It may be ironic that I got the acceptance email to be Auburn’s next graduate assistant for this program while at a food festival in my home city. Flash forward to today, I am nearly done with my time here in Italy and I can’t believe the amount of amazing food I’ve consumed in the past three months. Three months! Time flies but if there is something that I’ve really allowed to settle into my thoughts during my time here, it is to breathe in moments as if they are all you have. I have found the ability to focus less on the linear agenda of the experiences and more on the thoughts or emotions that certain places conjure up inside of me. Then of course, I snap back to reality and take notes on presentations, count students, or answer assignment questions.

I could bore readers with the logistics of being a GTA but there are hand-books for that. Instead, I want my words to reflect the growth and broadened perspective of a young adult who took a little break from the science world to learn about other things. Fashion (?!), architecture, Roman history, contemporary history, current world events, Greek mythology, philosophy- these are just a few of the class topics. I loved every minute of learning from the lecturers who are so passionate about their subjects and about us wanting to learn them as well.

Every place or thing is preluded with learning about it. We were never unaware of the richness of a structure or the vast history of a location. I could practically see the cities and people as they once were in some places just by the facts learned and the atmosphere of human connectedness. Our days were spent being gently nudged out of comfort zones and into places where we could expand our understanding and alter preconceived notions. We’re encouraged and shown how to humanize our knowledge of history.

Writing teachers do always say, “Tell them what you will tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.” We learn what we’ll see, we see it, and then we reflect on what we saw. Veni, Vidi, Vici.

I could summarize this experience in so many ways but I will do so on this note. I will return to my life in America as still one in 7.4 billion living persons but I bring with me a larger identity with fewer boundaries of self. We’re not so different across times and borders, really.

By: Kathryn Heidt

Conversation with a swan at Lake Garda, Torbole, Italy

My Mom and me outside of Ariccia, where I am wearing my new leather jacket from Gabi

From the moment I stepped out into the picturesque city of Florence, I fell in love. The beautiful Arno River, combined with the iconic duomo and big-city feel, made me realize this was my favorite place in Italy. Walking from street to street, I could smell the smooth aroma of leather. I immediately drifted off into fashion heaven. The first time I visited Florence, I was on spring break with my mom and dad. We had just finished our tour of the Accademia. After a quick treat, we passed by leather store after leather store until we found one that caught our eye: Gabi. I could not quite pinpoint why this store was so special; maybe it was the exquisite window displays, or the immense amount of merchandise that came in every color imaginable. We walked in and were instantly greeted by friendly Florentines. Their English was impeccable which made conversing with them that much easier. We asked them about their leather practice, and it did not take long to learn that they sourced everything locally. After looking around the beautiful store and feeling the handbags and coats, it was easy to see and smell that this leather was a cut above the rest. Needless to say, we were not in the leather market anymore. They were the perfect amount of helpful but not pushy, friendly rather than sleazy salesmen. After undressing numerous mannequins and looking through different mirrors, my mom, dad, and I each picked out a jacket that we loved. What makes this store even more special was my return to it two more times. When we went to Florence as a class, I was lucky enough to show my sister the ropes of Gabi. This time, there was a different woman working with her dog, George. George was an English bulldog that held an oddly close resemblance to Uga, the mascot of my sister’s alma mater. My sister travelled to Italy with her boyfriend, who tried on a few jackets. Though he was unable to make the final purchase, I went back later to buy his favorite jacket. (It’s going to be a birthday present, he just doesn’t know it yet.) I also picked out a genuine snakeskin purse for my sister. If I had any doubt about whether or not the purse was real, it quickly vanished the moment I felt the groves of the snakeskin. Though Gabi was a beautiful store with tons of products, the people that worked there made the store stand out. Unlike in the leather market, where one is constantly being pressured to buy products, this shopping experience was completely relaxed. Obviously, they wanted us to buy some of their merchandise, but they were also interested in hearing our backstory. They created locally sourced, well made products for reasonable prices. All in all, the experience at Gabi was lovely. My only regret is that we did not stay longer.

Ciao!

Anna Abernethy

I have always loved and appreciated good food and upon coming abroad, I was especially excited to try the local and fresh foods of not only Italy, but every other country I would visit. For our ten-day semester break, I had the chance to visit three amazing countries, one being Paris. While in Paris, I not only wanted to see sights such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, but also try true French cuisine. One of my travel companions, Maddie, also shares the same interest in food as I do so the two of us decided to go on a food tour while in Paris.

We chose to go on a tour with ‘Secret Food Tours’ which offers a variety of different types of food tours within a few cities such as Rome, London, and Paris. The specific tour that we chose took place in the district of Montmartre, where Moulin Rouge and the Basilica of Sacré Coeur are also located. The quaint and bustling area has such a fun atmosphere and is especially known for its art and food. Within Montmartre, there are street art stands on almost every corner and a multitude of boutiques, boulangeries (French bakeries), gourmet food shops, and small, local restaurants. There was not a tourist in sight (except Maddie and me) which was a very refreshing change from really having only been around the touristy areas.

The tour guide of the ‘Secret Food Tours’ was a wacky, older French man named PJ. He had a thick French accent, a beret, and a serious passion for food and wine. It was great because he not only taught us all about French cuisine, but also talked about the history of Montmartre and walked us around the area. The tour group was a very odd mix of people: several different couples on their honeymoons and then two twenty-year-old college girls (Maddie and me). It was pretty clear that we didn’t really fit into the group but it was also great to meet and talk to people coming from all over the world on the tour.

The tour consisted of PJ taking us into a boulangerie, a cheese shop, and a meat shop. He would show us all of the different products sold in each gourmet shop and would talk about where the items came from. He then bought freshly baked baguettes, several different and unique types of cheeses and meats, and three types of local wines and took us to a restaurant in Montmartre. In the back of the restaurant, there was a table set up for the group. We were able to sit down and try all of the items while listening to PJ tell stories and give us pointers on how to properly taste wine and what cheese and meats to pair with which wine. Between the delicious spread of fresh food and all of the interesting information and pointers given by PJ, I was loving every minute of the tour.

After finishing up at the restaurant, PJ took us to a small creperie stand on the side of the road and a French macaroon and chocolate shop. There were many different fillings for the crepes and a variety of flavors of macaroons and chocolates. The crepes and macaroons were hands-down the best desserts I have ever had in my life.

This food tour was such a unique experience and definitely a highlight of my time abroad so far. I am looking forward to the many adventures to come and to continue eating my way through Europe.  (Secret Food Tours Website)

Maddie and me with PJ during the tour.

Ciao!

Lauren Andronico

A view at the top of our climb!

I have got to start out this post by saying I love these girls. Aside from this being an incredible study abroad experience, I never thought that I would have such great memories with so many different people. The girls I am studying with are amazing, and the experiences we are getting to share together will keep us connected for the rest of our lives.

We spent the past weekend in the beautiful Cinque Terre. Getting there was a treat in itself! Coming from Florence, we each had an additional bag of souvenirs to drag around. We hopped on three different trains to get to Cinque Terre, and on our last connection we accidentally got on the wrong train! Once we were all settled into our seats, Cinzia jumped on and yell at us to get off, “you’re on the wrong train!” It was a mad scramble to lug all of our stuff back off and then waddle our way to the correct platform. We must have been a sight to see.

The first night there, a couple of the girls and I had so much fun sitting on the beach and creating our own little dance party. We were moving and grooving in the sand, belting it out to all of our favorite 2000’s throwbacks. Then, the following morning we set out with a tour guide to hike one of the harder trails in the area. I am embarrassed to say that my legs were on fire after the first set of stairs! I didn’t think I was going to make it the rest of the way, but with a little bit of team encouragement, and my refusal to let anyone show me up, I eventually made it to the top. We paused here to enjoy our well-deserved lunch and take in the beautiful views. It really was breathtaking. Then me and my shaky legs began the descent down the mountain. Every time I stopped to take a picture of the landscape, my legs would threaten to wobble me off the side of the cliff!

I really loved this mini-vacation to this beautiful town. Although my nose is burned and my legs are sore to the touch, I would hike any mountain with these girls again.

Ciao!

-Kayla Blaedow

Ever so often in life, I find that I feel the sensation of ‘perfect timing.’ In my case, this program gave me the opportunity to be overcome by this sensation. As a sophomore apparel merchandising student following fashion bloggers, via social media, is almost  second nature to me. I spend a good portion of my days checking up on the latest trends and newest hot spots through what I see on personal accounts. During practicum week, I had the opportunity to go to Fendi Roma and it just so happened to be the week of the big opening night of Zuma, their new top of the line Japanese restaurant. With every opening night in the fashion industry there comes the flood of celebrity guests from models, like Bella Hadid, to celebrities, like Kendall Jenner. The most important to me was Fendi’s spokesperson for the night, fashion blogger Shea Marie of “peaceloveshea.” Shea has been an idol of mine since the beginning of the boom of the instagram blogging takeover. The opening night was on a Thursday and just so happened to be one of our days off; talk about timing. I arrived in Rome and waited in the tiny crowds of the beautifully decorated Fendi Roma store. As I saw Shea walk outside the doors with the camera crew I couldn’t help but scream her name and wave. I thought nothing of it when she waved back and went back inside to continue filming, but when she came back outside and started walking toward me I felt my heart drop a little. She came directly up to me and I struggled to keep calm to hold the casual conversation we were having. As she walked away I couldn’t believe what had just happened and that I had actually just met one of my idols. Timing is a funny thing and I feel lucky enough to have caught it just right.

By: Caroline Porter

Shea Marie, of “peaceloveshea”

“Live in the moment”, “Take it all in, ” they said. “Do not let this life abroad pass you by”, “Make the most of the time you have been given.” The words of graduated students, retired travelers, and overcommitted adults bounced around my head as I prepared to embark on what we all knew would be an unforgettable three months. I was filled with certainty that these twelve weeks would be nothing short of incredible, but as I continued to receive these overused words of advice from nostalgic hearts only one thought kept reverberating in my mind: How?? How does one truly make a single moment in time last as long as possible?

The short answer: Italy.

From what I have tasted, seen, and experienced, Italians have perfected the art of living simply in order to fully live. The accomplishments and rich cultural presence they bring to the world comes from a long lineage of appreciating the air they breathe, the food they share, and fully engaging with the world around them. In America I get the sense that the busier we are, the more things we can check off a list, the more relevant, important, and meaningful we feel. If we measure our sense of success as a race against the clock to see how many errands we can squeeze into our morning before an 11:30 dentist appointment, or by slaving away all hours of the week with minimum sleep and maximum caffeine in hopes of getting the upcoming promotion, then when are we going to allow ourselves the liberty of a full, joyful life? This is not to say that daily chores and hard work are evildoers, but it’s a dangerous thing to let what you do consume and control who you are.

Since I have been here life has felt so exhilarating, pleasant, and surreal that it is as if I am dreaming. And yet, in this dream I feel more alive than ever. The colors seem more alive, the people more passionate, and the importance or dependence on time almost irrelevant. I have loved this change in perspective and know that it has almost become a part of who I am and who I will be as I return to the life I left at home. I have learned that in order to fully live in the present, one must be able to accept that each second they breathe, each moment that passes by becomes a part of their growing and evolving self. This idea gives me comfort because through it I am reassured that each gelato I have eaten, each wine I have tasted, every sunset I have witnessed, every lake I have marveled at, all of it has become a part of who I am.

Frances Oglesby

Lake Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland

The wall right when walking into the exhibition

Vogue100. A Century of Style. Everyone is familiar with the magazine “Vogue,” one of the most popular fashion magazines featuring the most beautiful models in the world. Well on my 10 day break, otherwise known as Spring Break, I decided to travel to London, England for a couple of days. While looking into things to do while in London, a Vogue Expo popped up and that was immediately the first on my list of things to do. Not really knowing what to expect when I went, I was so excited to see everything that was offered from Vogue in the last 100 years!

My mouth dropped immediately the second my foot stepped through the front door. Everything was so modern but it was not exactly what I had expected. I have been to some fashion expos before that housed couture dresses from the last fifty years, but this was very different. There was every cover of Vogue from the last 100 years. The girls on the covers were just amazingly beautiful. Each room was a different color housing different eras. Something different about this exhibition is that it was structured in reverse chronological order. It started with the magazine of today and moved back through the decades to the very first issue.

The passion that the photographers, editor-and-chiefs’, models, and everyone in between put into making the covers was awesome to see. I cannot imagine the hard work. Having to come up with different themes and positions requires lots of behind the scene work. I walked around for an hour and a half and was mind blown by all the detail. Each year had its own unique style to it. I was definitely able to tell which cover was from which year just from the style of each model’s hair, what they were wearing, and whether the cover was in black and white or color.

Each cover took my breath away in its own individual way because of the incredible detail that was expressed. It was truly an experience to be able to walk through this exhibition and look at all the timeless covers over the last 100 years. Thank you Auburn University, not only for the experience of a lifetime, but for the experience to travel and see the world in ways I never thought I would be able to!

By: Morgan O’Brien

One of my favorite times on this trip so far has been the two-day adventure we all took to Umbria. Over these two days, we visited Perugia, Assisi, and Orvieto. While all three have unique features to offer, the most memorable for me was Orvieto. I love spending the night in new hotels and getting to share a room with two girls I had yet to travel with on the weekends was a good way to shake things up.

Walking around the small town that first night, it was easy to feel how the energy there was more alive than the other small towns. The face of the clock tower in the middle of the town illuminates the sky at night, looking like a full moon. We ran into some other American study abroad students in Orvieto. It was refreshing to talk to other people who can relate to what we are doing.

The next day, the group split in half to either attend the woodworking studio or the ceramics workshop. Since I am an Interior Design major, I went to woodworking. I was blown away as soon as I saw the entrances and benches surrounding the shops of Michelangeli, the woodworking brand we visited. One of the designers showed us around the stores and the studio. She described the process and how they have four designers heading up the brand. The custom furniture I got to see reminded me of the endless possibilities in this industry!

One of the masterpiece benches by Michelangeli

Ashton Bobo

Since I couldn’t build a sand castle, here’s my pebble castle.

Everyone loves the beach! The salt breeze in the air, the sun on one’s skin; it has a calming presence. Growing up spending whole summers at a time living off the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, I’ve grown to appreciate the beach. It makes me relaxed and reminds me of simple times, especially during the off season when there are fewer tourists and the towns are quiet and filled with only locals.

Every year for spring break, I go to my beach house. As spring break approached, I decided it would be a good idea to go to a beach in Italy. It would be comfortable and remind me of home, which I was in need of. I chose to travel along the Amalfi coast. I had heard so many amazing things about the beaches there. All the photos I saw online showed a large beach with a unique atmosphere. It was filled with liveliness and tourist. I thought it would be a great way to meet people.

What I found was much different. When I got off the bus in Positano, a city along the Amalfi Coast, it was nothing like I had imagined or seen in the photos. There was no one around. All the shops were closed and there was no beach in sight. The bus had dropped me off by a huge set of stairs. Stairs at the beach? I had never ever seen that before. Florida beaches are flat. As I walked down 567 stairs, I came to the city center. It was smaller than Seagrove beach on 30A. There were a few people in the city square that informed me that it was the off season for them. That was the reason all the shops were closed. They were preparing for the season opening. Since, I could not do much of anything in the square, I decided to check out the beach. What I encountered was the Mediterranean Sea and a pile of pebbles. Where was the sand, I thought. So much for relaxing and getting a sun-kissed tan. I could not lay out on a pile of rocks! I couldn’t event build a sand castle.

As I hiked along the beach, each step sinking deep down into the pebbles, I thought, this isn’t that much different than home. As I sat, I thought of how easy life seemed at this time here in Positano. It reminded me of the off season back home in Flordia. I felt at peace and calm, which is why I love my beach house so much. I had been so upset at what I came to find of the Italian beaches, but I didn’t realize till I was forced to take it in, how amazing it was. It was just like being at home; sitting on the beach listening to the waves break, taking in the scenery and allowing my mind to rest. Even-though this wasn’t what I thought I wanted, it was the highlight of my vacation. I found a little bit of home, here amongst Italy’s beaches. As I climbed back up the stairs to catch the bus back to Ariccia, I thought “I am so lucky”. Being part of a program like Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy allows me to have personal travel time and opportunities to explore Italy and all its beauty, like I found on the Amalfi Coast.

Miranda LaTourette