I spent the Spring 2017 semester in Rome, Italy and came back to the States with many fresh perspectives. I took classes in history, art history, Italian, and contemporary politics. All of my classes were interesting, but my experiences outside the classroom were what really distinguished this time for me. Not everything you learn in college comes from or should come from the classroom, and this is especially true when studying abroad. As a history student, coming to understand Italians’ particular relationship with public history was very informative. The physical remnants of their nation’s fascist past, for instance, are very visible in Rome today, in stark contrast to many other European nations’ as well as the United States’ attitude towards the darker periods of their histories. The city of Rome itself is especially interesting because it is simultaneously a major metropolitan area, a giant archeological site, seat of Italy’s government, nucleus of world Catholicism, and major tourist destination all wrapped into one. My course of study was flexible enough to allow me to travel extensively within Italy and France, as well as, briefly, to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, and Poland. While abroad I got to experience much that would have been impossible in Ithaca, meaning things as banal as new culinary techniques but also seeing anti-Russian political rallies in Warsaw, skiing across national borders in the Alps, and meeting with members of the Italian Parliament to discuss immigration policy. Spending time away from the States helps put our most mundane cultural practices in perspective as well as gives us a better appreciation of new ones, and I highly recommend it.
Engage with the world: study abroad
A semester in Rome--Spencer Mooney
International Programs
For more information about study abroad opportunities, please contact Rachel Gould, Director of Study Abroad, in the Office of International Programs and Extended Studies.
A Semester in London--Natalie Howlett
I studied abroad in London through the Ithaca College London Center, which was great because all of the classes automatically count as IC credits. London has lots of incredible museums, most of which are completely free to the public, and most of my classes took field trips to those museums and historical sites. There were also opportunities to travel to other places in the UK, such as Edinburgh, Stonehenge, Oxford, and Stratford upon Avon with faculty from the London Center. Beyond that, I also visited Switzerland, Germany, and Austria on my own. One of the coolest experiences that I had while abroad was getting to conduct primary source research at the British Library for an independent study that I was doing with a history professor. Studying abroad is a great opportunity for history majors in particular, because you can come face to face with so many documents, artifacts, and sites that you would otherwise only be reading about.
A Semester in Italy--Malik Sadiki-Torres
I had a wonderful time abroad and a lot of fun. In Italy I visited the Amalfi coast, Pompeii,Naples and Sorrento. Outside of Italy, Paris, Madrid, Prague, Amsterdam twice, and London. Some highlights from my travels include, meeting my cousin studying in Prague and my aunt in London. Overall I made great connections and formed strong bonds, especially with my roommates. They went to different schools like University of Michigan and Indiana university, except for one who also was an IC student. I traveled mostly with my friend from high school who was in a different program. I also learned a lot about wine and food pairings.