Study Abroad Alumni Spotlight: Adam Ukman, Spring 2004

February 17, 2021

My semester abroad at John Cabot University was without a doubt one of the most formative experiences of my life. As a member of Emory University's class of 2005, I spent my Spring 2004 semester in Rome, studying abroad at JCU and exploring the beauty, history, flavors, and sites of Italy. I'm 37 now, and I still look back fondly on my time there, recounting the memories and experiences I was so very fortunate to have.

Honestly, it's hard to know where to start, but there were three big aspects that made the experience so incredible.

First, I was part of a cohort of other students from Emory, and being able to experience my time in Italy with that group enriched the entire semester because it helped strengthen our connection to each other and the entire community. Our group meals in restaurants across Rome over some of the best food and wine I've ever had helped deepen our relationships. Our classes at JCU and our ability to interact with other students from across the world expanded our viewpoints and opened our eyes outside of our own experiences. Our group excursions to places like Sorrento and Naples and Pompeii enabled us to really connect with the wide-ranging beauty of Italy. Being able to share an apartment in the heart of Trastevere with two of my classmates helped us feel like a part of the community, saying hello to the restaurant owner across the street each evening, or shopping at the market in Campo de' Fiori on weekday mornings. When I headed off for a big test one morning and my neighbor shouted "In bocca al lupo!" the few minutes I spent chatting with him to understand the expression was just one instance of many that tied me and my classmates even closer to Rome's people and culture. (He was wishing me good luck!)

Second, the classes I took at JCU were memorable and left an imprint on me. They were challenging, yes, but more than that, they were incredibly interesting! There was my Italian language class, of course, which catapulted by Italian skills from the early foundation I had brought with me. But there was also the Jacobean and Elizabethan drama course that went deep beyond the standard Shakespearean plays I knew; there was the American Gothic Literature course taught by a professor with the thickest Scottish accent I'd ever heard; there was my sociology class where I was able to join a group from Connecticut College to dig into social dynamics in a rapidly changing society. While it would have been easy to have my focus in Italy be on more non-academic activities, these classes really drew me in.

And lastly, of course, there was the country itself. The culture, the people, the food, the language. I fondly remember walking up to St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to sit, watch, listen, and study. There was a quiet about it - a peaceful solace - when the square wasn't filled with weekend tourists, and in those moments, I felt a deep appreciation for where I was and how fortunate I was to be there. The weekend trips I took to Venice and Florence, and the 12 days I spent in Sicily stand out as amazing experiences that were more than just getaways; they were connections to the rich history - and vibrant present - of Italy, and I embraced those opportunities as true gifts. I could talk at length about the loving and generous family we stayed with in Sciacca just as memorably as I could rave about the succo di arancia rossa I would often drink at the cafe across from JCU, or any of the other little details from my experience that fill out the picture of some of the best few months of my life. But then this reflection would never end. I could go on and on, but I won't.

In 2018, I made it back to Italy for the first time since 2004, this time with my wife who had never been. I loved walking with her around Rome, showing her where I lived, the places I used to go, and the JCU campus. And of course, we found new experiences as well, because there's no end to what Rome has to offer. We sat at the cafe across from JCU and we both ordered the blood orange juice I had told her about so many times. It was just as good as I remembered.

Adam Ukman

Semester: Spring 2004
Home University: Emory University
Major: English
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland

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