Rhiannon Komaniak

Rhiannon's Education Abroad Experience

"At the very beginning of the program, I took a 3-week intensive course called "Food, Society, and Culture of Italy", which ended up being my favorite class. The professor took us to different fresh markets, wine bars, etc. We had cooking labs as well where we would cook traditional foods, which was one of my favorite parts. I kept some of the recipes so I could try to make them back at home. Through another class I took, I made some really good friends who became my travel buddies. We explored different countries and different cities in Italy together as well as made a lot of memories in Florence. Although I didn't learn the language, one of the coolest moments that I had was when I went to buy a winter coat in one of the stores that were further from the city center, and the owner didn't speak any English and I didn't speak any Italian, yet we somehow still communicated through our body languages and a few singular words we knew in the language. Lastly, one of the biggest areas I grew in was my ability to adapt to change.

Since the beginning of my college years, I always talked about studying abroad, and when I transferred to Penn State, that opportunity became real. Penn State offered an abroad program specifically for Hospitality majors. I chose the Florence University of the Arts program because I always wanted to go to Italy, and the program allowed me to meet all my degree requirements. The program was affordable, and the school offered a meal plan as well. 

One of the biggest surprises I had was seeing how big transportation systems were in Europe. As a whole, Europe's transportation systems include above-ground trains, trams, boats, buses, and underground systems such as the Metro and Tubes. Unlike in the United States, cars aren't necessary and aren't needed for daily living, In Italy, another shock was the fashion sense. Italians dress very fancy even for casual occasions. 

One of the most important lessons I took from this experience was to embrace change and step outside the comfort zone. Deciding to travel abroad and live in a new country is stepping outside of your comfort zone, but it's important to keep doing that the whole time. It was my first time traveling internationally and being on a plane by myself, so even small things in change create more self-confidence and comfort when those situations occur again such as flying alone. I also learned to be more curious and open-minded in all aspects such as trying new foods, learning about different cultures, etc. 

As I want to work in the hospitality field, I know that working with and being in different cultures and environments is a huge part of hospitality. So, this experience has shown me the difficulties but also how amazing it can be to be a part of a different community. I learned what things I like and what things I don't like about traveling so it could help steer me in certain directions if I'd like to pursue a job in tourism. 

For those thinking of studying abroad, I'd advise to look into the cultures of the places of interest to help be more prepared for the culture shock or major differences. However, I do think it's okay to jump in and see what happens. If you end up not liking the host city/ school you chose to study at, that's okay because you still have the opportunity to travel around. I advise you to continue to be open-minded and travel to different countries, it will help you see what you like and don't like in environments; you will always remember the travel journeys and memories that you made even if you don't like the host city/ school."