Hi, my name is Ana Rubio, and I studied abroad in two countries in 2025. In January, I went to Firenze (Florence), Italy. Here, I got to live my dream. When I was in high school, I learned about il Duomo, the famous Catholic church painted by Renaissance painter Michelangelo.

When Dr. Pacchioni, the trip advisor, posted the application, I applied that very same week. I learned beautiful concepts such as the art history in Italy, anatomy, the history of the Medici, and book binding. All were beautiful, novel concepts that I experienced.

For example, I got to stand beneath Michelangelo’s regal David!

I climbed two bell towers, including the dome of il Duomo. But, nothing could beat the view on top of the dome.

It was cold, rainy, and windy, but the dreams that came true during this trip were amazing.

In June of 2025, I got to fulfill another dream of studying abroad in Spain and immersing myself in the Spanish language. Both sides of my family speak beautiful Spanish; however, I was raised in a monolingual environment in the English language. I made it my goal during college to learn as much Spanish as I could to be able to communicate with and understand them better. Going to Spain opened a world of new experiences.

I got to bask in the heat and swim in the deep blue seas of Málaga.

I experienced majestic palaces such as El Palacio Real in Madrid.

I got to travel outside of my comfort zone and ride a river cruise in Sevilla.

Spain was unforgettable and truly an experience.

As much as I enjoyed sightseeing and learning about the vibrant cultures of Spain. I loved being able to immerse myself in a culture that is new to me, yet familiar. Speaking spanish everyday was an endeavor and something that pushed me beyond my comfort zone. However, it was crucial to learning, and I feel that I met my goal in communicating with my family better. Similarly, in Italy, I got the opportunity to research and immerse myself in the arts. It was beautiful, and seeing the artistic significance was inspiring to me as an artist.

The housing in both places slightly varied. I was in an apartment in Italy, and I had two lovely host mothers in Spain. In Italy, I cooked for myself and enjoyed a variety of foods outside of the home. In Spain, my host mother cooked breakfast and dinner for me. I got to experience what life would be like if I were to have lived in Spain. In both countries, I made friends with people whom I get to see around campus and connect with on social media. It was a blessing to form lasting friendships and experience a new environment with new people.

Being that, I am the first in my family to travel to Europe, I impacted my family. I took a milestone that filled us with nerves, but expanded our horizons for the better. My little sister, who is starting college next fall, is working towards studying abroad in Asia. I got to see my parents enjoy my development into an adventurous young woman. These trips really did mark the beginning of new dreams that I will try to make come true, as this was my year of dreams!

Ana Rubio, Clarinet Performance and Psychology with Honors minor, Interterm and Summer, Italy and Spain, Chapman University Travel Courses