Coming back to the U.S. was definitely a bittersweet experience. After being in Italy for 11 weeks, I had built such a solid friend group that after so many days, adventures, and experiences together, they felt like family. Saying goodbye to them was hard, but what was even harder to accept was the fact that I would stop seeing all the locals we had met along the way.
Right in front of the apartment where I lived was a café, and it made every day in Vicenza so much nicer. Starting the day with a fresh cup of coffee or tea made by the kindest couple ever just felt so comforting. Besides making awesome coffee, they would always ask how you were feeling or how your day was going, making the experience of being a foreigner a bit more enjoyable. On the last day, I wanted to use my final meal voucher, so I went there, and the woman who owns and runs the place, Raffaella, hugged me and got a little teary-eyed. I also shed a couple of tears.
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Experiencing this term abroad was definitely not what I thought it was going to be. Instead, it was an incredible teacher and character-builder. There were many points throughout the whole experience that really tested my endurance, but being an architecture student in a country known for being one of the greatest exponents of architecture throughout time was so nourishing. Yes, it was really hard, but I wouldn’t give it up for the world.
Being in a context like that with the amazing teaching team we had, I was pushed to the limits for my final review – creatively, compositionally, and to be coherent with the site. Designing something to sit on such historic lands, and explaining it through carefully crafted media, was already super hard; but doing it in 90-degree weather with no AC was even harder. Still, I had a goal, and by the time of final review, I knew for sure that I had given it my all. I felt proud of my work, not for my professor or a grade, but because the site and all that we learned about the great architects through time really changed something in me, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
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Something I would tell students about to go abroad is: pack lightly but bring enough so you’re never too cold or too hot. Keep your mind open to new foods, traditions, dance styles, and people – be a traveler, not a tourist. But above all, be kind to everyone. Learning just a little bit of the language goes a long way and will open many doors – or at least get you a couple of free drinks after meals. Keep your mind and heart open. Being abroad is tough, but it’s so, so much fun.
Faviana Marcela Olaguibel Roca, Diverse Ducks Ambassador