Alumni Interview with Alayna O’Keefe

What inspired you to travel abroad?

I have a passion for travel and learning about history and culture. My passions even influenced what I chose to study in college. I have been lucky enough to travel internationally a lot with my family, but I always wanted to make it a goal of mine to study abroad and live and learn on my own.

My family are from both Greece and England, and I have been fortunate to visit both countries many times with my family. I have also traveled to Wales, France, Canada, and Mexico before I studied abroad.

My own cultural background, and childhood travels, inspired me to want to learn about the rest of the world and to continue traveling. It was never a question, I always knew I would try to make studying abroad a possibility for myself.

I wanted to be able to learn about different cultures and wanted an experience where I would be able to challenge myself, and one that would question my own cultural identity. I wouldn't trade my study abroad experience for anything.

Why did you choose International Studies Abroad?

I was always interested in traveling to Italy, and the program I chose in Florence, Italy immediately drew my attention. The program also offered classes that would satisfy my major requirements, compared to other programs.

But, I was always drawn to the rich history and culture of Italy, and was looking forward to experiencing the amazing food and seeing the beautiful Italian landscapes. I read many reviews about ISA and the Florence, Italy program and they were all great reviews, which made me more comfortable in choosing the program.

What was your favorite part about Florence?

It's so hard to choose my favorite part about Florence, or just Italy in general. I think I would have to say the overall culture of the people and place was my favorite part. All of the Italian people I encountered were so hospitable, kind, and fun to talk to and be around. If it wasn't for the welcoming nature of the Italian people, I think I would have had a harder time adjusting to the city.

Italy has so much beauty and history that I never found myself to be bored, and I was always learning something new. I love learning about history and art, and studying in Florence was the perfect opportunity to pursue my interests.

Apart from the people and history, the food in Italy was AMAZING. I sincerely never experienced a bad meal, and there were so many great restaurants to choose from. I could go on and on about my time in Italy and highly recommend the country to study abroad in.

What made your experience abroad extraordinary?

One special way I was able to make my time abroad extraordinary was volunteering to teach English at a local primary school in Florence. Despite the language barrier with the teacher and students in the classroom, I learned how to create a meaningful relationship with them all.

Every time I would walk into the classroom, all of the students would run over and yell my name and give me hugs. Even though I was there to teach English, I learned a few things from the classroom. I learned some Italian, but also learned that despite any differences people may have, we all are similar in the end.

At the end of my teaching experience, I gave little cards to the students and teacher and received thoughtful cards back from the whole class. I have the mementos saved to this day, and it always brings a smile to my face when I think about my teaching experience.

In addition to the teaching, I enjoyed having the opportunity to travel around Italy and around Europe. I went to countries that I never really thought about traveling to and enjoyed the diversity in history, culture, and people that I was able to experience.

How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?

The ISA program staff was amazing. From the beginning, they supported me while applying to the program, preparing for my trip and while I was in Italy. The staff in Italy were all so kind and hospitable. They were always available and encouraged us to enjoy our experience in the best way possible.

The way ISA handled the students, and created the program made it easier for me (and I'm sure for others) to become accustomed to Italy. They offered mini day or weekend excursions, cultural immersion classes (such as cooking classes and local tours), and working with the city to allow students the opportunity to experience local culture (like my teaching experience).

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?

One thing I can recommend probably to any study abroad student before their program begins is to manage your money wisely! In the beginning I did not really think about managing my money so much as I was excited to go out to eat and shop and plan trips. However, it is crucial to watch your finances and make sure you plan accordingly how to spend. But it’s always important to remember to choose experiences you would get the most out of and without a doubt enjoy.

Another thing I wish I had done differently was plan my trips in advance and plan it on my own and not through a travel agency or travel group. While some of the trips I went on with travel groups were great, I wish I was able to stay longer in some places or put my money towards other experiences and do my own thing. Although, I still very much enjoyed my time wherever I went.

Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.

There wasn't really a "typical" day in my life abroad, but that's what I enjoyed the most. Every day was different. Some days I spent shopping, or class, or walking around the city, or sitting outside.

Other days I really just decided at the last minute what to do, or I was enjoying the nightlife and culinary experience. On the weekends I spent my time traveling Europe or exploring Florence and other parts of Italy.

While I made sure I was dedicated to my studies, I had a lot of free time while abroad and made sure to make the most of it and not take my experience for granted.

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?

My favorite experience was taking the train every week to go teach second graders English during my free time. If I was ever in a bad mood, coming back home after teaching I was always happier.

In general, I really just enjoyed walking around the city of Florence as it has so much to explore. With Florence's amazing food, fashion, and history, I was never bored. Allowing myself to just live in the moment, and trying not to be so stressed out as I usually am, I really found myself enjoying my time more and I was in a much better mood.

What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?

My program offered three types of accommodation: on-campus type of housing, living with a host family, and living in an apartment with roommates. I chose to live in an apartment with roommates.

I loved the freedom I had of having my own apartment, being able to live with people I didn't know, and experience the newness of living abroad together. The apartment I was placed in was also in perfect walking distance to majority of my classes, as well as many shops, the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), and other fun parts of Florence.

What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?

One thing I think that future participants should know about this particular program is that majority of students were from the U.S. 

On one hand, being with so many people from my own country I felt comfortable knowing I was in classes with people who shared the same background as me. However, I do wish I was exposed to, or was able to interact with, more international students.

I tried my best interacting with locals, but the program had many Americans. It just made me try even harder to immerse myself into the Italian culture, and I benefitted that way in the end.

Would you recommend International Studies Abroad to others? Why?

I would absolutely recommend this program to others!!! I could talk about my study abroad experience all day. I think the way everyone plans their experience and interacts with their new home differs. However, if I didn't have the support from program staff and if the program wasn't as organized as it was, I think my opinion of my experience would be different.

I loved how helpful the ISA staff was and how thoughtful they were of creating a fun and unique abroad experience. I felt safe knowing that I had the staff to rely on if I needed to. My roommates and I had a bed bug scare and ISA was so helpful and accommodating; they moved us into a hotel for a few days and immediately had someone come into our apartment to get rid of whatever bugs were in our apartment.

They continuously checked in on us and made sure we were safe and comfortable. I really appreciated their caring nature and help.

What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?

I think there are many benefits of traveling abroad. Apart from having the opportunity to see places that are different from where you grew up and live in, having the opportunity to experience different cultures is so unique.

Traveling opens your eyes to new ways of life, different foods, different people, and to different ways of thinking. Having that international experience that inspires you and challenges you is beneficial in the long-run.

Traveling or living abroad, you learn how to be more independent, more adaptable, and ready for change. Perhaps most importantly, you are able to educate yourself on different cultures and learn to respect and admire the differences among people.

Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?

I had such an amazing time abroad I reflect on it almost every day! Thankfully I took a lot of pictures and videos for memories, but it is not the same as physically being there. I learned how to travel better, and smarter as well.

Having to rely on myself and navigate foreign countries has made me confident that I can learn to adapt to anywhere I go. Traveling has made me more independent, willing to take on new challenges and changes, and I have educated myself on so many new cultures and people.

My time abroad has impacted my life the most in the way that it has confirmed that I want to pursue a career in international education. I am passionate about international education, and I hope to work in the study abroad/international education industry.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

I would define meaningful travel as experiencing travel (or having the intention to travel) beyond the purpose of being a tourist on vacation. To me, travel is meaningful when an individual allows him or herself to be vulnerable and immerse into the culture and place they’re in.

Not being afraid to challenge yourself and put yourself in experiences that alter your worldview and mindset on certain topics is a big component of a meaningful travel experience. An international experience, whether that's achieved through education, communication, relationships, etc. is a special opportunity.

I believe that having an international experience is so important, but in order to make it meaningful you have to immerse yourself into the culture and place you're in, and you have to challenge yourself, grow and learn. At times, I think meaningful travel is also supposed to make you question your own culture and look at it in ways where you think you may want to change it, or maybe appreciate it more.