Italy: Aleeya Sengdao (Final Reflections)

Final Reflections

As my last week in Florence is coming to an end, my emotions are all over the place. I do not know if I am sadder that my study abroad experience is coming to an end or if I am more excited to be home to see my family and friends again. Living in another country gave me the chance to learn about a new culture, meet new people, and find new places to explore.

With all my identities of being a first-generation college student and a BIPOC woman, my first impressions and integration into the Italian culture and country were not the easiest transition. As one of the few students of color in my program and in Florence, lots of the locals did not know I was an American student studying abroad. A lot of the greetings I have gotten were sometimes everything but “Ciao” or “Hello.” I have always been in predominantly white spaces, but I feel as though I was not prepared for Italy in that sense. A lot of assumptions were made about where I came from and it has made me appreciate and reflect on my own Lao and Thai culture more and allowed me to find appreciation for other cultures as well. Prior to thinking about or even starting my study abroad experience, I found myself romanticizing the idea of my study abroad experience but also failed to think about the harsh realities of studying abroad as a BIPOC student and what I may face.

While there were few students of color in my program, I was able to connect with them and had that sense of community. I was able to make friends with other students of color, but I also had a lot of alone time. Being alone sometimes allowed me to develop a better understanding of who I am and helped me relearn some of my own interests and hobbies. Prior to studying abroad this spring semester, in the fall, I was working many part-time jobs, in school full-time, and was still trying to make time for my friends and family. I was always on the go, busy, and rarely made time for taking care of myself. While being abroad, I only had to focus on academics which allowed me to adapt and appreciate the relaxed pace of the European lifestyle easily. I was able to enjoy spending time with others, make time for self-care, and made focusing on school a lot easier. This experience has taught me to live more in the moment and appreciate myself and other people in my life.

I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to study abroad. I learned new things about myself, others, and different cultures while studying abroad. This experience has opened my eyes to something that goes beyond the classroom and I feel like I would have not learned inside a classroom if I did not take this first and scary step of studying abroad.

 

 

 

 

Aleeya Sengdao

Major: Human Development and Family Studies and Sociology with Certificates in Criminal Justice & Education And Educational Services

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Program: Italy, Florence / Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA)