When I first learned about DePaul’s FY@broad: The Legacy of Rome program, I remember thinking, could I really do this? Is this even possible?

As someone with Italian ancestry, I had always felt a longing to connect with my roots. My family planned a trip to Italy for 2020, but when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, our dream to go to Italy was put on hold.

So when this opportunity came around during my first year at DePaul, I told myself: If I want to go to Italy, the time is now. Even though I had never traveled without my family before and was hesitant of the idea, they encouraged me to go, reminding me it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Almost three years later, I still think about that trip often. I made a scrapbook filled with group photos, landscapes, receipts, ticket stubs and little pieces of a life-changing experience I never want to forget.

The two-week summer program took us through Rome and Florence and was led by Professor Michael Tafel, who brought knowledge and heart to my experience. Though it was his first time coordinating a study abroad trip, you wouldn’t have known it. He told me in an interview two weeks ago, “What you experienced was the first time that I ever did this. It was all brand new to me.”  

Behind the scenes, he navigated the stress of turning the focal point course into a study abroad one, worried about what could go wrong: train schedules, reservations and other last-minute hiccups. Our group meals ended up being one of his favorite parts, allowing him to reflect and take a breather.

“So much of it was just having faith in all the research that you’ve done,” Tafel said. “In some ways, the dinners were kind of a sign of accomplishment of a successful, long day. The best memories are usually the dinners.”

Florence and Rome each had their distinct aesthetic. I remember the calmness of an Italian morning, sipping a caffè and eating a pastry filled with chocolate. I took pleasure in the slow pace of daily life: seeing people walk their dogs, stray cats roaming around, enjoying gelato in the sun. 

I remember visiting Ostia just outside of Rome, the way the sunshine looked glittery on the waters at the beach, the quiet ancient ruins in Ostia Antica and the sway of cypress trees when we were in Florence. It all left me with a new appreciation for the small things in life.

What made the trip even more special was the bonds I made with my classmates. We arrived in Italy mostly as strangers, but quickly became friends. Most of us were all experiencing this together for the first time — our first trip without family and our first taste of independence. One minute we were in Chicago, the next we were walking the streets of Rome and Florence.

“If you want to experience a different lifestyle, with study abroad you will get different. It’s like reading a book; you’re reading so many different stories, even if you’re not exactly there forever,” said Giselle Brambila-Olazaba, a classmate who went on the trip. “Every little moment of when we went to go get gelato or when we would see a new site and just explore the city … putting myself out there was very rewarding.”  

Brambila-Olazaba had never traveled without her parents. She shared with me that her mother told her stories about her time in Italy and, since then, she has dreamed of visiting someday. 

What she said stayed with me: “Being able to exist without the pressures of having to adhere to a certain standard … getting to enjoy the present instead of always worrying about the future — that’s something that definitely changed me.” Brambila-Olazaba went back to Florence shortly after for a quarter-long study abroad.

Olivia Gonzalez, another student who went on the trip, spoke about how the experience pushed her outside of her comfort zone and even encouraged her to do another study abroad in Morocco.

“Getting outside of my comfort zone, and traveling alone … this was the one trip where I’m like, ‘Okay, now I feel like I could actually go back to Italy alone and do it all over again,’” Gonzalez said. “That independence gave me the confidence to do another one.”

And while the scenery, the food and sunshine were unforgettable, it was the way this journey made us feel that stayed with us. Now that our time at DePaul is coming to a close, we reflect on how we grew more independent, more confident and more open to the world.

Academically, seeing the sites we learned about in class with our own eyes was beyond anything a textbook could offer. Personally, it reminded me to stay curious, to connect and to step outside of what’s comfortable.

To anyone considering studying abroad: take this as your sign. Whether it’s a short program or a longer one, there is so much waiting for you.

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