Lindsey Shrock
lns002@marietta.edu
When I set out to study abroad in Florence, Italy for the Spring Semester of 2015, I had no idea what to expect, nor did I know what drove me to sign on for this adventure. I was a dedicated student, stuck in the classroom or the theatre all hours of the day (and most hours of the night). I was a “take the notes on the slideshow and study them repeatedly” and “delve into the shelves of the library and check out every book possible” kind of student.
I was a creature of habit. Of routine. Of comfort. And I thought that was how I operated best. I was under the illusion that I was maximizing my potential by functioning under that lifestyle.
And now, every day, I walk the cobblestoned streets of Florence. I purchase meat and produce from the stands in the Mercato Centrale. I sit in a café for three hours and sip cappuccinos with chocolate syrup skillfully draped atop a layer of foam. I spend my evenings in yoga classes, experimenting with Italian cuisine based on what my friends and I have in our cupboards, or climbing trails to panoramic viewpoints for a breathtaking sunset.
On weekends, I get on a crowded overnight bus or train and travel to Switzerland, Austria, 
France, or wherever else I feel like going. I taste the local specialties, dip my feet in the waters of the Amalfi Coast or French Riviera, take a tour on horseback of the hills of Tuscany, ride in a gondola through the canals of Venice, attend educational wine tastings and cooking classes, and go paragliding over the Swiss Alps. I see live performances of operas that I worked on at Marietta College. I serve as a tour guide for Santa Maria del Fiore. I serve as a journalist and editor for an online organization that publishes student reviews of operas, art galleries, and gourmet events in Florence. Each week is an adventure and a blessing.
It is an ongoing joke with several students here that studying abroad is a “break” from learning. They take their academics lightly; classwork is merely a suggestion rather than a requirement. They regard this semester as a vacation. What they fail to realize is that, although we are only in class 3 days a week, we are learning constantly…and in higher concentration than ever before. It is exhausting to live in a foreign place. Everything, even ordering gelato, becomes a learning experience. Your mind becomes a spastic conglomeration of emotions, confusion, logic, ethics, and languages. All at once you can feel proud, accomplished, embarrassed, and hopelessly lost. And, through it all, you’re learning.
And I’m not just learning about Italian culture. Of course, that is a large component of what I am learning. But I’m learning so much more—about myself. I’ve learned what I am capable of…and it’s far more than I originally thought. I’ve learned how to call the shots in my life, and how to choose for myself and stand up for what I believe in. And I honestly believe I am a stronger person for it.
Study abroad is a break from the routine and the mundane. It is a culturally enriching experience. But most importantly, it is a reminder of the immense wonders this world holds, waiting to be discovered. It is a reminder of the innate strength we all possess, and our capabilities to expand our comfort zones if only we let ourselves be challenged. And, despite the countless struggles I’ve encountered, it has been the most strengthening experience of my life thus far, and has been the best decision I have ever made.
If you want a break from learning, and want to have fun and be carefree…don’t study abroad. Because you will work harder than you ever have in your life, I guarantee it. And the rewards couldn’t be sweeter.
