Leyla Glover | Spring 2024
“Global Engagement is important because it opens you up to the rest of the world and introduces you to people, places, and things that you would have never known before. You can do as much research as possible into any city or country of your interest, but you cannot truly know it without experiencing it. After living in Florence for 4 months, I feel deeply connected to the city and Italian culture in general. I know I am forever changed because I opened myself up to an entirely new life and learned so much about myself, as well as Italy and all of its characteristics. I only wish it were longer.“ -Leyla Glover
I was lucky enough to study in Florence, Italy, for the spring semester of 2025. I had the most amazing, life-changing experience of my life! As this is a direct study abroad program, I attended classes administered by the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute. I was able to save my elective courses for my study abroad experience, so I took classes that I thought would be fun and helpful, living in Italy. These consisted of: Florence Bites (food history), Elementary Italian language, Wines of Italy (wine tasting), and Ancient Roots of Florence (history). All of my professors were amazing, and all of the courses I took were extremely helpful and enlightening while being in Florence. I went on countless walks around the city, trying to immerse myself as much as possible into the culture. I spent 7 weekends in Florence and the other 7 weekends traveling! I got to visit Milan, Venice, London, Rome, Munich, Corfu, Athens, Santorini, Dublin, Positano, Capri, Pompeii, Bologna, and Siena! Having the opportunity to travel around Europe and experience so many different cities and cultures was truly priceless. Learning more about all of these places and the people that live in them opened me up to the world and showed me so many different perspectives and ways of life that I would have never known before.
What does the Volunteer Experience mean to you and how has your experience abroad contributed to it?
To me, the Volunteer experience means taking risks and having courage when it is hard to. Going abroad in itself was a risk that I took, and I will forever be grateful that I did. The idea of leaving home and living in a foreign country for 4 months was so exciting, but also terrifying and anxiety-inducing. The first week or two in Florence was overwhelming, and I’ll be honest, I was a little scared I had made the wrong decision. However, after getting out and exploring the city more and becoming more comfortable in my new home, I quickly realized it was the greatest decision I have ever made. I met some of the coolest people and got to create relationships with individuals that would never have been possible before. I got to tell people about UT and where I was from and how that connects to who I am. I am so glad so many people at UT talk about study abroad and encourage it so much because I know I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if I did not take this opportunity!
What skills or experiences have you had in your time abroad to prepare you for life beyond UT?
Traveling abroad and navigating numerous different public transportation systems with differing language barriers was hard and intimidating at first, but it showed me how I can really do anything I put my mind to. For example, I went to Germany with my friend Sam and neither of us knows a lick of German. After being on a bus for 9 hours, we arrived in Munich and were immediately thrown into the thick of public transportation. With the help of Google Maps, Google Translate, and our combined brains, we were able to figure out the best modes of transportation to get to our destinations. Any street name or word in German sounded like gibberish to us, so it was definitely confusing but also so much fun. I know that my experiences like these will help me in any future situation where I feel out of my element or just completely lost. My tips for anyone navigating European public transportation systems: get there early, be patient, and leave room for mistakes!