Ciao! I am thrilled to be writing this while sipping a delicious cappuccino at an adorable sidewalk cafe. When study abroad was first canceled, I was devastated. Were my two semesters of Italian and one dedicated afternoon of Duolingo for nothing? Everything changed when I heard about the Panthers Study Abroad in Orange Program (PSAOP). This wonderful new program allowed me to have the same amazing experience in our very own beautiful City of Orange for the exact same price!
These have been the best quatro months of my life. You wouldn’t believe the rich, authentic Italian food I got to try. I had pizza al fresco for every meal just like the Italians do it: Blaze for breakfast, Pizza Press for lunch, and Zito’s for dinner. That may sound like a lot, but as a study abroad student, I got a 10% discount, and as they say, “When in Rome!”
Like any study abroad, there was some culture shock and miscommunication. My Italian isn’t perfect, so the Blaze cashier struggled a bit to understand me when I asked, “dov'è il bagno?” Luckily, through some hand gestures and Google Translate, I found a “toilet.”
If you’re looking for a life-changing and al dente experience for spring, I can’t recommend PSAOP enough. And I promise Struppa isn’t holding a gun to my head making me say this. Arrivederci!
