This semester, St. Joe’s students have had the opportunity to study abroad in countries such as Italy, Spain and Ireland. Read more to hear from the students abroad and listen to some of theirexperiences with different lifestyles, cultures and opportunities.

What are you most looking forward to during the second half of your semester abroad?

For the second half of my semester abroad, I have some fun trips lined up to Cinque Terre and Sardinia, which I’m looking forward to because it should be getting warmer, so it’ll be fun to see how the beaches are in Italy. I’m also looking forward to just enjoying the rest of my time in Italy because now that I’ve been here for two months, I’ve made a routine for myself and feel very comfortable living here.

-Lynore Shaffer ‘23, Florence University of the Arts

What is your favorite experience from your time abroad so far? 

One of my favorite experiences was when my family came to visit and we had dinner with my host mom. My parents don’t speak Spanish, and my host mom speaks limited English. It was exciting for me because I got to really practice my Spanish while sharing a big piece of my study abroad experience with my family. We compared experiences in Spain and the United States which was fun to learn more about culture. 

-Cailey Esposito ‘23, Saint Louis University

What is your favorite aspect of being abroad?

My favorite aspect of being abroad is the independence and self-confidence I’ve gained from living in a new country and traveling around Europe. Exploring new cities, meeting people from all around the world, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone has taught me so much about myself and the world.

-Sara Melley ‘23, University College Cork

What is your favorite aspect of being abroad?

My favorite aspect of being abroad is being so close to so many cool places! It’s so easy to travel to other countries and explore a new city for a weekend. For example, I was able to hop on a cheap flight and be in Paris in under two hours! I love being able to see so much of the world.

-Dana Hungerford ‘23, DIS Copenhagen

What is your favorite experience from your time abroad so far? 

I’ve really enjoyed learning about and immersing myself in my host nation’s culture. The Czech Republic is immensely different to every other culture I’ve experienced so far, and Prague is a city with a distinct character that harmonizes centuries of history with modern civilization. It’s also been interesting to study many academic fields, such as politics or economics from a radically different perspective to what you’ll find in the US. 

-Carlos Rodriguez ‘23, Charles University and CERGE-EI

What is your favorite experience from your time abroad so far?

So far my favorite experience was when I rode a Vespa through the city. It was crazy because I didn’t even have to take a driving test to rent the Vespa, the person in charge of the rentals just gave me the keys and said, “Good luck.” I’ve never been on a Vespa before, let alone drove one, so the combination of learning how to drive it and having to navigate through the traffic was tough. But the experience made me realize how well I know Florence after living here for two months. I drove up to the Piazzale Michelangelo and watched the sunset. It was so picturesque! 

-Mackenzie Allen ’23, Florence University of the Arts