Kathleen O'Mary
Kathleen O'Mary
Lake Forest College
Participant in the 2010 ACM Student Symposium on Off-Campus Study
Cliché but True: How Italy Changed My Life
I never thought I would study abroad. I was too comfortable being in Chicago and going to school close to home. The thought of being in a foreign country for an extended period of time and not being able to easily communicate with my family made me nervous and scared.
For some reason I decided to go to Italy. I applied, I accepted, I packed, I got on a plane, and all of a sudden I was in Florence. Almost immediately I was a changed person. I loved every second of my time in Italy and I used every day to explore and try new things.
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At left: Video of Kathleen O'Mary's presentation at the Symposium.
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Everyone who studies abroad says that it changed his or her lives. Even though it sounds cliché, it is true. In my case, studying abroad changed me for the better and helped me become the person I am today. Without Italy, I would still be a scared freshman in college. Today I am a strong woman, on the verge of graduating from college, and instead of being afraid of the future, I am excited about the future, and I know I will go back to Italy soon.
My presentation concerns the personal growth I experienced in relation to my semester abroad. If I could do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat.
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