Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable

“Change begins at the end of your comfort zone”

I have never resonated with a quote as much as I do with this one right now. My first week in Italy has been incredible, exciting, tiring, and challenging all at once, and for that I am so grateful.

When I got on the plane to Bologna at the Lisbon airport, just seven days ago, I felt terribly nervous and out of place. No one on my plane spoke english (not even the flight attendants), and my red hair and pasty skin stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the rows of beautiful Italian men and women. Safe to say, I have never felt like such an outsider. However, instead of using this moment of discomfort as an excuse to feel sorry for myself, I took it as a moment to reflect. I pulled out my little leather travel journal, scribbled down all the emotions I was feeling in that moment, and just sat there. I looked around at all the people beside me, chattering away in a language that sounded like gibberish to my American ears, and embraced the feelings of uneasiness and isolation that ran through my mind. I recognized that this was the first of many times on this trip that I would be put in an uncomfortable situation, and that this was something to be excited about, not discouraged by. Getting outside your comfort zone is where real change happens, and I cannot wait to see how this inevitable change personally shapes me.

Although I have only been here for a week, the people, places, food, history, and art of Bologna, Italy already has such a special place in my heart. The individuals that I’ve met, both Americans and Italians, are so welcoming, loving, friendly, and inspiring, and I cannot wait to continue building relationships with them over these next few months. The 28 American students in my program are particularly amazing, and have made my transition to living here exponentially easier. I cannot even count the number of late night chats, long city walks, interesting dinner conversations, and hilarious moments that we have all shared thus far, and I am certain there are so many more to come. The Italian students we have met are also incredible, and it has been very interesting to talk with them about the differences between our countries, languages, lives, and cultures. They also speak english super well, which I find very impressive.

Bologna most definitely is not perfect, however, as homelessness, racism, and unemployment plague the city. Since my program is very social justice focused we have learned a lot about these issues and the things that are being done to combat them, which has been really heartbreaking but also incredibly interesting. A few days ago a couple friends and I actually had the pleasure of talking to a migrant from Africa while we were eating lunch. We were sitting in one of the Piazzas, and he came over to try to sell us lighters, napkins, and a bunch of other things, but we politely declined (this is a common form of work for people, especially migrants). He was very understanding, and instead of pressuring us to buy his things he asked us how our day was going. We ended up getting into a lengthy conversation with him about our study abroad program, America, and his life in Bologna. I unfortunately cannot remember his name, but this man told us all about how he came to Bologna from Africa a few years ago in order to teach classes at the University of Bologna. However, after only a semester of teaching an African Studies course this man was fired, as a result of students not demonstrating interest in taking the course for the next semester. He tried to find work at other places, but the only work he could find was selling things on the streets. Therefore, this wonderful, kind hearted, intelligent, compassionate, educated man was selling lighters to people on the streets of Piazza Verdi, where he encountered racism and overall negative interactions on a daily basis. His story is not an isolated case, though, and it even sounds similar to the issues that many immigrants face in The United States. But it broke my heart, and made me remember that just because a place has beautiful architecture and delicious food does not mean that social issues aren’t existent; every place has its unique set of problems.

Overall I am having an absolutely incredible time in Bologna. My classes are super interesting, the teachers are all so passionate and knowledgeable, and the dorm is really really nice (we even have a maid that changes our sheets and washes our towels every week...like WHAT?!?). My roommate is so sweet and cool, and our room is huge. The food in the dining hall is wayyyy better than the food at SLU. I have been trying some new foods too! I told my friends here that they had to force me to try things, and they’ve kept their promise. The city is just so vibrant, beautiful, youthful, full of culture, and exciting, and I am really looking forward to making even more unforgettable memories here.

Here are a few pictures from my adventures this week:  

A beautiful old building in downtown Bologna.

The ceiling of my Italian classroom.  

 

A Jazz club we went to for dinner one night.

 

A cool sticker we found on the sidewalk.  

The view from my dorm room while the sun was setting.

One of the many beautiful pieces of street art in Bologna.