Reflecting on this experience, it’s funny to think about how nervous I was to study abroad. I went into the Food Studies program not knowing any of the other girls. As an introvert, I was terrified that I would be too shy to make any new friends. There were not many girls in our program to begin with – only eighteen of us in total. In this type of environment, you are surrounded by these other students pretty much every moment of every day. In such close proximity, you get very close to everyone quickly. Now that the program is wrapping up, I truly feel like I’ve known these girls for years. I’ve surprised myself during this experience. I usually need a lot of alone time after social gatherings, but I’ve been moving from one thing to another during my time abroad. There is so much to explore in such little time, I’ve really pushed myself to experience everything by saying yes to as many things as possible with the other girls. If you are an introvert worried about studying abroad for this reason, my advice is to not let that stop you. The experience is so rewarding, and you might surprise yourself.

The Food Studies program has definitely changed my perspective on my personal and professional goals. After visiting a sustainable farm, a parmigiano and balsamic vinegar farm, and a coastal fish hatchery, I gained a new appreciation for the hands-on work of food production in Italy. The producers that we met took so much care in the products that they make, prioritizing taste and quality over mass production or making the most money possible. It has opened my eyes to the flaws in the American food system. In terms of my personal goals, I set out to challenge myself during this program. Upon reflection, I would say that I successfully pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone by saying yes to as many activities as possible. My new goal in my personal life after this trip is to really think about the impact of the food that I am eating. There are so many steps in a food’s lifespan before it even reaches your plate. I have learned ways to live more sustainably, such as purchasing food that is local and in season.

Learning about how gender plays a role in food has also changed my perspective on the food system in America. We learned about how women are always the ones associated with cooking in the domestic sphere, however, they are expected to adhere to a very unrealistic beauty standard. Even if they secure work outside of the home, there is a cultural expectation that women still fulfill domestic responsibilities such as cooking, childrearing, and other chores. We also learned about the social construction of gender in foods – things like meat and alcohol are considered masculine foods, while grains and vegetables are associated with femininity. Everything that we learned about was fascinating, and I could definitely see myself working in this field in the future.

Florence has absolutely blown me away these past few weeks. If you get the chance to participate in the Food Studies program or any other study abroad program in the future, definitely take advantage of it! I am so grateful to everyone who made this experience so rewarding. Thank you for following along, ciao!