Alumni Interview with Araceli Gonzalez

What inspired you to travel abroad? 

I was very curious to learn about Italian culture. Whether it was the language, the history, the cuisine, or a combination, all of them inspired me to decide to study for a semester in Tuscany. When choosing a program, IES Siena had everything I was looking for—a small yet enchanting place with the possibility of taking classes at the local university. Since the moment I chose to study abroad in Siena I knew I had a great semester ahead of me. 

Why did you choose IES Abroad? 

I knew I did not want to be in a big, touristy city. I wanted to learn about Italian language and cuisine and I knew Tuscany was the best place for it. I was offered a program organized by the American university I am attending, but I wanted to meet other students from other universities as well. When looking for a program, IES Abroad Siena was the perfect fit! Plus, as a practicing Catholic, when I knew that Siena was an option I did not hesitate, as it’s the home place of my favorite saint and political activist Saint Catherine of Siena. 

What was your favorite part about Siena? 

Siena is a great place to learn about classic literature, history, and medieval art. However, at the same time you can have a lot of fun hanging out with friends at Piazza del Campo, traveling to the vineyards of Chianti, or enjoying the views from the Sienese heights. Everyone in Siena is aware of the history of the local community, and students are very driven, dedicated to academics. Siena is a very safe place, in addition everyone made me feel at home and this encouraged me to learn the language and to appreciate the local culture more. 

What made your experience abroad extraordinary? 

The local community welcomed me in such a friendly and kind way that I did not experience being homesick in a way I expected beforehand. Siena became my second home for 2018 and I left feeling more like a citizen of Siena rather than just an exchange student.

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

IES Siena coordinators and staff helped me unconditionally every time I needed assistance. Whether it was with a clinic visit, request to volunteer with the program, or registering for classes at the local university, they always helped me in the best way possible. We received a newsletter every week with information of extracurricular activities for the week and weekend. In partnership with the Erasmus network we had activities like dinners with the local community members and visits to local factories and restaurants, among other activities that really helped us to be connected with Siena and its culture.

Thanks to the local staff we were more oriented and guided during our stay in Siena. They were very efficient in answering emails and meeting with us when a concern was brought up. The trips organized by the staff were excellent in all the possible ways. One time my friend and I participated in an IES competition that required traveling, and the IES Siena staff was very supportive in the process of the competition and during the trip to the IES Barcelona Center. I had nothing negative to say about local staff support; in fact, I highly recommend this program for the future. 

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

I wish I had spent more time around the city center during the day at the beginning of the fall. There is so much to appreciate in Siena that is unique in the world, like the Duomo, the towers of Piazza del Campo, and the view from San Domenico's Basilica. I invested time in academics, which is necessary, but I wish I was less rigorous and spent a little bit more of my time appreciating the towers and medieval architecture when there was more daylight before the winter. Besides that, there is nothing I regret of my time abroad. It was indeed the time of my life! 

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

I would wake up at 8 am, get ready for the day, and have breakfast in the way I learned from Italians: coffee with milk and a cornetto. The stores and the IES center opened at 9 am and I would then have class until 11:00. If I was not in class, I would volunteer at the local children's hospital or the nursing home on Saturdays when I was not traveling. After that, I would go home and have my favorite part of the day: cooking lunch! Then I would take a break and get ready for my afternoon classes at the University of Siena.

After class I would hang out with friends in Piazza del Campo. After that, I would go with friends to cook dinner together or visit a family in the community. Otherwise, I would stay home and cook dinner while catching up with my roommate, and then I would do homework or prepare for class the next day. On Monday late nights, I would go to Karaoke, on Wednesdays to an Erasmus party, and on Thursdays to the local restaurants and bars with Italian friends. There was always time to have fun if I was organized finishing my academic responsibilities beforehand. During the weekends however, I would go on a trip with my friends in the program or participate in activities at church and the community in Siena. 

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad? 

The Erasmus network organized amazing activities and trips where I made friends for a lifetime. In my down time I also visited the families that invited me for dinner or lunch; they welcomed me at their home with open arms and they taught me so much about the local culture that I left full of gratefulness and beautiful memories. When I was not studying, I would go to eat gelato or grab coffee with my Italian friends after class. I barely had any free time with all the things I got involved in but I enjoyed every second abroad. Every ordinary day became an extraordinary opportunity to explore something new. 

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

I was living in an apartment with an American roommate. The apartment was a very typical place where Italians live which made me feel more immersed in the culture. Besides that, I liked the fact that I had an equipped kitchen and I was able to prepare my own meals. All in all, living in an apartment gave me the insight of how an Italian college student lives and it was great to have a glimpse of that lifestyle during my stay. 

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

They should know that Siena is a great place to go abroad to, and it offers students the opportunity to learn about Italian culture while still being accepted and appreciated as a foreigner. The locals not only allow you to learn about their culture, but they are also eager to learn about your unique background, and that is the magic of the type of cultural exchange that IES Siena offers. 

Would you recommend IES Abroad to others? Why? 

I would highly recommend this program to students who want to study abroad in Italy in a smaller authentic Italian city in smaller classes. The program exceeded my expectations and compared to other big cities in Italy, Siena maintains its essence despite the big flow of tourists. The food offered in Siena is locally produced and foreign students are treated and assisted very well. It is easier to talk to professors and to learn on field trips given the size of the program. You will never feel lost there! 

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

The biggest benefit of traveling abroad is not only the opportunity to learn about a new culture or a new language, but also the chance to expand one's horizons by expanding your network and developing new skills, overcoming fears, and acquiring new tools to get adjusted to new situations. I feel like I can move around more easily after going abroad; when challenges come up I have the confidence to face them and I am definitely more curious about places I have not been yet and cultures I would love to encounter.

I must mention that the classes I took abroad took my breath away! I took classes in politics like "Mafia in Italy" and "Public Diplomacy" that taught me so much in a different way than I am used to. I also took a class about the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri that I would have never taken if it were not for my semester abroad. I really enjoyed the classes that I took and I cannot describe with simple words all the valuable knowledge I got from the great professors that taught them.

Going abroad can also give you insight into how the education system varies from country to country and how culture does play a big role on it as well. I learned to cherish our uniqueness as humans and the richness of cultures around the globe. Diversity, not necessarily of ethnicities, but of thoughts, life styles, and background is what made me fall in love with the cultural exchange I experienced with IES Abroad. 

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

I am more open to accepting opportunities and challenges that involve traveling. In fact, after being abroad I decided the focus of my career after I graduate. I plan to go back to my home country Paraguay, enter the academy of foreign affairs to eventually be sent in a diplomatic mission to any country they need me to be. If it was not for IES Abroad, I would not have gained the confidence to cross borders with passion and determination in the pursuit of my professional goals. I am highly convinced that students should consider going abroad at least once during their time in college. There are definitely things that we cannot learn just in the classroom and going abroad does provides the platform to learn valuable life lessons by being exposed to different cultures. 

What does meaningful travel mean to you? 

Meaningful travel means to me exploring new places without the interest of being a tourist but rather to be fully immersed in the culture and essence of a place. It means learning without realizing, because you are enjoying too much to realize the valuable knowledge you are actually absorbing. It means to stay in new places without leaving behind your vocation of serving those who need the most and having the willingness to learn from those who can teach you a lot. Meaningful travel means combining all the lessons you learn, the places you get to visit, and the people you get to meet while traveling and transform them into an ongoing source of motivation for a lifetime.