Ancient Stories Coming to Life

Found in the center of many magnificent duomos and cathedrals in Italy are stories of Jesus and his works on earth. His birth, resurrection and life are displayed on frescos and ceilings in painted color and carvings of gold. As a practicing Christian in the United States, religion is important to me and is a core value of my family. I grew up studying Bible stories in church and fell in love with their descriptions about God and his closeness to man. Naturally upon arriving to Italy, I quickly became fascinated with the ancient expressions of Byzantine, Gothic, and Baroque designs depicting God the Father, Jesus, angels, and heaven. When standing beneath these artworks from centuries ago, it’s easy to sit and reflect over the time and effort it must have taken to create such grand and intricate masterpieces.

During one of our program field trips to Sicily, we entered the beautiful Monreale Monastery with painted frescos covering its walls- each painting illustrating a Bible story. However, these stories were depicted without words, only with pictures. Originally as an ancient method of communication to the uneducated, these frescos served as the source of Biblical knowledge and education to the poor and illiterate during the 12th century. When gazing up at the golden frescos of the monastery, I could have spent hours deciphering the pictures of Bible stories that I have heard and loved since childhood. This is one of many moments in Italy that broadened my perspective of Christianity across cultures, enriched my understanding of my beliefs, and caused scriptural-based stories to come to life. 

“Pictures are worth a thousand words”- Fred R. Barnard.

~ Emma Childs

Here is a picture of the Monreale Monastery we visited on our field trip to Sicily.

Appreciation and Value

Two words that I thought I knew and understood until I came here. After coming to Italy, I have a new perspective on what these words truly mean. I feel like oftentimes, we take things for granted without even realizing that they are a privilege to have.

Over the past few weeks, we have learned about the values that we hold close to us as individuals. Some of the values that I wrote down were religion, family, friends, quality time, and learning/knowledge. One that I didn’t write down but learned about was time.

This past week I had a conversation via text with one of my friends who took a week-long trip to Peru for missions. They would text me about every other day, and today, it just hit how short their time was down there. It was then that I realized the majority of trips in my life usually are about a week long. 

Studying abroad has definitely opened my eyes to a new world and culture around me. Every day I am learning new things. I think that up until now, I took for granted the amount of time that I get to spend here going to school. I have always known that not everyone gets to study abroad, much less travel abroad. But yet, I still never had just as much of an appreciation for it as I do now.

It’s not every day that you just get to decide, “Oh, I want to travel to another country on the weekends,” or “Let’s go to Rome after class.”

  • Erica Fogle

This is a picture of Sarabeth Elkins, Abby Kramer, Emma Childs, Caroline Ward, Hailey Benting, Sydney Jaffe, Emma Rutledge, Paris Maness, and me on our second night in Ariccia at the beginning of our study abroad program.

The beginning

I have always taken pride in my profound passion for humanity and the world that surrounds me. There has always been an inherent desire within me to connect deeply with others and embrace all the experiences that this world has to offer. As I grew up, I eagerly awaited the day when I could venture out on my own and fully immerse myself in these experiences.

That day finally arrived, and I can honestly say that it exceeded my wildest expectations. The newfound independence and resilience I have discovered have shaped my understanding of others in large ways.

If my younger self were to learn that I have been living in Italy for over eight weeks, she would be left speechless. Although time has flown by, it is often difficult to fully grasp the reality of it all. Walking the streets of Rome and witnessing the majestic Colosseum, still feels like a jolt of astonishment with each encounter. 

This entire experience has been equivalent to a deep awakening, a vivid realization that this is the life I am living. I am truly blessed to have been given the chance to reside in a beautiful country alongside twenty-one remarkable individuals. Every day, I have the privilege of learning from an extraordinary community and exploring bucket-list destinations during weekends. It’s no wonder that I sometimes struggle to fully comprehend the reality of it all.

Whenever I reflect on my life before this transformative experience, I struggle to recollect what it was like. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and relationally, I have undergone impactful changes. I now possess a newfound trust in my own abilities to navigate solitude and overcome challenges. I have developed a resilience I never thought possible, confronting and conquering situations that once seemed insurmountable. Furthermore, my understanding of people has deepened, revealing that I never truly understood others as well as I once believed. At my core, I have discovered my true self and the values that hold immense importance to me.

This journey has also taught me about the inherent goodness within people, allowing me to perceive them in a way that illuminates the beauty of their hearts. Furthermore, I have gained a sincere understanding of the world itself—its vast beauty, rich history, and the power it holds. I now realize that life is too short to experience everything this world has to offer, but it has inspired me to cherish and embrace the wonders that surround me. My eyes have been opened to the endless opportunities for learning and growth that lie ahead of me in this breathtaking world. 

This journey is merely the beginning of my story.

Abi Wampler

Confidence in the Kitchen

Before coming to Italy, I would not consider myself much of a chef. Cooking for others has always made me apprehensive because I would rather perfect a recipe before serving it to others. This has caused me to stick to comfortable and easy meals. The classic scrambled eggs or buttered noodles are always my go-tos. However, there is such an availability of fresh goods in Italy that it feels like a shame not to use them. For example, Ariccia hosts a market every Monday with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Some of my peers and I will go together before class to buy our produce for the week. This has helped me make sure that I am eating ample fruits and vegetables amidst a mostly pizza and pasta diet. Then, at the supermarket, there is a fresh bread station with the most amazing focaccia and a deli with any meat I could need. 

I have also become more comfortable in the kitchen because of our program cooking classes. Cinzia, our program facilitator, is a fantastic chef and has guided us as we learn to cook Italian dishes. Each person has delegated a role during the cooking process, and Cinzia helps us in its execution. I never thought I was capable of creating such delicious and flavorful meals. One of my favorite things that we have made is a Caprese cake, which is similar to an almond brownie. It is a native Italian dessert that contains only eggs, chocolate, and almonds. It was so easy to make and tastes amazing. The one we made was even gluten and dairy free! Of course, I am still learning, but now I can step into the kitchen confidently, knowing that I have the tools necessary to create meals on my own. Learning to cook has definitely been a learning experience and has shown me how capable I am of a task even if it seems daunting. 

Ellis Thompson

We made this dish in one of our cooking classes. This is a pasta dish called Bucatini all’ Amatricana, translated to ​​spaghetti with amatriciana sauce. Then, we served it with chicken saltimbocca, salad, bread, and chocolate molten lava cakes for dessert.

Broaden Your Horizons

Taking a step out of your comfort zone is something that everyone needs to do, especially during a time like your college life. Not only the Joseph S Bruno abroad experience, but any study abroad is such a great way to do that. Getting uncomfortable and learning new things is one of the best ways to broaden your views and discover more about yourself.

Signing up for this semester abroad was something I never thought I would do and was very out of the ordinary for me. I am a very big homebody and enjoy staying where I am comfortable. Out of nowhere I decided that I wanted to spend my summer abroad, so I signed myself up without a second thought. I had two years between when I registered and when we left for Italy, and in those two years I was constantly asking myself why I did that. I did not know anyone going and I had never even been out of the country. I was stepping into totally new territory without really considering it, and especially in those few weeks leading up to our departure I was deeply regretting it.

Looking back now, I can’t thank myself enough for taking that step and going way out of my comfort zone. In just the first few weeks in Italy, I have made friends with people I never would have known if it wasn’t for this program, experienced things I had only dreamed I would get to do, and learned more about myself than I thought was possible.  Given the chance, I would sign up again in a heartbeat. This semester abroad will forever be a reminder that taking the risk can be worth it in the end.

Catie Jowers

Our weekend trip to Venice- my new favorite place on Earth! I have loved getting to know these girls during our program!

Palacesick

According to Merriam-Webster, homesickness is a feeling of longing caused by separation from people and places that you know. To be honest, as I was leaving home to study abroad, I was expecting to feel homesick often while in Italy. However, Ariccia has quickly become a place I can call home.

The second the bus arrived to the Chigi Palace from the airport, I could feel the love being poured into the JSB students from the people of Ariccia. From Cinzia and Roberta welcoming us with open arms, Paolo’s smiling face at Antico’s coffee shop, to Francesco’s delicious cake he baked to show her gratitude to the JSB students, we have felt so welcome. Each experience with the people of Ariccia has made it extremely easy to call the Chigi Palace home.

Throughout my time studying abroad, I’ve been on trips away from Ariccia on the weekends. These trips have been an amazing way to discover more of Italy and create everlasting memories with my friends on this program with me. Despite these enjoyable days away from schoolwork, I have found myself missing home, but not my home in Auburn, Alabama. On the nights away from newfound home in Ariccia Italy, I become ‘palacesick’ rather than homesick. While I do miss my family and friends in America, I truly feel a sense of comfort and love here in Ariccia.

The Joseph S. Bruno Abroad in Italy has taught me more than any class ever could. Through the wonderful people I have met through this program and the unforgettable experiences I have had, I’ve learned more than I could’ve imagined. The simple and loving Italian way of life has taught me to be more appreciative and to make each person I encounter feel at ‘home.’

KiKi, Caroline, Catie, and I enjoying the Monday morning market in Ariccia (our new home)!

Sara Manning Miller

Adaptability

Traveling has always been a big part of my life and an intense passion of mine. I have always known that I wanted to study abroad while in college. However, I did not have a plan or direction for where I wanted to go. When I first toured Auburn University during my senior year of high school, I spoke with a mentor and friend in the College of Human Sciences, Celesta Henry, who helped guide me in my decision-making process to Auburn University and to the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy program. This has ended up being the best decision that I have ever made. I was on the waitlist for the program for five months, the longest five months of my life. I received the best email possible about a month and a half before I was to depart from America. Everything moved quickly but since the moment I drove into Ariccia after the long redeye flight, I have been nothing but overjoyed. Ariccia has welcomed me with open arms. I write this in awe of what Ariccia has already given me. It has shown me love and strength. This town is like no other. 

I moved to Auburn from Maryland so I was no stranger to moving to an area that is outside of my comfort zone. The biggest thing that I wanted to accomplish during this summer term was to improve myself. There was one word that kept popping up in the back of my mind-Adaptability. I strive to be an adaptable person every day, but I really wanted to focus on this while abroad. I set a goal for myself to participate in every activity, try new things, and never say no. This mindset has led to my happiness in this program. I have already gotten to travel throughout Europe, tried new Italian foods that I normally would never touch, and met new people with so many amazing stories.

My favorite part of this entire experience is speaking with people and hearing their stories. The family from Ireland who walked around The Academia Gallery with me in Florence, the family that owned the Murano glass shop in Venice, and the sweet couple from the Netherlands behind me in line to see the Duomo in Florence, have all helped shape my study abroad experience. I have developed friendships with people who come from different backgrounds from myself because I believe that our commonalities far outweigh our differences. There is always more to learn about different cultures and their perspectives. Studying abroad has opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities. 

The people in Ariccia: Cinzia, Roberta, Lydia, Francesco, Maurizio, Paolo and Barbara, and so many incredible classmates are the reason why I call Ariccia home. They are my people. My home away from home. Ariccia is not just a random little town in the middle of Italy. Ariccia is a welcoming home to anyone looking for an amazing experience and a new perspective on life. I am so grateful to Ariccia, and I will continue to value my time in this wonderful town every day.

Abigail Kramer

This picture is very close to my heart because it is the first picture I took in Ariccia. I still remember the feeling of stepping off of the bus and seeing this view.