My time studying in Siena, Italy, was one of the most valuable experiences of my life. Living abroad allowed me to immerse myself in a new culture and learn so much about the Italian way of life. I also had the opportunity to make new friends, travel to other parts of Europe, try a ton of new food, and start building my Italian language skills! Being far from home pushed me to try new things and constantly adapt to unfamiliar situations. It allowed me to expand my global perspective and gain a great appreciation for cultures outside my own.

I spent four weeks in Rome through a clinical fellowship, shadowing across orthopedic surgery, urology, stroke care, and pediatric surgery. It was an eye-opening experience seeing medicine practiced in a foreign country while navigating a language barrier and still learning so much from each case. Outside the hospital, I explored Italy and grew a lot personally, an experience that definitely strengthened my passion for medicine and global healthcare.

Studying abroad in Siena, Italy, was a highlight of my college experience. In the wine marketing program, we had the opportunity to work with our peers to consult for real-world clients and learn about the rich history of their wineries. Living abroad for six weeks in a city like Siena truly allowed me to immerse myself in Italian culture and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Evan Dadant, Wine Marketing in Siena 

I am now halfway through my program, and I will come home in a few weeks! I’ve honestly seen a lot, such as the palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night, and the Arc De Triomphe. I’ve been inside the Louvre, walked around Montmartre, and I even took an hour-long train to Giverny to see inside Monet’s gardens. I saw Monet’s home and even the spot where his famous water lily painting was inspired. It is so beautiful in France, as expected! 

My name is Gisele Turchon and I studied abroad twice in Italy through GEO Abroad, in Lecce and Siena. I had the time of my life in both cities, completely opposite of each other. In Siena, I lived in the Torre Contrada and adored my beautiful walk to school everyday with my friends. We went wine tasting and olive oil tasting in the Tuscan countryside. In Lecce, in the South of Italy, I enjoyed boat tours as well as cooking classes on local cuisine. Almost everyday after class we took the quick bus to the beach. The immersive language course built my confidence communicating with locals.

From January to March, I got to study abroad in Siena, Italy through the Global Education Oregon Program at UO. The program was centered around food, science, and sustainability--during my time there, I was able to immerse myself in Italian culture through my everyday interactions, which were some of my favorite moments. We also visited two farms that practiced regenerative agriculture and learned about local food systems and production methods.

I am halfway through my time in Stockholm, and there is still so much to do! Every week, it seems something new to do or visit pops up, whether through a co-worker recommendation, a bus advertisement, or even an Instagram post. One highlight was culture night, when almost every museum in the city was free from 6 pm until midnight, hosting events and allowing exploration of the city’s culture. I was able to visit the Royal Drama Theatre and the Nobel Museum, as well as some smaller ones I would not have known about otherwise.

Hello! My name is Kunal Mehta; I am a first-year master's student in Architecture at the University of Oregon. I am neurodivergent and enjoy seeing the patterns in life, through my work I am able to help many people with affordable housing, regenerative architecture, and urban design; Which is the reason I chose to come to study in the Urban Design program in Barcelona, I wanted to learn more about how the framework of the city effects the daily lives of its population and how we as designers can influence the design to help improvethe daily lives of the communities it serves.

Hello! My name is Hana Smith, and I am a Global Studies major with a focus on international trade and tourism. I was born and raised in Japan until I was 15, which gave me a deep appreciation for cross-cultural communication and the nuances of interacting across many different cultures. Throughout my college career, I’ve studied how these cultural differences affect international business and communication, and I’m particularly interested in how marketing and company strategies can adapt when entering new countries with diverse languages and audiences.

Now that I’m officially back in the United States, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my time in Hong Kong and how it's affected how I see myself and the world around me. That said, I had to navigate my way back first before I could reflect. Getting back to the US wasn’t a very difficult trek—just a stop in Seoul for seven hours and 12 hours in the air—but getting accustomed to PNW weather and time zone was challenging. For the first few days, it was hard to find a regular rhythm for sleeping and eating.