Katarina Kozakova

Major: Kinesiology and Health
Class: Senior
Timeframe: Fall 2024
Type of Experience: Study abroad
Program: Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute
Destination: Italy

Overall Experience

Studying abroad in Italy was one of the best experiences of my life. The four months I spent wandering around Italy were filled with incredible memories, fabulous people, and beautiful, picturesque cities, mountains, and countryside. Italy is a surprisingly diverse country and really offers something for everyone. Florence, Rome, and Venice are filled with gorgeous architecture, where I enjoyed learning about the history behind these cities. The north of Italy holds the world-renowned Dolomites, where I found myself on four different weekends hiking deep into the mountains. The south of Italy has gotten increasingly popular for the cities situated on cliffs, and of course the sandy beaches. I will be taking new knowledge about wine tasting, cooking in the traditional Italian style, the Italian language, and even ballet home with me.

Learning experience

The most valuable learning experiences for me occurred outside of the classroom. I am typically a planner, and with the opportunity to travel most weekends, I often ran into situations where my plans did not pan out as I had hoped. I learned to "go with the flow" and to enjoy the journey, as cliché as it may sound. From accidental rock-climbing hikes to moldy hotels, we never knew how our travels would end, but we ended up enjoying every second. I also learned how to be brave and stand up for myself, since when you are abroad you have to learn to hold your own.

Memorable experience

One of my favorite memories was in my wine and food pairing class. Our final project was to cook a meal for our professor, describe it and pair it with a wine. What my group didn't realize was that we needed to memorize the recipe, so when we began to cook, we had to improvise the entire meal. It felt like we were on Master Chef- our professor walked around singing Christmas carols and judging us silently. When we finally presented our plated masterpiece, the air was thick with anticipation as we watched the reincarnation of Gordon Ramsey sample our dish. Although we all thought he was about to spit it out, he ended up liking it and complementing our abilities. Highly recommend to take this class if possible.

What did you not expect?

The public transportation strikes that are all too common in Italy, while annoying at first, did become an expected occurrence – but from the worst delays or missed busses came some of the most beautiful days. By learning to remain positive in these situations, I allowed myself to turn an unfortunate circumstance into an opportunity, and instead used those times to discover places I might not have found otherwise. I learned to wander and spend the delayed hours making friends with people in the same situation. I hope I can take this mindset of making the best of any situation into my life at home as well.

What advice would you give?

Don't be shy! Everyone is in the exact same situation as you, and everyone is there to make friends. Take advantage of all the activities the schools offer, do more on your own, and talk to as many people as you can.

How has this experience impacted your life?

I've always imagined myself living in Europe, and as I prepare to start graduate school next fall, I'm glad to have experienced at least a semester abroad. This way I know I won't have regrets and can focus on creating a career in the States, rather than wondering if I should have moved abroad. I have really enjoyed meeting amazing people these past few months, which has not only impacted my personal life, but has led me to form new connections in my professional life as well.

How did you learn about this experience?

I took advantage of the study abroad advisors and team! The office helped me narrow down countries I would be most interested in, and then to choose between Italy and Spain. Talking to the advisors was informative in terms of learning the specifics of each program and the opportunities afforded, but listening to the experiences of previous study abroad kids was incredibly helpful to determine which country and program would be the best match for me.

International Connections