Ciao, from my home in America!
It is very nice to be home with family and friends; however, I have found myself missing my life in Italy more than ever. I miss the friends I made throughout the semester, the feeling of being abroad and traveling on the weekends, and all the different cultures I was able to experience. Adjusting back to reality in America can be a challenge, which is why I recommend staying in touch with the friends you made abroad, because they are most likely experiencing the same feelings and transitions.
Lately, I have been reflecting on my experience at CIMBA and all the moments that made my time abroad so meaningful. One of the experiences that added to my semester was being a Campus Assistant for the Fall cohort. This is a role that you can apply for on the CIMBA website, and I see it as similar to the RA role at your home university.
As a Campus Assistant, the other assistant, Allie, and I had to be in Paderno a few days before the rest of the cohort made it to Italy. Being on campus early gave us time to acclimate and prepare for everyone’s arrival. During those days, we got to know the CIMBA staff while helping prepare classrooms, textbooks, and other resources to make sure everything was ready for the semester. Being one of the first students there allowed me to get fully unpacked, settled on campus, and the opportunity to get to know the staff from the beginning.
Throughout the semester, the Campus Assistant role serves several important purposes, with the main one being communication between students and the CIMBA staff. Allie and I helped keep communication by sharing students’ questions and concerns with the staff while relaying the information back to students. This helped create a more connected and supportive campus experience for everyone involved.
One of my favorite parts of being a Campus Assistant was holding weekly office hours. During this time, I was able to get to know the CIMBA staff better while helping in the office with different tasks. Between working on the yearbook and sharing laughs, these hours became a highlight of my week. I was so happy to have the opportunity to put together a yearbook of all our memories as a cohort. I am very nostalgic, so getting to create something for every student to take home with a bunch of pictures and moments from CIMBA was so fulfilling for me in this role.
After classes on the weekdays, Allie and I also made sure the classrooms were ready for the next day with all the proper materials available for professors. This also allowed for many conversations with professors, some that I had and some that I did not have for the semester, which was nice to get to know them outside of the classroom. In the evenings, Allie and I took turns completing nightly rounds and simply walking around the halls and outside to the sports café to make sure everyone was safe and doing well. The rounds served more for observations around campus to reassure the staff that the students were doing okay, not as a discipline role.
Being a Campus Assistant taught me a lot about accountability and leadership. I have never been an RA before at my home university, so I was nervous about how it would look abroad, but even when it was challenging at times, trying to manage my role, school, and building friendships, I am very happy I did it. I got to be a source for students and become a helpful friend from the beginning, while also getting to become friends with the staff and professors, which all made my semester more meaningful. As I reflect on this role from home in America, I am very grateful I got the opportunity to be a Campus Assistant and would recommend this role to anyone wanting to be more involved behind the scenes and who likes to be in a leadership role to bring everyone together.
This is my final CIMBA blog. Thank you for following along with my blogs and my experiences abroad. Studying abroad was easily a huge highlight in my life and my college experience, and I recommend it to everyone. I have grown so much and seen so much of the world, with a lot more to see, and I encourage everyone to sign up, look for scholarships, and go abroad; it is life changing!
Arrivederci Italia!