Friday, 5/9/97 Year spent in Italy makes profound impression
upon student’s memory Going abroad offers new perspectives on
culture, language, self-discovery
By Barbara Klein I am nearly finished with my education here at
UCLA. In these past few weeks, I have found myself reflecting on my
college experiences. Looking back now, I realize I have done what
almost every other college student has done. I lived in the dorms
for two years, participated in several clubs and, of course,
attended my classes. There is one experience, however, that stands
out in my mind. I spent my junior year abroad in Florence, Italy.
After two years here at UCLA, I decided that I needed to get away
and experience something new. As a student of fine arts, the most
appropriate place for me to go was Italy. I had one major obstacle,
though – I did not speak a word of Italian. As a result, I was
ineligible for the Education Abroad Program (EAP). Instead, I found
a great program through the American Institute for Foreign Study
(AIFS) that seemed to suit my needs. It was not required that I
know the language prior to going because it was a language-learning
program. In August of 1995, I left my family and friends and
embarked on an adventure that would turn out to be the best year of
my life, so far. When I first arrived at the airport in Rome, I was
both excited and scared. The first few weeks were difficult, but I
knew I had made the right decision. Knowing there were 50 other
people in the same predicament was comforting. I quickly began to
learn Italian and assimilate into the new culture. The people I
came into contact with were very friendly and supportive. Since I
was in an American program, I decided to live with an Italian
family to help me better learn the language and culture. It took
several months to finally feel at home there but once I did, I felt
more free than I ever had in my life. I miss that feeling. Life in
Italy felt easier for me than in L.A. I know that a great deal of
that was due to the fact that I was far from the problems of home,
but there is another reason for my comfort in Italy that is hard to
put into words. For the first time in my life, I could do what was
going to make me happy. I was free to discover the real Barbara
Klein. I liked who she was and I have struggled to find her again
since my return to the States. In fact, I plan on returning to
Europe after graduation because I feel the need to go back in
search of the person I was last year and back to a place where I
feel good about myself. I think anyone who has the opportunity to
go abroad for any amount of time – a summer, a quarter, a semester
or a year should do it. Not only do you get the chance to see a new
place and maybe learn a new language and culture, but you get to
learn more about yourself and your own country. I have a new-found
perspective on the United States after living abroad. There are
certain aspects of life here that I don’t like and there are others
that I do appreciate. I miss the ability to walk everywhere in
Italy and the abundance of little markets that contain fresh fruits
and vegetables. I miss those wonderful bakeries on almost every
corner. I hold all these memories in my heart and I believe I am a
stronger person today for my experience. So, at the end of my four
years of college, I walk away with a new perspective on life and on
myself. I look forward to continuing my exploration of the world
that I began last year in Florence, Italy. Klein is a fourth-year
art student. Related Links: UCLA: International Programs