expose yourself to the opportunity. If you were to tell me this is where I would be two years ago, heck, a year ago, I would have not believed you. Spontaneously signing up for this semester abroad has already brought twelve new friendships, cultural understandings, language exposure, learning yet hilarious situations and so much more. 

We (the fall 2023 Chigi babies) are on week three of twelve and it already feels as if we have been here for months. There are of course the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Let me tell you, the things posted on instagram are not always what is portrayed in the ways someone may make it seem. For instance, this past weekend a group of us decided to go to Sorrento to see the coast…beautiful, right? 

Well if the photos looked aesthetically pleasing for the instagram feed, it did not go that way. The backstory in a summary is the Airbnb took two hours to find but the plus side of that was the house being tinkerbell themed. Our boat tour got canceled, so we took the bus to Positano, took a ferry, and vomit was almost the end result. It poured rain as we walked down the hill, which ended in a smelly wet dog feeling and ruined clothes. As we got to the beach at the bottom, the rain stopped and the sun was shining, so the ferry was our ideal way to get back. However we just missed the last one, and we watched it drive away. We walked back up the hill, to the top, to get on the bus. We did not have seats so we stood for the forty five minute ride and all felt motion sick again. Well the emergency button was pushed, we thought game over and we were about to pay a clean up fee. Anyways, it ended well and we made it back to Sorrento and got gelato. 

All in all, it was the best weekend, a weekend that had us all laughing about every moment as we sat on the floor of the train station because we missed our train. We would not want it any other way; fun, spontaneous, and testing of our patience. That is just a glimpse of the plus to studying abroad, the friendships you inherit by learning how to work with each other and being in the moment. To say that, not only do I feel as if this chapter of life is bringing me closer to friends I never knew I needed but also adding cultural skills and adaptability to my tool box. 

Sophie Berry

Fare Acquisti in Italia

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Shopping in Italy is everything one would think it would be! I have spent the last couple of weeks, amidst all of our wonderful program activities, shopping in just about any city we go to. It is absolutely incredible, and not surprising since we’re in the fashion capital of the world, but there are some things I wish I had known sooner to prepare. One thing is that when you walk into a store, be sure to greet the store owners upon entrance, otherwise you can be given a look of “what is she up to?” No need to be shy or nervous, they are very friendly people! All it takes is a simple “buongiorno” if it’s morning or “buonasera” if it is the afternoon.

Since we are in Ariccia, it can be difficult to find people who speak English and the same goes for the neighboring towns of Albano, Genzano, Nemi, etc. Due to this, there are phrases (if you’re an avid shopper like I am) that would come in very handy to memorize before your first shopping trip! “Vorrei provare quello” means “I would like to try” and then you could use nonverbal language and point to what you would like or learn the phrase for what it is you’re wanting. “Questo va bene” can be used to say “this is good” if you are happy with what you have, are done shopping, or like how something fits. “Cerco una” translates to “I am looking for a” which you can once again finish with nonverbal cues or learn the words for what you are looking for and “posso provarla” means “can I try it.”

There are also some differences in shopping in America versus shopping here in Italy. When I went into a makeup store in Rome, I was a little confused because I saw one of each product but couldn’t find any more product anywhere. I asked an employee, who had to find a colleague that spoke English, and she told me that the product is kept in drawers that the employees find and get for you, not the customer. In shoe stores, you don’t just grab shoes and try them on or touch them like you do in America. You ask an employee for help and they touch and find everything for you. As an American, there can already be a pretty bad stigma attached to you (fortunately you are a JSB American so you have it a little better!), but because of this, you want to try and adapt as much as possible to show the locals you care about their culture and traditions. Being willing to learn this will get you so far!!

Caroline Avolese

Rome’s huge shopping corso

Thoughts That Come With Leaving

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Coming to the end of my summer here is a jumble of juxtaposing feelings; I feel so sad to leave this place and these people yet so happy to return home. I am relieved to be returning to familiarity but afraid to no longer be pushed out of my comfort zone daily. I find myself daydreaming about having lunch on the porch with my mom, lying in the yard with my dog, and driving to music with the windows down. But, at the same time, I find myself thinking about all the things I will miss here: seeing the old men congregating in the square, reading at Caffè del Bernini, and going to a fraschetta for dinner. I will miss Cinzia, Roberta, Lydia, Francesco, Mary Lou, and many more who make this program and town a home for us.

While reaching the end of the summer here it is hard not to be looking forward to what is next. I am thinking of packing up my nest, our travel day ahead, and seeing my parents at the airport. A time like this also forces me to reflect on this summer and how I have changed. I remember arriving this summer anxious about some things and thinking I had others already figured out. I could almost laugh at how wrong I had it in the beginning but in the end, looking back, figuring out this position has changed me for the rest of my life.

It is sometimes confusing to have such opposing feelings together, but I think it is a good thing in the end. It means I am lucky enough to have two places I love so much.

Sophie Young

Rainbow Over Ariccia

Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

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I’m sitting at my favorite cafe in Ariccia, Antico Caffè, having my Ciambella (donut) and Cappuccino. Sadly, I caught myself counting down the days left till I get to hug my family, and friends at home. Now, this may seem ungrateful, but I ensure you it’s not.

Coming to Italy I was over the moon with excitement about what was to come this summer. But now, I sit here wishing I was where I know, but also wishing this experience of a lifetime to never end. I’m still trying to find how to be in this moment and enjoy it completely without missing what I don’t have.

Every day in Italy is a beautiful, new experience for me each day poses a challenge in its own way. I remember the first day we arrived, and someone told me to learn to find comfort in things that feel like they have no familiarity. During the first three weeks in Ariccia, I was so excited to live my dream Italian summer. What I did not think to consider at that moment was how homesick I would feel at week eight, or how difficult it is to find comfort in an environment that’s not my normal. As silly as this sounds, I never anticipated missing peanut butter or lemonade with ice so much, not only because they taste good but because they are what is comfortable. This summer has taught me that throughout life there will be some periods that are more uncomfortable than others, and I must find ways for myself to find comfort in them.

Being so far from home has taught me that it is okay to miss these things but to embrace the new and exciting things a new country has invited to my life, as they won’t be in my life forever. So many experiences good and bad, new amazing fresh foods, and people of a completely different background than I, yet, have become some of my favorite individuals. This summer I could have sat in my uncomfortableness and counted down the days till I got to go back to America. Instead, I embraced the challenge and emersed myself in the Italian culture! I will always remember my time in Italy because it was uncomfortable and that’s what made my memories here.

Being out of my comfort zone is a vicious cycle of continually longing for the comfort of being in Auburn but also being so excited about my experiences here. I know that as much as I want to feel a sense of familiarity now, in two months’ time I am going to desire things from Ariccia and all over Italy that are not accessible in America.

Best Wishes,

Julia Barker

Here is a picture of Paolo teaching me how to make a cappuccino! One of the many skills I picked up this summer!

Stop Staring at the Mountains

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The past eight weeks have manifested into memories that I hope I never forget. I wish I could tell people that I’d always planned to come to Italy and that it had been on my radar before March 2021, but I would be lying. I was in a place in life where big, uncomfortable changes were happening and I felt that I had zero control of any of it. My friends were approaching their graduation day and the reality was setting in that I would be remaining at Auburn an extra year with the expectation that I would not get the chance to study abroad before I graduate. My routine was becoming mundane, and I was unsure of how to escape my redundant reality. Then, on March 31, I got an email about the Joseph S. Bruno Program and decided it was time to do something unexpected; I was going to find a way to go. 

Fast-forward to week number eight of the program, and the decision to sign up for the JSB Program seems minute in comparison to the accomplishments that I have had since arriving in Italy. 

Heights terrified me, but I climbed Mount Vesuvius. 

Bridges petrified me, but I strolled across the seemingly interminable bridge to Civita di Bagnoregio. 

Independence intimidated me because I had allowed myself to become alienated from it, but moving to another continent for eleven-and-a-half weeks with ten strangers demands it. 

Despite the multitude of fears and reservations that I had a few months ago, I decided that it was time to stop staring at the mountains; it was time to climb them. I made the choice to live in the moment rather than allow my fear to consume me. Those fears are no longer staring back at me, rather, they are now dust under my ambitious feet. The weeks remaining may be dwindling, but my adoration for Italy has surged. Obstacles that once seemed to intimidate me have morphed into some of the best memories I have ever had because I took that step to climb.

Go climb your mountains,

– Emaline Stewart

Jumping for joy in the midst of a long hike in Abruzzo National Park

2020 Class of COVID-19

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When I applied to be the Administrative Intern for JSB Spring 2020, all I really knew was that I would get to come back to Ariccia, a place I love with all my heart, a place that changed me as a student of the JSB Spring 2018 class. There was no way I could have prepared for what a life-changing, unique, crazy experience this would be. I could tell you all about the day trips in to Rome and how we got to experience not only the tourist side of the city, but also the off-the-beaten-path side as well. I could tell you about our overnight trip to the region of Umbria and how we got an inside look at the craftsmanship of the people of Italy and once again got to explore a historically rich area of Italy. I could tell you about the different professors and Italian men and women who came to our classroom, invested in our lives and education, and taught us things that we will remember for the rest of our lives. I could tell you about how hard Lacey works to make this the best possible experience for the students. I could tell you about how Cinzia is dedicated to her job and cares for her people so well. I could tell you about how sweet it is to hear Roberta say “Ciao bella” every morning while working hard to make sure our schedule is perfect. I could tell you about how amazing Maurizio and Franceso are and about how much they love this program, Ariccia, and us. I could tell you about how we were sent home six weeks early because of the Coronavirus and how heartbreaking that was for me, not only because I knew what we were all missing out on, but mainly because the girls did not get to complete their study abroad experience they had waited years to experience. I could also tell you about how resilient they have been in completing their study abroad education online from America. I could talk about it all for hours.

But what I want to tell you about most is the sweet memories I made with these 21 girls in the short six weeks we had together. In some ways, it felt like many months that we lived together in the Palace. But mostly, it felt like it went by way too quickly. Valentine’s Day dinner in town, sunsets on the overlook, weekend trips to new places, cooking dinner together, making tik-toks, watching the Bachelor on the projector, sitting in each other’s “nests” to talk and laugh and cry, talking about the hard stuff and sharing in the really good stuff, getting food poisoning, feeling home sickness, having anxiety attacks, laughing until we cry, squealing about a cute Italian boy who wants to take you out for gelato, getting stuck in a different country multiple times, falling in love with Italy. The list truly keeps going, but this is just a taste of the things we got to experience together. If something happened to one person, the group as a whole felt it because there is something so special about sharing this kind of experience and living in close quarters with a group of 21 girls. And these specific girls are the most caring, fiery, supportive, compassionate, strong, welcoming, and fun girls I have ever met.

We will forever be remembered as the JSB group that was sent back to America 6 weeks early due to COVID-19, and we will forever remember that short time we had together in Ariccia as a time our lives really were changed for good.

With love to Italy, Ariccia, JSB, and my Chigi babies,

Emmie Whorton

Some of the best girls I know! This photo was taken during our tour of the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Don’t Be Married to Your Travel Plans

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When I signed up for this trip at Camp War Eagle, almost two years ago I had no idea what I should expect. Throughout these first six weeks here at JSB I guess you can say things have not exactly gone as we could have expected. From our cancelled flights in London and Paris, to having to take over night trains just to make it back to class, and now the rapid spread of the Coronavirus in Italy, we have had to face many challenges. 

JSB Spring 2020, the group that will forever be remembered for being here during the spread of the coronavirus. As I sit here, I wonder things like: What will happen if we leave Italy? Will we be allowed back in? Is our program going to get cancelled as a whole? What if we somehow end up in quarantine? Unfortunately, these are the kinds of risks you take when you sign up for any trip abroad. 

Although we have faced much adversity in our time here, I have learned and grown so much as a person. We have also grown together as a whole group. These will be the kind of stories we will remember for the rest of our lives. These are the kinds of situations that bond people, and I know that I will be leaving this program with twenty friends for life. 

So although things may not have gone the way we have planned, you live and you learn. We have adapted plans and taken everything with the best attitude possible. Now all we can do is hope for better luck in the upcoming six weeks. 

War Eagle!

Haley Chambers

A picture in London the day before our flight home got cancelled!

Among the Amalfi

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View of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Positano

By: Mecca Hodge

The endless cerulean waves. The whizzing of Vespas zooming down the hill. The gentle and welcoming sea breeze. This is the Amalfi Coast. I truly wasn’t prepared for the beauty before my eyes. I had only heard of Positano briefly prior to the planned optional field trip there. My research consisted of Googling a picture of it…and nothing more. Essentially, I “traveled by faith,” and that faith surely paid off.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea—literally. There isn’t one single location in Positano that doesn’t offer a view of it. The town itself has tons to offer as well, from restaurants on every corner to ample shopping. However, the real fun lies in the deep blue. I had the opportunity to take my very first boat ride on the sea for the day. The thought of being on a rocky boat for 8 hours absolutely terrified me. I begrudgingly agreed to it, hoping to just “get it over with.” To my surprise, it ended up being the best day I’ve had in Italy so far. Seeing the Blue Grotto and the island of Capri was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Looking back at the pictures still has me in awe. Oh, and the boat ride itself? I survived it! By the end of the tour, I was even sitting on the front of the boat.

Some could argue and say that it’s “too tourist-y” or that it’s “too much walking”. While I understand these opinions, I can honestly say that the good outweighed the bad. As an apparel merchandising major, I feel that this experience taught me something valuable as I pursue my seemingly scary career. The highly-competitive fashion industry is infamous for its let-downs and unexpected situations. My time in Positano, though, showed me that embracing the unknown can lead to something great beyond imagination. If I can trust a boat to carry me out to sea in a town I’ve only heard of once, then I can have faith that my education will carry me to the best career. I hope to return to Positano in the future, filled with gratitude and gelato!

How to Chase the Son

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After finding out last minute that I was invited to go on this study abroad, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go, and I almost didn’t. But, boy am I sure glad that I have a supportive family and providing Father who made it all possible.

I never did anything to deserve such an indescribable and rare experience as this study abroad. Although I grew up on some of the most popular beaches of Florida that are many southerner’s destination location, I didn’t grow up traveling very much myself. And when my family and I did travel, it wasn’t very far. So, this trip has rocked my world way more than I ever thought it would. My heart of gratitude grows bigger every day. The real challenge lies in having a grateful attitude even when there are rough days, because there WILL be rough days.

The following are some tips that have helped me to have the right mindset and heart for traveling, especially with other people. These are things I am so thankful to have been able to learn in my time here.

  1. Don’t complain. Of course we all want to whine a little bit here and there when the weather gets hot or our feet hurt from walking. But, I learned that if I fight those thoughts from seeping into my head, I will be able to tolerate the experience a little bit better.
  2. Be content. I realized that lowering expectations for my plans will also lower my chances of disappointment. If I can find joy in whatever I am doing or however a situation turns out, I am less reliant on everything going ‘perfectly.’
  3.  Show a heart of thankfulness. Along with not complaining and being content, I started to grow a heart of thankfulness in all I was doing. When I am somewhere for a long time, my thankfulness can slowly begin to fade as I get accustomed to my surroundings. I have to keep the fire of thankfulness lit as long as possible, because I know that once I return I will reminisce of my time abroad.

I hope that these simple, and seemingly obvious yet often unpracticed, tips can help anyone abroad or traveling because I know that while I’ve been chasing the sun, it all the while has helped me to keep chasing the Son!

Stay rad,

Temple Nichols

One of the many early morning, sunrise flights to our next destination on this study abroad.

-Literally chasing the sun on one of the many early morning, sunrise flights to our next destination on this study abroad.

Not a ‘Half’ Bad Experience

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This past week was spring break, which also means I am now halfway through the semester! It has been an incredible experience in every way, and I am sad to see the time passing by so fast. I cannot believe six weeks have already gone by.

I have learned to soak up every moment because in the blink of an eye. I know I will be heading home soon, reminiscing about the best three months of my life. I have taken nothing for granted as we travel throughout Italy on field-trips, seeing sights I never imaged I would ever see in person growing up like the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Trevi Fountain, and more.

On my own I have also traveled every weekend to new places including London, Milan, Sicily, Malta, and Paris, and cannot wait to continue seeing the world in the upcoming weeks, as well. Better yet, I am able to take on these new experiences and places with new friends that I feel like I have known for years. I have learned so much about many new cultures through my travels here, and I feel this is a great takeaway and something I will always be conscious of in the future.

So far, some of my favorite places in Italy are the small towns I most likely never would have visited or known about without the Joseph S. Bruno Program. I have fallen in love with the town we live in called Ariccia, as well as the surrounding towns, Albano and Nemi. These towns meet every expectation of the ‘Italian lifestyle’ I have envisioned before I came. Everything is so authentic here from the lifestyle to the food, and that is what makes me love it here so much.

Albano has the train station, a lot of shopping, and many restaurants we visit for aperitivo (an early appetizer-style meal before dinner). My favorite place of all though is another nearby town, Nemi. Though it is very small and quaint, it is known for its tiny strawberries, and a view of Lake Nemi that is breathtaking. I love overlooking the lake while enjoying a delicious strawberry pastry and cappuccino. It is in the small moments sometimes that I feel like I am living a dream.

Ciao bella (goodbye, beautiful),

Bethany Hadley

Enjoying Nemi and the famous strawberries