In the spring 2017, ACCENT teamed up with Santa Barbara City College for a multi-city Film Studies program in Rome and Paris. SBCC student Jeffrey Leaf has been selected as the program’s Official Student Blogger, and we are very pleased to publish his reflections as he and his classmates explore the wonders and challenges of the study abroad experience.
This week, we check in with Jeffrey as he reflects on his experience studying abroad in Rome, and his feelings as he and his classmates move on to their time in Paris.
(Original post from March 31, 2017)
As the Rome leg of our study abroad program comes to an end, it feels necessary to take this time to reflect on how amazing the past six weeks have been. Right from the start, the trip has been a whirlwind of excitement, culture, education, and fun. Most of us cannot think of a time in recent memory when we have had this much enjoyment and stimulation in so short a period. Consequently, a bizarre feeling and sense of time has emerged from all that activity; we feel as if we have been in Rome for months, while also sensing that our program has also been flying by.
With the arrival of Spring break and our imminent departure from the Eternal City, the general feeling among my peers is one of both nostalgia and excitement. While many of us are truly sad to leave Rome, there is also a group-wide eagerness to get to Paris, which makes it feel a little easier to leave this beautiful city behind. Still, no new city can replace or replicate the six weeks of memories that we have formed here in the heart of Italy. As one often does during times like these, the reminiscences that we have shared about our time in Rome have been truly enjoyable; there are so many good memories and funny memories and heartwarming memories to look back upon. Rome has truly blessed us with a wealth of experiences.
There has been no better way to study both Italian language and Italian cinema than by living in the center of both fields. The sheer depth to be found in this city has forced us all to become deeply immersed in its many facets of its culture, from the amazing locales around town to the inviting and charming people within. We have made it a point as a group to visit the various locations used in the Italian films shown in class, from the “Martini” sign used in “La Grande Bellezza” to the town of Cefalù in “Cinema Paradiso.”
It is because of these life changing experiences that we will all be forever grateful to Rome, who welcomed us with open arms and provided us with the chance to not only become more accomplished in our various fields of study, but to grow and become more interesting
~Jeffrey Leaf, Santa Barbara City College
The group continued their adventures, exploring Paris and taking in the unique experiences the City of Lights has to offer! Check back with us soon — we’ll be rejoining Jeffrey and his classmates as they continue their Study Abroad experience!