"I came to the Columbia Summer in Venice program looking to sharpen my Italian skills and because of an interest in Byzantine history and art, and the program totally delivered."

I came to the Columbia Summer in Venice program looking to sharpen my Italian skills and because of an interest in Byzantine history and art, and the program totally delivered.

Hand paintings on the front of a building in Venice
Intensive Intermediate Italian gave me an excellent academic outlet for practicing the language to support my conversations outside of the classroom. After the program was over, I had several extended conversations in Italian with native speakers who knew minimal English. It was truly strange to interact with someone from a different culture in this way, but very exciting and as well! I most distinctly remember a conversation in Vicenza when a man running a restaurant told me that I should move to Vicenza, find a job in 3 days, and marry a beautiful Italian woman.

Meanwhile, I was able to support my interest in Byzantine art outside of the classroom, especially with the help of the program staff. The excursion to Ravenna was one I will never forget; I would rate the mosaics there as probably the most beautiful art I have ever seen. The mosaics at Torcello, about an hour away on the Vaporetto, will be etched into my mind forever. And how strange it was to pass by San Marco, a masterpiece of Eastern Christian art and 10-15 minutes away from my apartment, so often as I navigated throughout the city.

All of that would have been impossible without the Global Learning Scholarship, though! The trip was far out of my budget, but the generous funds from the UGE made the trip reasonable for me. I would call it a true global experience; the experiences I had there would never have been possible in New York City.