EDUCATION ABROAD: PANDEMIC STORIES
A JOURNEY ABROAD CUT SHORT BY MADELINE ALLEN COVID-19 has changed many aspects of college
After returning to Oklahoma, I had to self-
life for everyone, but a group that was especially
quarantine for two weeks, and during that time I
affected by the pandemic were students studying
was able to reflect on the two months I spent in
abroad. In the spring of 2020, I was studying
Arezzo. I thought of my amazing new friends,
abroad in Arezzo, Italy. With the rise of COVID-19,
funny traveling stories, and all the gelato I was
me and the 30 other people in my program at the
able to eat. While I was still sad my time in Italy
University of Oklahoma in Arezzo were sent home
was cut short, I am immensely grateful I went
in early March, two months before our originally
abroad when I did. If I had not gone in the spring
scheduled return date. It was a very emotional
of 2020, I never would have been able to go. The
few weeks when the decision was made to send us
two months I was able to live and travel in Italy
back. However, all of the emotions that ran
helped me to grow as a person, while also giving
through me told me just how great the time I had
me amazing friends and experiences for which I
in Italy had been. I would not have been
will always be immensely thankful.
heartbroken if I had not loved every minute of my study abroad experience.
Madeline Allen is a junior at OU. She began her spring 2020 semester studying abroad at OU's Study Center in Arezzo, Italy,
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