Hello! My name is Valentina Rowe and I’m a marketing major studying at The College of New Jersey. I went on the Semester in Florence program and I am so grateful to have traveled abroad with CIS Abroad, which not only provided me with amazing opportunities to get to know Florence, but also taught me how to become a more culturally competent individual.
As an Italian immigrant, family was all my nonna had to remind her of her old life in Italy. At the young age of 17, her and her father packed their bags and headed to America to provide their family with a better life. When I was a young girl, I always loved hearing her tell stories about Alberobello and how she had to quickly adapt to the American lifestyle alone. Despite growing up with very little, she always spoke so fondly about the time she spent in her small town community. As my nonna planted roots in America and started a family, she continued to practice the same traditions here as she did in Italy. Growing up, I looked forward to Sunday dinners surrounded by my cousins, aunts and uncles. We would spend hours at the table enjoying each other’s company and eating delicious food. Without knowing it, I was learning what it meant to be Italian.
During the summer of sophomore year of high school, my nonna took me and my cousin on a tour of Italy. I had been anxiously awaiting this trip after watching her bring my older cousins just a couple years prior. It was so exciting to finally be able to share her love for the country I had heard so much about. After seeing the main landmarks of Italy, we headed to Alberobello to see our family. I loved seeing my nonna so in tune with her roots. Although her town had changed over the years, I could tell she felt at home. It was such a special experience to be able to walk the streets with her and see the trullo she lived in as a girl. Though I had gotten such a great introduction to Italy, I knew from that moment on that I wanted to go back.
One of the memories my nonna always went back to when talking about Alberobello was the Saints Day festival the townspeople celebrated every year in late September. While in high school, it was never possible for her to take us to see the festival, but after I had confirmed that I would be going abroad in the fall semester, I realized I would finally be able to see it for myself. I was so excited to tell my nonna that I’d be going to visit our family once more to see the celebration for myself. Though I was sad I would not be going back to Alberobello with her again, I was excited to see my family and the traditions they practiced.
When I had arrived in Alberobello, the town had been transformed in preparation for the celebration. Light fixtures lined the streets and townsfolk set their vendors up along the main road to sell their homemade goods. It was a great display of community and pride for the town. As I patiently awaited the procession of Saint Cosma and Saint Damiano, I couldn’t help but feel so connected to my nonna. I was standing in the same place my nonna had all those years ago, awaiting the event she had so fondly described to me over the years. As the procession started, I watched as the Saints left the church and were paraded around through the town. It was truly such a beautiful and impactful experience that I will never forget.
One thing I did not take into consideration when going to Alberobello was how little English the people spoke. Florence was very easy for me to adapt to as most of the locals knew English because of their constant exposure to tourists. This was not the case in Alberobello. Both my family and the locals spoke very little English, and I unfortunately did not have my nonna to help translate this time around.
Fortunately, two of my cousins closer to my age had learned it in school, but communicating with the rest of my family usually required the help of a translator. I will admit, there were times where I felt out of the loop when my family was all together, but they often tried to address me when they could. Regardless of the language barrier, my family in Alberobello acted like my family back at home. Though we lived miles apart, our traditions and values remained the same.
Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to connect with my family on a deeper level. I have grown to appreciate the challenge of learning how to navigate a new culture and grown comfortable with the uncomfortable. Though I knew I might feel out of place visiting Alberobello, I also knew that I would figure it out. I have become resilient in the face of difficulty, and I look forward to pushing myself in the years to come.
After getting the opportunity to travel abroad, my biggest piece of advice to future students is to take the leap and go. Studying abroad is one of the best experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to have, and I cannot wait to return to Florence. I can now confidently say that there is no better way to become a more well-rounded and confident person. I am so thankful that I took the leap and decided to go, despite not knowing anyone else. Not only did I make incredible memories, but I also made the greatest friends.
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