Reflections of My Goals

After reflecting upon my abroad experience, I think I was successful in completing my goals that I had set out to achieve. One of my personal goals was to become more confident and self reliant. I believe that I have an increased sense of independence after traveling all over Europe and I have broadened my world perspective significantly by interacting with various cultures and people throughout my time abroad. Thanks to my bi-weekly Italian classes and practicing with friends and the owners of the bakery below my apartment I was also able to accomplish my goal of learning conversational Italian. With a lot of patience and practice I was able to order food, ask for directions, and talk about what I did over the weekend.

            In additional to my personal goals, my professional goals were also achieved. Upon arriving in Rome, I had a strong desire to become aware of how my intended profession in public relations may be viewed or practiced differently in other cultures and to develop cross-cultural communication skills. All of my professors were Italian and I also had Italian students in all of my classes. Communication with my professors and interacting with my classmates forced me to develop valuable skills that ultimately helped me communicate better with a foreign culture. There was two times throughout the semester that I was paired with an Italian resident student to complete a project. I was very fortunate to be matched up with a student who was not American because I gained a lot of insight on the Italian way of viewing things. My media and gender class helped me to see how public relations tactics are very different in Italy when compared to America.

            Furthermore, while being abroad I had many phone interviews for a summer internship. When I told the interviewer how I have developed many cross-cultural communication skills as well as how I have become more culturally aware they were very impressed and held what I said with high regard. I really do think that I grew intellectually as well because I was exposed to many new perspectives and viewpoints that I would have never had the opportunity to experience in my classes at the University of Maryland. Although I did not achieve a 4.0 I was extremely close and was proud of all of my hard work.

            Over the course of four months I really got to understand the Italian culture. My interactions with Italians, whether it was at the local fruit stand, a restaurant or bar, all helped me to better understand and appreciate the differences amongst the Italian people and I. I did in fact gain a new perspective of the way I view my own culture. I now realize how fast paced the American way of life is and how Americans don’t take their time and enjoy the small things in life. However, on the contrary there are many things that I gained a new appreciation for in the U.S that I did not appreciate before my departure. I truly hope that I can take all of the things I learned and apply them to my daily life at home and at school.