A Semester in the Eternal City

Last semester I studied abroad in the Eternal City: Rome! I had the time of my life, and I can’t stress enough how important it is to go abroad during your time at college. I definitely missed my friends, professors, and nuances of William & Mary, but I feel like I learned many life lessons and matured as a person during my five months overseas.

My classes abroad were both interesting and highly educational. I took three business courses, which went towards my International Emphasis on my Marketing Major, as well as two onsite Art History courses to go towards my minor. Focusing on the Renaissance and Baroque, I visited numerous museums, churches, and monuments, and I even took a field trip to Florence!

In terms of traveling, I went somewhere new almost every weekend. I stayed primarily within Italy, visiting the major cities of Venice, Milan, and Naples. One of my favorite trips was to the Amalfi Coast of southern Italy, where I explored the towns of Sorrento and Positano (I rented and drove a boat there)! I also visited the Island of Capri where I saw the famous glowing water of the Blue Grotto.

Outside of Italy I traveled to Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic. My mom is from Prague, so I visited the Czech Republic twice to see my grandparents and spend time in the city that is my second home. The few days that I spent in Vienna, Austria were wonderful. I loved going to a Klimt museum and seeing some of my favorite paintings in real life. And last but not least: Switzerland. Snowboarding in the Alps in a t-shirt is one of my most amazing memories!

My semester overseas helped me grow as a person, and I definitely view those five months as a time in which my life changed for the better. I was constantly facing cultural challenges, seeing historical monuments, and eating far too much gelato and pizza than is ever necessary. So if my tales of travel haven’t convinced you to study abroad yet, please stop by the Reves Center for International Studies-I work there and would be happy to talk with you!

Christine Zinker
Class of 2010