A Life You Will Remember #HogsAbroad in Italy

June 29, 2018 

Rome, Italy

I’ve been in Rome for 32 days now and I leave tomorrow morning at 6 am to go back to the states. This experience has been something that I find very difficult to put into words. There have been so many moments of personal growth and appreciation for the entire experience of even being in this position and getting this opportunity as an art student that I find it hard to wrap my head around and communicate to others.

I had a moment in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Tuscany when I was standing in front of Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, a piece that I have studied and memorized information over for years in art history courses, that I just felt this profound weight of gratitude and awe. It was so aesthetically breath-taking. It was overwhelming to be in the presence of a work of art that has been studied and appreciated by artists and historians for centuries. It was truly humbling to be in its physical presence and I don’t take the opportunity to do so lightly. I am grateful.

I’ve traveled to La Spezia, Monterosso al Mare, Manarola, Riomaggiore, and Florence. My all time favorite location being Manarola. We ate dinner on a patio over looking the city with a beautiful sunset in the distance and it was truly an amazing experience. I’ve never seen a place so breathtakingly gorgeous.

Caption: "Overlooking the beach and city of Manarola, Liguria. A must-see destination for Italian travelers." 

July 23, 2018
Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA

I’ve been back home for almost a month and there are a few post-travel tips I want to share.

The most important things for any student to do before traveling abroad:

1. Learn conversational Italian (or whatever language the natives speak where you’re going) BEFORE you leave the states. This will come in handy more than you realize. Not only for speaking to locals but also ordering food and buying souvenirs. This seems obvious but trust me, it's worth the effort. 
2. Look up foods that you are interested in eating before you go, write them down if that will help you. I had a lot of trouble ordering food in Italy because of how little I knew about what exactly I was ordering. This will be especially helpful for any picky eaters out there. 
3. Look up where you’re living and the easiest routes to locations you want to check out while abroad. Plan ahead to save time and get the chance to see all that you want while you’re there. 
4. Make friends with your roommates and be a team player. Learn to help others even if it’s not convenient for you. I lived with 5 other girls in a small apartment for a month and let’s just say I had to become very selfless, very quickly…if you go there and expect to help others even if they don’t ask, with a humble spirit, you’ll have a much more enjoyable experience. 
5. Be open to spontaneity. This is simple but just go with an open mind and good attitude. 

Apart from these few words of wisdom to future travelers, I just want to extend my advice to any prospective students that might be pondering the idea of studying abroad to just go for it! You have nothing to lose, you learn so much about yourself and the world around you that you wouldn’t gain otherwise.

For me it was uncomfortable thinking about traveling to another country alone but I wouldn’t change that decision for anything. I saw so many amazing things and really learned about myself and my capabilities as a young, independent college student.

The sight-seeing and personal growth are two abundantly obvious parts of this experience to touch on but I would be doing a disservice to not mention how much I truly loved the courses I took while in Rome. I was in a course that explored booking making, as well as, a course on mapping experiences. The relationship between these courses I found to be one of the best parts, they interlaced and connected coursework so effortlessly. My instructors, Professor Maxwell Lane and Professor Sean Morrissey were so helpful and encouraging throughout the entire semester. I am in love with all the work I created while abroad. I honestly can say it’s some of my strongest analogue work I’ve created thus far at the University of Arkansas. 

This was the final I created that was a culmination of both courses and the techniques I learned from each. I mapped my entire experience in Italy through found object and photograph.

The book binding technique I used was a long-stitch with a hard cover.

If you’re going to Italy - get the gelato at least once a day, you’ll thank me later. 

Gelato in Florence, Tuscany from Gelateria Artigianale Le Strega Nocciola. I had half hazelnut and half pistachio, so delicious!

I leave you with a quote from a little bit of street art I saw while in Cinque Terre.

“Someday you’ll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember.” -Avicii

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Graphic Design major Shelby Osbourn spent the Summer 2018 term at our U of A Rome Center with the help of our our Office of Study Abroad Scholarship.

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/