University of Wisconsin–Madison

Italy: Maya Lesser

Program: Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA), Spring

Maya’s Major: Human Development and Family Studies

What is the moment you are most proud of?

My most proud moment is when I decided to take a solo trip. I lived with five of my friends from UW and every weekend we had traveled together. It was difficult to make sure everyone got to see and go and do what they wanted. I wanted to go see a city in Italy and none of my friends wanted to go. I made the decision to go by myself. Before a semester abroad, I never thought I would be able to be so independent. Living abroad has truly made me a more independent person than I was before.

I truly enjoyed my classes abroad. The teachers at SRISA loved to take a hands on approach.

A wooden tabletop filled with flour and tortellini, with some finished and some in the process of being stuffed.
One weekend, my friends and I decided to stay in Florence to explore. We did a pasta making class in the city and it was so much fun! I now know how to make homemade pasta!!

How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?

I truly enjoyed my classes abroad. The teachers at SRISA loved to take a hands on approach. For example, in my Italian class, when we were learning the unit on food, one day our teacher took us for breakfast instead of going to class. But we had to only speak and order in Italian. I now can order at various restaurants because of that experience. I don’t think I would feel as confident to do so if we didn’t have that learning experience. I am a hands on learner so learning like this truly helped me succeed in my courses.

What is your advice for someone considering your program?

Spend as much time as you can in Florence. Living abroad in Europe is truly amazing since traveling iso easy. But I wish I took more time to spend in my home base or the smaller cities around it.