London

Hi! My name is Maddie Getman and I am a junior at the University of Tennessee studying Marketing and International Business! Currently, I am studying abroad in Rome at John Cabot University. As the semester comes to a close I have been looking back on this experience and doing a lot of reflecting. This semester has truly changed my life. The people I have gotten to meet, the places I have gotten to see, and the experiences that I have been lucky enough to have are truly what has made my study abroad semester the standout of my entire college career. I have fallen in love with every aspect of this experience and would do it over again in a heartbeat just to relive my incredible memories.

Brussels

I have been lucky enough to travel with my family but being alone on the other side of the world was extremely scary for me. I love getting to experience new cultures but I have always had my family as a safety net to fall back on when traveling. Getting to travel solo and create memories for myself, by myself has truly helped me grow as a person. Learning about all of these different cultures and going to places I have never been has been eye opening. Being literally dropped in Italy on day one with literally nothing to go off of could not have been scarier but what I didn’t know at the time was that, that moment was such a defining point in my life. Learning how to adapt on my own across the world was the biggest challenge but I am now reaping the benefits of my adaptability. Had I not put myself out there and made these lifelong friendships my experience would have been very different. The friends I have made here are truly going to be my best friends for life and I cannot imagine not spending a semester with them. I am extremely grateful that I got this incredible opportunity and would recommend this experience to everyone.

Written by: Maddie, Spring 2024 Rome student from University of Tennessee, Knoxville