Gregory Zentmyer

Choosing to study abroad is a commitment that requires an open and intelligent mind. The point of a study abroad program is to get a whole different feel for the world by gaining cultural intelligence while testing your academic intelligence.

My biggest accomplishment is living three different lives in Italy, one more than Hannah Montana. The students at Paderno have two different class schedules: A-Days on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and B-Days on Tuesday and Thursday. The third life, you ask? Well, that’s whatever happens traveling on the weekends.

The first weekend in Italy blew any expectations I had out of the water. As we stepped onto the bus to travel to a local town called Bassano Del Grappa, the aura of excitement in the air washed over the group departing from campus. We headed to the train station, where we were parted separate ways and would not see one another for the rest of the weekend.

Not only have I been traveling around the United States these past two weeks, but I will be flying to Italy in four days to gain cultural experience while pursuing my college degree. Traveling consists of many factors: weather, political and social culture, destination’s customs and beliefs, but currently, the most significant factor is the pandemic.