New Friends and Unexpected Moments Abroad

Compiled by Madison Schulman

This semester, we’re following five Endicott Gulls on study abroad and internship experiences across the globe. Read the first and second dispatches.

For this third installment, we asked these Gulls about their favorite foods abroad and what their most memorable activities have been so far. We also asked if they’ve had to adjust to any cultural differences and if they’ve traveled to any other countries since we last checked in.

Jackson Burns ’25—Florence, Italy

The foods I love are the porchetta sandwiches, Florentine steaks, and Pino's sandwiches, an amazing panini place. I also love my professor’s pizzeria, which pairs pizza with wines. I have also been enjoying the lampredotto, a native Florence food, which can be found in street carts all around. It is an acquired taste that I have come to enjoy.

Some of the local friends I have made are my professor and the people who work at his pizzeria. I had him for my three-week intensive course, and my roommate and I always stayed after class and talked to him and took note of his advice. He gave us plenty of food, travel, and wine advice. At the gym, I have befriended two twins who own a bar not far from my apartment. They have been running the bar for 10 years and also offer me great advice and stories.

I have traveled to Amsterdam, Budapest, and Iceland, and will have visited Prague when this is published. I’ve had an awesome experience with every one of these countries where I tried local foods and walked through the cities. In Amsterdam, it was the gigantic pancakes; in Budapest the goulash and bone marrow; in Iceland, the sites were much, much better than the food.

Emily Bianco ’25—Turks and Caicos

Knocked conch is one of my favorite foods I have eaten here. Conch is culturally significant to the TCI and is their second largest fishing industry, bringing in lots of revenue. It is sliced, battered, and fried, similar to calamari.

While I haven’t made any local friends, we interact with the community almost every day. This includes outreach activities, playing sports with local kids at the town field, playing volleyball at the center with locals, and taking part in community activities.

The island of South Caicos is very religious and conservative. One thing that was an adjustment is the clothing that the community considers acceptable to wear. For example, shirts must cover our shoulders and midriff when going into the community, especially when going to the schools. Additionally, if we go to the clinic we must wear pants—shorts are not allowed. This is particularly surprising because the majority of the semester was between 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit, and many days felt hotter.

The program I’m in doesn’t allow for much traveling outside of the country, however, we did get a week-long break where I took a trip to Ireland! This program has scheduled activities six days a week, all of which we are required to be at. It is possible to travel to the main island, Providenciales, but most of us are content and find plenty to do on this island.

Cheryl Mei ’25—Perugia, Italy

I’m currently loving the warm chocolate croissants, cappuccinos, so much pasta, and fresh fruit and vegetables from the farmers’ market. I’ve made some local friends from my classes and have overall been socializing in different events and clubs in Perugia. Some of my favorite activities so far are visiting the large markets throughout the city, which sell fresh produce, clothing, antiques, art, shoes, candies, and so much more. I also enjoy exploring the nearby towns and trying all the different restaurants and bars in Perugia with my friends. Some of the cultural differences I’ve had to adjust to are the eating times, sudden weather changes, and no Thanksgiving. Since the last dispatch, I have traveled to Spain, Greece, Egypt, Dubai, Turkey, and Prague!

Kelly O’Donnell ’24—Cork, Ireland

Social Marketing Intern, IGC Global Promotions

Cork City has so many different food options, it is kind of endless. They have pretty much any food you would want: Indian, Italian, Greek, and of course traditional Irish food. As for food in other countries, I went to Cappadocia, Turkey, two weekends ago and the food was probably some of the best food I have ever eaten—the kebabs, baklava, and hummus were amazing. I was also in Madrid and got to try paella for the first time which was so good! I have been able to connect with my co-workers who have been so amazing and welcoming in my transition to Ireland. My office consists of people from all over Europe including Ireland, Poland, and Hungary. It is always good to be able to sit down and have a conversation with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

We have done a lot of really fun activities in the past month. Some include a bowling night with all the students in Ireland, feeding animals in Dingle, driving ATVs in Turkey, sunset horseback riding, going to a Corgi cafe in Barcelona, and some of us are even participating in a 10k race! One of my favorite weekends was probably the Jazz Festival here in Cork. This is a big jazz festival in the city and everybody in the house got together and went out to enjoy a weekend full of good music and food.

Since the last dispatch, I have done quite a lot of traveling. I spent one weekend driving around Ireland and was able to go to the Dingle Peninsula (which is one of the most beautiful places in Ireland in my opinion), and I went to Cappadocia, Turkey, which was very exciting since that has been a dream of mine for a very long time. I have also been to Madrid and Barcelona, which was amazing as well. I was able to go to Casa Batlló in Barcelona and see some of Gaudí’s artwork, which I had been dying to see in person for a long time after learning about it in an art history class.

I have a really exciting trip coming up: I am flying to Austria to meet my brother and spending a whole week exploring the country, so stay tuned for an update!

Grace Wlodarczyk ’25—Florence, Italy

In Italy, I eat pasta and pizza practically every day. The meals are much different than the American meals I have experienced. These meals traditionally begin by opening up with an appetizer, often slices of bread or bruschetta. Next, there is usually a first course, which is usually some sort of pasta. Then, the second course comes around which usually consists of meat or fish. In the next course of the meal, one usually receives a salad or antipasti. Then, people finish off with a dessert like tiramisu. Since being here, I have grown to love tiramisu. My host mother made her homemade tiramisu and the flavors blended so perfectly.

Currently, I do not have many local friends besides my Italian host family. They are very sweet and have helped me navigate and enjoy my time in Italy. Additionally, I have befriended a few of the local artisans from the area. I love to support small local artisans because I enjoy creating art myself. Two artisans that I have visited and become close to are gold and silversmith and jeweler Giuliano Ricchi and painter Maximilian Ciccone. Mr. Ricchi personally greeted and brought us into his workshop, created handmade jewelry for my family and me, and told us all about his 45 years of experience working as a jeweler in Florence. Similarly, I have visited Mr. Ciccone’s gallery and studio many times. As an aspiring artist, Mr. Ciccone told me about his dream of painting when growing up. In my most recent visit, Mr. Ciccone was working on two commissioned Mona Lisa recreations for “one of the most famous celebrities in the world.”

Since the last dispatch, I have not traveled to any more countries but I have hosted many people in Florence. This has been just as exciting because I have been able to share my knowledge and love for Florence with the ones I love. One of my closest friends, Eve Young ’25, came over from Cork, Ireland, to spend a few days with me. It was so much fun to catch up and hear about her time abroad too. I brought her to some of my favorite places around Florence and introduced her to my new friends. We even played trivia at a local karaoke bar and I won a free paragliding trip in Interlaken, Switzerland, through a company called Bus2Alps. I headed off to Interlaken and am so excited to explore and take in my final few weeks here.