A Final Reflection

They say times flies but boy did time fly these past 4 months. I honestly feel like the end of our time here has crept up on me so quickly. In class when we were assigned to write this blog I had to pull up my calendar to make sure that I wasn’t going crazy because I genuinely did not think we only had one more week of class left. As I start to think back to all the different things I have done and learned this semester, Food Ways and Sense of Place stick out in my mind because I have never had a learning experience quite like these classes in Madison.

Food Ways was different than other learning experiences I have had because I feel like although we only met either once or twice a week, I knew I was constantly learning outside of the classroom because of the environment I was living and immersed in. I know for a fact that I would take our classroom discussions and apply them to my life here in Florence throughout the entire semester. For me, and I think many others, our discussions about “authenticity” definitely have been on my mind throughout my time here. 

I think back to our first assignment for this class. To go to an “authentic Italian” restaurant in the United States before we came here. I remember I went to a restaurant in my hometown that me and my family go to at least once a week to eat. The menu consisted of penne alla vodka and spaghetti and meatballs. At the time, I had no idea that these dishes were not authentically Italian. I think this class has taught me things about authenticity that I will take back to the United States including the importance of knowing where the ingredients your food is made with come from.

The trips that we took during this course also taught me so much about Italy. FICO Eataly World and the trip to Sant’Ambrogio Market were both great learning experiences. If we had not gone to the Sant’Ambrogio Market the first day of class, I defiantly would not have felt comfortable enough to go into the market by myself – which would have been such a shame because of all the fresh, authentic ingredients that the market provided me over this semester. The trio to FICO Eataly was a very long day but I learned a lot about the regionality of Italian food – which is another theme that we explored greatly throughout the semester in Food Ways. I think my favorite part of this trip was either learning about parmigiano reggiano or riding the bikes around FICO with Emily.

The assignment that I appreciate the most was cooking for the class with my roommates. The night that we cooked our tiramisu was a night filled with so many laughs and memories. I cannot be more thankful that I was paired with this group of girls to live with. They have taught me so much about myself while being here and we have all formed friendships that will carry on for a long time ❤

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Another theme that I will carry with me from this class is the food is not just the physical act of eating but it is a way to spend time with people you care about. The long meals we have shared here is something I will take back home with me. I have so many memories from my study abroad experience that revolve around food and Food Ways taught me the importance of mealtime in Italian culture.

Overall, I am so grateful that I was able to take a class like Food Ways while I was studying abroad. It was the perfect blend between learning about the history of Italian cuisine and being able to apply it directly to our everyday lives here in Florence. The study abroad experience has brought me amazing food, amazing friends and amazing moments that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.