My study abroad came to a halt in early March of 2020. I had a very unique experience, as my classmates and I were some of the first to feel the effects of COVID 19 on students abroad because Italy was the first European country with Covid cases. Because the pandemic was a new and not well-understood world crisis, our universities in the United States required all of us to return home early. Even though my experience was cut short by months, I learned and experienced so much during my weeks away. Reflecting with you all has reminded me that travel, no matter how long or far of a trip, can teach you so much about yourself and the world around you. For example, I learned that you can make very deep friendships very quickly, even if you're in a new place where you don't really know anyone. The key to friendship across the world, in my opinion, is a combination of having respect, compassion and curiosity towards new people. Furthermore, I realized that learning about other cultures is one of my main passions in life. This experience has inspired me to go on to study Cultural Heritage in my Master's program. Heritage includes both the physical aspects (like art) and non-physical aspects (like language) of a society that is maintained over many generations.
