This summer, I feel so satisfied because I joined the Joseph S Bruno Abroad in Italy Program. We have had many experiences during our program! We have learned so much about Italian history and art. We have leadership class, which helps me have a better understanding of my identity and the people around me. We visit many places that have a beautiful view and learn many facts from these fantastic experiences. Sorrento was my favorite weekend trip with the group. It was a beautiful town with a beach and a lot of delicious food.
As an international student from China, I also have the opportunity to make American friends and communicate with them. This is very beneficial for my English skills and I am able to learn more about American culture. At the same time, I am learning things about Italy. This is a challenge for me, but I am very appreciative for this program. When I finish this study aboard, I will miss this time in Italy with my friends. This was not only a great opportunity to study, but also a great chance to travel around Europe. JSB has given me many experiences that I will never forget. I have visited places like Roma, Ariccia, Sorrento, and Germany, and each one has given me a unique cultural experience with all different types of people. I have heard so many different kinds of languages. Personally, I realized that I still need to learn more about this world. I never imagined I could have so many American friends, and we would have such a great time together in Italy!
I have always adored traveling. Ever since my first trip to Europe when I was 14, I knew that traveling was something that I valued highly. When the opportunity arose to be in Italy for three months, I could not imagine anything better. The time here has absolutely flown by and we just reached our halfway point through the semester last week. This means that midterm break was also last week. I was overjoyed about getting to see my family and spend time with them after being away for so long. I had started to feel the effects of homesickness and craved to be with them again. Seeing them was the best feeling in the world. However, as the break continued I actually found myself missing my friends from this program a lot more than I expected.
Midterm break was such a great opportunity to reflect on the time that we have had together so far. Through sharing stories with my family, I was reminded of all the amazing experiences I have shared with the girls on this program. While on the break, I raved about Italy so much that my family joked if I would even want to come back at the end of our three months. I answered with the truth: If I could move all of them and all my friends from the United States to Italy, I would never go back. I love Italy, especially the simplicity that is present in every possible aspect here. I love the appreciation that Italians have for art, time, and food. I love the beauty that is abundant in this area. I love the friendships that Italy has cultivated, in a totally unexpected manner that is entirely unique to an experience like this one. It is definitely safe to say that Italy has half of my heart.
With love,
Lindsey Young
The field next to our cooking class at Cucina Della Terre. Just one example of the simple beauty found all over Italy.
Living in Italy for the past month and a half has been much more than educational. I have met so many great Italians and even Auburn students; therefore, I cannot wait to see these new friendships develop. My Italian family is really interesting and is always really kind to us. They are always willing to go above and beyond to help us out and show us hospitality. One of my other favorite aspects of the JSB program is learning about the Italian cuisine.
Food is a big passion of mine and being able to dive deeply into this aspect of Italian heritage has made me appreciate it even more. I have always thought about starting a food blog or food Instagram account. After Carmen from Aina Giving came to speak to us for a leadership workshop, I decided to go through with my food account. This program is giving me a lot of great content for my food page, and I am excited to see what other new exciting things will arise from this summer.
So far, we have had two cooking classes. This past week one of our instructors, Mary Lou, taught us how to make two pasta dishes and nutella cake. We all enjoyed the process and learned a lot about Mary Lou. She encouraged and empowered us with her stories and advice, all while giving us new recipes to bring home to the States!
Lastly, a week ago we received a great lesson from Cucina della Terra on making pasta and ragù. Something I learned was, “Never clean a pasta roller with water, always dust it with a brush,” and “If you don’t cook the onions long enough before adding an acid, like tomato juice, then the onions won’t taste sweet.” These are all just a little taste of the valuable things we are learning in the Joseph S. Bruno program.
Thanks!
Monique Burton
A tasty lunch after Cucina della Terra’s cooking class.
As I reflect on this summer, I can only sit here and marvel at everything we have seen and done. I think everyone here has experienced life through this program and can agree that we have already seen more than any of us could have ever imagined; and I am grateful for it all. Despite these seemingly satisfying visions and awe-inspiring moments, I have come to realize something that makes me view these captivating scenes drastically different. This monumental truth is wrapped up in God’s glory. Without seeing the earth’s beauty as God’s creation, these sights and experiences are void. As I give up my agenda and selfish heart’s desires for this summer, my Father continues to open my eyes to things unseen- things more beautiful.
This realization and answered prayer reminds me of a book I read two years ago. From Stasi Eldridge, “Every song you love, every memory you cherish, every moment that has moved you to holy tears has been given to you from the One who has been pursing you from your first breath in order to win your heart. God’s version of flowers and chocolates and candlelight dinners come in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on lakes and cricket symphonies; warm wind, swaying trees, lush gardens, and fierce devotions.” Is this not in accordance of our reality here? This romancing is immensely personal… as if it had been exactly scripted for your heart.
I feel known and satisfied in Ariccia, Rome, Budapest, Barcelona, Sorrento, and Paris. This is because I know my God is whispering love through the visions He gives me as I travel from place to place. Through the nature He has designed for me, He speaks, “You are known. You are loved. And all this is for you.” Through the little moments where I doubt Him or entertain a negative thought, He shows me an intriguing color or pattern in nature and I laugh at my wayward heart and thank Him for anchoring my soul to His goodness. I know that He alone satisfies the world. This is why I am drawn to experiencing this summer’s adventure with Him within me. He coddles me in His glory. I never want to leave. And I never have to.
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:1, 3-4
In His love, Virginia Ramsey
Ninfa Gardens, described as “the most romantic gardens in the world”
Before coming on this study abroad, I was informed by a previous student of the friendships I would make, of the challenges I would face, of the adventures I would embark on, and of the person I would become. To this I responded, “Super, now bring on the wine and pasta.” But upon my arrival, l looked across the room seeing many familiar faces, as well as a few unfamiliar, and a sense of standing at the edge of something exciting came over me. Maybe this student was on to something. Maybe this summer wasn’t going to be so much about finding the best pasta or cheese but more about exploring myself and how I want to live in this world.
That night I nestled into my bed (which by the way is surprisingly comfortable) and prayed for courage. My hopes for the summer were to make real memories, filled with real conversations, real experiences, and real people. I knew I would have to be fearless in my pursuit of these goals. I may have added in there a little request for pasta, wine, and cheese but it was definitely a secondary supplication.
As the semester began, I started to realize just how much
time we’d be spending together. I made the conscious decision to throw privacy
to the wind and embrace the opportunities to build meaningful friendships. This
decision has paid off in spades. This experience has pushed me past any
boundary that I thought existed and shown me that we are only limited by our
own minds and incessant need for security. I will admit that I look forward to
my own private bathroom back in the States, but the tradeoff has been well
worth it.
Touring the small town of Ariccia as a class would soon turn into visiting the Sistine Chapel, which would then turn into hiking the side of an active volcano, and eventually flying to Greece in a group of twenty-two girls. One may ask, how do you travel with a group of twenty-two seamlessly? The answer is, you don’t. But it’s the seams and cracks along the path we travel that make life most interesting and memorable.
We all miss our moms, we all miss Chick-Fil-A, and we all want to explore Europe. We are a diverse group. We do bring a broad range of attributes to the table. But we have built a culture of twenty-two very different students who have found common ground and are building lifelong friendships through the exploration of new and different cultures together. I’m certain this summer will rank as one of the greatest experiences in my life.
Being surrounded by these students has brought out sides of me I had no idea existed. I’ve learned a lot about each one of them but more importantly I am beginning to discover my own true nature. I have been introduced to my adventurous spirit and I like her. My terrible sense of direction has been confirmed, but who knew I enjoy listening to Chinese love songs and I was cooking basically everything I eat incorrectly.
This experience has been wrought with extremes. My luggage was lost on the way here, I arrived with the flu, and came close to cutting my finger off in a cooking class. But I also have stood beneath the work of Michelangelo, strolled Las Rambias in Barcelona, and shopped until I dropped in Paris. It seems I have taken the leap off the edge of something exciting and even though I have hit a few jagged edges, the air is sweet up here and I plan on sticking the landing.
Ah, good ole FOMO. For those who are not familiar with the term, FOMO is an acronym for “Fear Of Missing Out”. An example of this would be if I was invited to go out for dinner and drinks at a new restaurant, but I am completely exhausted from the day, or I didn’t get any sleep the night before. Suddenly, even though I am exhausted and would love to just relax at home or got to bed, I am engulfed with FOMO. What if I miss out on something really fun? This could possibly be one of the best nights of my life. And, not to mention, I don’t want to feel lame by choosing to stay in instead of going out and being social. So, what do I do? Should I listen to my body, telling me that I really need to relax and take the night to recharge? Or do I give in to the feelings of FOMO, taunting me, filling me with thoughts of “what if’s” and anxiety. Well, I am here to say that FOMO will travel along wherever you go, and it is absolutely okay to not give into it.
FOMO has really been a problem for me so far in this program. I mean, I am in a beautiful country, so why not do everything humanly possible? I think that is everyone’s thought process when coming into this program, as it certainly was mine. However, now that we are entering week four, I have a slightly different attitude regarding FOMO. I, for one, am someone who needs some alone time to survive. I have sacrificed a lot of that needed alone time because of FOMO. In turn, I was more drained and exhausted than ever before. So, I decided that I would try my best to ignore the FOMO harassing me, and listen to my body and mind. Since I made that decision, I have felt so much better. Of course, the FOMO still lingers when I decide to say no to something, but I know that I am truly doing it for my well-being. I am not saying that people should just lie in bed and watch Netflix half the time, or to be an anti-social hermit. I am just saying that it is okay to do your own thing every once in a while. And I am saying that it is more than okay to take a step back and say no to something when your body and mind are telling you to take a small break.
It is easy to get caught up in the world of FOMO here, and it can quickly run you down. Take some time to look after your mental and physical health here. Ignoring the FOMO every once in a while has made my experience here a whole lot better, so do not feel pressured to do every single thing. Know yourself and know when to ignore the FOMO.
Before leaving for this study abroad opportunity, I was scared of becoming homesick, nostalgic, and negative. I have only been in Italy for 4 weeks now, but I know that none of that is going to be true. I have learned so much already and I am working on putting several values into practice that I think have helped the 4 weeks go smoother than I expected.
The first is staying true to myself. I know this sounds cliché, but it can truly affect a friendship. When we first got here, we were thrown into the chaos of having to bond with twenty other students. I have quickly come to love and respect every person in this group because of the amount of vulnerability and love I see they have for themselves. That brings me to the second value I think is so important: the ability to love yourself. It is common knowledge that the negativity of one person can bring down the morale of the whole group, and I think that a lot of the time negativity stems from not being able to love yourself well. I know that we all struggle with loving ourselves well and everyone is full of their own insecurities. But the moment that we let those insecurities take the front seat, we let jealousy and unhappiness rule in our lives.
I am so thankful for the group here on this study abroad session. Everyone is so incredible and is constantly building someone up. There have been little times that negativity has had the ability to rule. I think that if our group continues to stay genuine and love well, the rest of the summer is going to fly by in the best way possible and we will always be able to look back on this summer with a smile on our faces.
Almost nine years ago, my oldest sister, Hallie, left behind family, friends, and the famous 2010 Auburn football season to participate in Auburn’s Joseph S. Bruno Abroad in Italy program. Our family likes to think that she made it to Italy by luck after an academic advisor gave her some bad advice. The simple mistake of taking the wrong humanities course resulted in her having to enter the elementary education a semester late. She could have either stayed in Auburn dilly-dallying around with no classes, or she could go abroad. Ultimately, with a little encouragement from my parents, she decided to study overseas in Ariccia for the fall term. Her semester was nothing short of remarkable, so remarkable that a Cam Newton football season could not even compare. In fact, this goes down as one of the best decisions she has made in her lifetime. From then on, the Joseph S. Bruno program became a family tradition for the Christensens.
In 2016, another Christensen sister embarked on her own journey to Ariccia. Ansley had the summer of a lifetime bringing positive energy to everything she did on her own “Grand Tour.” The program, the people, and the overall experience had such a positive impact on her life that she returned to Ariccia in 2018 to visit the people and places that hold such a special place in her heart.
Now, here I am returning to Ariccia for my second time. This time for three months rather than a quick visit to see a sister. I am ashamed to admit that before I got here, I thought I knew it all. Funny, Emily. First of all, I thought three months was a long time. It’s not. Although the days sometimes go slow, the weeks come and go in what feels like a matter of seconds. This adventure that I keep telling myself is like a marathon, is somehow feeling like the fastest sprint I have ever run. I often find myself laying in my nest wondering how I can stop the clock. Another misconception that I had was my belief that this summer abroad was going to be some type of sacrifice as I left behind what felt comfortable. 22 days later, I realize that this is nothing short of a great privilege—a privilege that I did nothing to deserve.
As I look back on my time here thus far, I think about how my experience is so unique from some of my other friends who are studying abroad. The Joseph S. Bruno program is not just about taking that perfect Instagram picture. It is about learning about where the history of the world began and realizing that you are standing on the grounds where incredible people stood, and still stand today. As Chigi Palace Sister #3, I guess I owe a debt of gratitude to the academic advisor who told my eldest sister to take the wrong humanities course. That advisor accidentally and unknowingly changed the way my family sees beauty, history, and the world. So here is to a summer like no other. Here is to a program that is one of a kind. Here is to all the people who made it possible. And fiinally, here is to all of the past and future Chigi babies.
XXOO,
The Third and Final Christensen Sister—Emily
Fellow Chigi Babies and I in front of the Vittorio Emanuele Monument on the first day of our “Grand Tour”
Going into college, I knew that I could not let myself graduate without studying abroad. Everyone that I talked to before coming to Auburn said they had either studied abroad and had the most amazing experience, or had not and regretted it. When I signed up for the JSB program at Camp War Eagle I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn’t research the program, I was not even sure of the minor that it would give me, all I heard was “Summer in Rome” and immediately knew that I needed to sign up.
Fast forward 2 years, and here I am. This short month that I have spent in Ariccia has changed my life completely, and this group has changed my life completely. Coming into the palace I was unsure of what to think. I felt like most of the students knew each other already, and I was intimidated. But, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Every single student on this trip is so special and genuine, everyone makes an effort to be friends with every single person. Having all of these different and unique friendships is something that has played a huge part in making this experience so amazing.
In addition to that, being able travel all over Europe is one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. There is so much culture and history everywhere I look. From the Roman ruins to the Vatican City, it is amazing to think that you are walking in some of the same places that various famous rulers, popes, artists, and many more once walked on. Every single field trip that we go on and sight that we see gets more amazing. My camera is full of pictures from every single place that we have traveled, in the hopes that I will capture enough of them to be able to relive this experience through the photos once I return home. Although, it’s not going to be easy to make me leave this wonderful place.
Xoxo
Isla Stewart
During a weekend trip on a sunset boat cruise in Barcelona
On May 7th, 2019, I hopped off a bus in front of a giant, white palace in the town of Ariccia. I had no idea what I was doing halfway across the world, away from friends and family, or what I was about to get myself into. I was too jet-lagged to see the numerous cars barreling down the road almost running me over, too tired to realize how astonishing the view was from the bridge, and too out of place to take in where I was standing. Grabbing my suitcases (yes I brought 3) I headed down the steep cobblestone driveway to the front door of Auburn’s international campus, took a deep breath, and walked inside. Ever since taking those steps, I’ve had constant cheek aches from smiling so much.
I never knew how much happiness living abroad would bring me. As a nutrition major at Auburn, I am challenged solely through academics. Here, I am challenged not only with academics but also socially, physically, and mentally. Many classes and field experience activities have forced me to step out of my comfort zone. For instance, navigating through Rome with solely a map and teammates, public speaking in our leadership class, and ordering dinner at a restaurant where no one speaks English. I should also mention getting used to living with twenty-one other students. Everything I have been forced to do while abroad, either in Ariccia, Rome, or on a weekday trip to a spontaneous Italian city, pushes me to be a better version of myself. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer holds, and I am anxious to seek the adventures that remain undiscovered.
Here’s to continuing to be challenged, facing my fears, laughing until I cry, and smiling until my cheeks ache!
From Ariccia with love,
Chapman Giles
All smiles when successfully navigating to The Vittorio Emanuele II Monument!
