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.

Love, Ellie

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 

Emma Walker

During the past 3 weeks in Ariccia, I have learned a very important lesson: open your mind and step out of your comfort zone. 

I will not forget the first few days in the small town of Ariccia. I was dumbfounded by the buildings, the view from the bridge, the art, and of course by the food. I remember being overwhelmed by the cultural differences and almost timid to fully immerse myself. I have come to realize how important it is to open my mind and appreciate every piece of this town and the culture surrounding it. Some of my favorite times here are when we are able to interact with actual residents of the Castelli Romani. For example, when we visited the high school I was blessed with the opportunity of meeting a group of fourth-year girls and hearing their thoughts on their hometowns, learning about their day-to-day activities and having the opportunity to compare it with my thoughts on my hometown and day-to-day activities. This experience was so impactful to me because I was able to learn from girls that were close in age to me about the way others live outside of my comfort zone and outside of my bubble. 

I have not been in Ariccia long, but this experience is beginning to make me not just change the way I see the world, but actually see the world and appreciate places that are outside of my bubble and my comfort zone. I am looking forward to learning more important life lessons over the weeks to come!

About four weeks ago, I was in Auburn, Alabama, stressing about final projects and how much school work was on my plate. I was running around like a crazy woman not able to truly think about or appreciate what I was doing, just trying to get through it all. Sooner than I realized, I would be headed to Ariccia, Italy to take on a great adventure!!

As I have been here in Ariccia for almost three weeks now, it has been pretty surreal to me. There is so much culture and beauty around me I fear that I won’t be able to take it all in! Almost every single day I have learned something new. Whether that be about the beautiful church across the street, a painting in Rome, an Italian phrase spoken with partial accuracy, or a new discovery even about myself. Being in Italy has made me realize what a gift education is, especially when it is interesting and applicable! I appreciate the information that our Italian professors are giving us, especially because you can see the excitement and pride they hold in their hearts for what they are teaching. They love to share the beautiful nooks and crannies of their country and, seemingly, never grow weary of it. I want to bring this energy and motivation to learn back to Auburn with me when I return. We have already learned so much here in Italy, and there is still much time to learn even more! I hope that we can all soak in this gift to its full capacity.

Love,

Claire Darnall