September 22, 2014

Art, Assisi, and Adventure: A Year in Italy

By Allie Donnenwirth, Honors College Junior

IMG_0154My name is Allie Donnenwirth, and I am a junior in the Honors College. I was lucky enough to study abroad in Italy for my entire sophomore year! I am an art major and business minor, so immersing myself in such an art-based culture was like a dream. I was able to study Art History in Florence and see famous artwork including The David by Michelangelo, Birth of Venus by Botticelli, the architecture of The Duomo, and so much more. I was able to further explore my love for metals, jewelry making, and enameling. Classes such as the history of Europe up until the Renaissance, Italian Language, Italian Literature, book making, among others were offered for me to take and get credit for.

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When we arrived in Italy, we spent three days in Rome and Vatican City. After Rome, we town hopped in Tuscany until arriving in our quaint, medieval, Tuscan town named Certaldo! We lived in apartments above our classrooms on the top of the rolling hills.

Throughout both semesters, we continued to travel to Sienna, Assisi, Volterra, Montepulciano, the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre and many more cities. I traveled to Barcelona with a group of girls for Fall Break and Halloween, and then London for Thanksgiving. Both semesters, we ended our trip with the beautiful city of Venice. However, the most amazing part of my trip was the people I met and the sense of community everyone shared.

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Because we lived in such a small town, we really got the chance to know the locals very personally, make invaluable friendships, and share unforgettable memories.

The people I met on this trip are my best friends. It is difficult to even put into words how this experience changed my life and helped me become who I am today and decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. Deciding to study abroad was the best decision I ever made.