Half a world away

HALF AWORLD AWAY

Two of The Burr’s staffers share how study abroad programs through Kent State have helped shape their worldviews.

WORDS & PHOTOS BY Sophia Adornetto & Sarah Riedlinger

Head 4,456 miles east of Kent and you’ll find Florence, Italy – or Firenze, as the Florentines call it. It is a city bursting with hundreds of years of history, from the bottom of the cobblestone streets all the way up to the Piazzale Michelangelo. It is a city where the Italian language was created, the Renaissance was formed, and, of course, the home of Gucci.

Meander another 4,919 miles further east and you will be greeted by the friendly city of Chengdu, China – home of the world’s largest giant panda reserve, and the capital of the Sichuan province that inspires so many of the American Szechuan dishes that are abundant back in Kent, Ohio. As the third largest city in China, it has a rich history dating back to 311 BC and a strange obsession with Peppa Pig.

Florence, Italy

Chengdu, China

Though these two regions are wildly different and frustratingly far from the Northeast Ohio city most of us have grown to love, they both have been providing Kent State students with the opportunity to visit and study in their home countries. Kent State students have traveled abroad in Florence, Italy for more than 40 years, and the Sichuan, China program has been offered through the College of Communication & Information for the past three. As most alumni from their programs will tell you, these two cities – though half a world away – offer a way for us to become better humans.

FLORENCE ITALY

1

2

3

4

PHOTOS BY Sophia Adornetto

Walking down the cobblestone streets in Florence transports you back to the days of the Renaissance. Located in the heart of Florence, the Duomo 1 is one of the biggest tourist attractions due to its ornate architecture and the numerous cafes surrounding the cathedral. You can grab a hot cappuccino and flaky pastry in the radiating sun while admiring the incredibly beautiful structure in front of you. If you walk down Via dei Calzaiuoli, you’ll come across Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi art museum. You will also see street artists 2 displaying unique works while demonstrating their creativity to onlookers. On the next street over, Via Calimala, you will see many stores, cafes and more street artists who use the ground as their canvas. 3 This street artist is using chalk to recreate a biblical painting. After you are done looking at the gorgeous street art, keep walking down Via Calimala and you will find yourself on the Ponte Vecchio, 4 translated to “the Old Bridge.” The bridge hosts many jewelry stores if you want to buy something for yourself or just window shop. You can also view the Arno River on both sides of the bridge. I definitely recommend going at sunset – you won’t regret it.

CHENGDU, CHINA

1

1

2

3

4

5

PHOTOS BY Sarah Riedlinger

If you don’t speak Mandarin, visiting the city of Chengdu, China might seem like a stressful trip – but the friendly locals of Jinli Street, 1 one of China’s biggest tourist shopping streets, will help translate for you, especially when they want you to buy their handcrafted teas. Finding a large plate of steaming dumplings and mouth-numbing spicy noodles 2 is never a challenge in the Sichuan province. Despite all the heat your mouth may feel from the famous Sichuan peppercorn, you’ll want to continue braving the heat to see the juxtaposition of modern and traditional Chinese architecture along the Jin River. 3 After spending some time perusing among the Chengdu locals, you can learn about the many deities 4 of China’s largest religion, Buddhism, within the spiritual halls of religious monasteries. On the walk back from your day in the city, you will pass a garden pavilion surrounded by a pond full of lotus leaves, and surely all will feel right and tranquil in the world.