Hello everyone, it’s Hannah and I am back with my final blog to talk to you about my CIMBA experience. The past three months have been a whirlwind of the best experiences of my life. Every single day was a new experience, a new feeling, and a new sense of understanding. I did a lot of self-growth which definitely wasn’t what I went into this thinking would happen. I was so focused on living in Italy and traveling that I didn’t even begin to think about how this experience would change who I am, 100% for the better. I have become more independent, more mindful of other people and their backgrounds, as well as being in an overall better mood.
Not only did I have a great semester grade-wise, but I had the best time traveling. I have been to 10 countries! (Notable favorites were England and Greece.) Like many other students, I did some traveling before and after for a total of 101 days in Europe. Traveling has always appealed to me and now after having amassed over 12,000 airline miles, COUNTLESS hours on trains and in taxis, I have 100% confidence in myself to get around anywhere.
Coming home and talking about my experience to my friends and family has been almost as fulfilling as the actual experience. I know for a fact I will be going back to visit Europe, maybe even moving there (sorry Mom). Even though I got to come home to my family, I left another family behind. All 33 of us got so close and I miss all of them. Besides the other CIMBA students, I miss the CLCs, professors, the CIMBA staff, and all of the Italians I got so close with. Paderno is a small town that may turn some people off, but trust me when I say, it should do just the opposite. You get so close with other students and members of the community. I don’t think any other country or location would have allowed me to have had the success that I did here. If this program would have been in a big city, I think much of the culture of Italy would have been lost. Overall, my CIMBA experience in small town Paderno was the most eye-opening, positive experience of my life.
Although I thought I was so ready to come home, that didn’t make pulling away from campus for the last time on that bus any easier. I could not recommend studying abroad more to ALL college students. There will never be a better time to uproot your life and move across the world.
You will learn so much about other people, other cultures, and most importantly, about yourself.
Hannah