As I began my college career, I became inspired by a group of storytellers and content creators who encouraged people to ‘Seek Discomfort’. The idea to actively seek unpleasant situations seemed crazy to me at the time; but as I began to embrace the beauty behind reframing the perception of your limits and exposing yourself to novel experiences, I started gaining insight to the wonders of seeking the unknown. In fact, one of the first steps of stepping out of my comfort zone in preparation for my journey abroad was applying for the Chris Borton Memorial Scholarship. It was my first time applying for a scholarship, first time exploring this type of unknown and the rewards were abundant. Not only did it help me financially for my study abroad journey but it reassured me that there’s always a community of people who support your dreams. There’s always people excited to embark on an adventure with you or excited to support you along the way out of the kindness of their heart. People seems to be one of the key elements that help make your dream into a reality and people is also one of the key elements that made my study abroad year a memorable one. When people ask me, “What was the most amazing thing you got to experience while studying abroad in Italy?”, I will answer, “The greatest adventure was connecting with people and learning from them through their culture and unique story”.
After being in Italy for a few weeks and noticing the immediate differences such as cobblestone roads, the historical architecture outlined by the porticoes, the exquisite cuisine so tightly woven into the culture, the passionate gestures and Italian expressions, and the accessibility to travel to new cities, what captivated me the most was the people in Europe. It was Maria from Pakistan who gave me a tour of my residence hall on the first day I arrived in Padova and who so kindly made me her ‘special guest’ on Christmas day dinner. It was Sarah from Germany who shared her love for biotechnologies with me and who introduced me to my favorite German artist. It was Ane from Norway who taught me there is no timeline for your dreams while she studied Italian literature for a year and who will enroll in an undergraduate engineering program next year. It was Kamila from Czech Republic who danced everywhere she went and whom I shared my passion for volleyball with. It was my roommate Mia from the US who kept my family tradition alive of decorating the living room with decorations for my 21st birthday and who gifted me the most amazing cooking class experience in Sorrento filled with laughter and music. It was Chiara and Anna, my two favorite Italian friends, who welcomed me open heartedly into their lives by showing me the local spots in Padova and by always helping me to improve my Italian. It was Elisa from Mexico who keeps inspiring me to live the life of my dreams after choosing to complete her full undergraduate psychology degree in another country halfway around the world. It was Cara from England who showed me the power of storytelling as a way to connect with people.
Everywhere I went there were always people who made my year abroad even more special. An interaction wasn’t even necessary to become inspired by the European lifestyle; it could be the passionate tour guide you overheard who explains every art piece as a precious moment of life in it of itself at the Louvre Museum in Paris or at the Uffizi Museum in Florence. Yes, it is the beautiful cities, architecture, food, and art what makes up the European lifestyle - but it is the people that bring these wonders to life.
The native Padova drink Aperol Spritz wouldn’t be the same without you and your friends watching the sunset in one the piazze. Of course, one must be able and motivated to discover the beauty in the places you visit and the people that you meet; and studying abroad is an ultimate way to test how well you recognize the beauty without relatives or friends to influence your perception. In an unfamiliar place, can you recognize the beauty in the most unexpected places? How do you react in novel situations? Do you respond in a manner that is true to yourself and how much of your behaviors are truly authentic to you? Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to understand more of who you really are by allowing you to make decisions, big or small, in everyday situations.
Whether it be from choosing to create a Whatsapp group chat for volleyball lovers in Padova (embracing my love for the sport in a new country), to choosing what kinds of thought patterns and inner dialogue will be rehearsed today. Studying abroad is one the greatest experiences I’ve experienced in my life since it also made me realize the importance of my identity and story. It felt in some way more normal to be a Mexican-American woman living in two countries at once while I was in Tijuana/San Diego. While I always knew the great value of my story, I became even more aware of the impact my story has on other people and that there is great interest in my life experiences. The number of times people asked me about life on the border or about ‘the wall’ are many more than I can count with my fingers, but the genuine curiosity and interest to learn about Mexican-American life was eye-opening.
In short, if anyone is thinking about studying abroad I would say, yes. Do it. It is a unique experience to practice living more authentically, confidently, and interconnectedly. It is a beautiful way to practice being present in the moment while you find a balance between trying to control the time you have left focusing on the future and thinking about your life back home focusing on the past. Lastly, studying abroad helps you to appreciate that there are SO many things to be grateful for. The gratitude I have for this year abroad and for all the people I’ve connected with on this journey is so immense words cannot describe it. I am eternally grateful for my year abroad in the University of Padua, Italy which the CBMSF family helped make this dream into a reality. As the idea to ‘Seek Discomfort’ motivated me to put myself out there even more and to try new things at the beginning of my freshman year in college, this year abroad in Padua, Italy I repurposed this idea and made it my own. Seek adventures. Actively reframe, reconsider, and re-explore your thoughts in a way that allows you to seek adventures. Seek the adventure of knowing yourself better in order to experience the adventure of connecting with others in a meaningful and purposeful way. Padova, you have been a marvelous adventure; and thank you CBMSF for your support on this adventure.
With much love and gratitude,
Valeria Gonzalez Perez