Buongiorno, everyone! My name is Julia Caterino and I am a rising junior majoring in Media and Professional Communications with a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. I am also part of the Frederick Honors College here at Pitt. Today, May 29, I will be traveling to Florence on Pitt’s second session of the Food Studies in Italy program. This program explores the relationship between gender and food with a focus on sustainability. We will be studying local Tuscan cuisine and the entire Italian food system as a whole. The Food Studies program is everything that I could have asked for in a study abroad experience. As a GSWS minor, I was initially drawn to the program because of its focus on gender and sustainability. I’ve only ever been exposed to American cultural practices around food, so I am excited to study the differences in Italian food culture. I am lucky enough to be receiving credit toward my minor in the process!

Over the course of three weeks, I will be attending classes during the day while also going on several field trips. We will be going to churches and synagogues, sustainable farms, and even a coastal fish hatchery! I will also be participating in local market tours and a cooking class. 

And of course, I will be eating some of the best food in the world.

As I prepare for my journey abroad, I expect to be challenged in many ways. I will be completing two classes within a matter of three weeks, so the workload will undoubtedly be heavy. The two classes that I will be taking are Politics of Gender and Food (GSWS 1180) and Anthropology of Food (ANTH 1752). This trip will not just be a bunch of cooking classes or wine and cheese tastings! Beyond the academic challenge, I also expect to have many culture shocks. I speak absolutely no Italian, so the language barrier will be a difficult transition. Despite the obstacles that I am sure to encounter, I am thrilled to be participating in this experience. It presents an opportunity for personal growth by getting me out of my comfort zone. I will also grow professionally by gaining valuable skills in cultural awareness, communication, and global competency. I could definitely see myself pursuing a career involving food in the future, so this trip is the perfect way to immerse myself in a wildly different food culture than I am used to.

I am so excited to take you all on my journey with me. Talk soon, ciao!