Throughout my undergraduate career at the University of Florida, I have chosen to globalize my education.  I have chosen courses geared towards global issues to broaden my understanding of foreign affairs.  I have traveled overseas to study abroad and gain an international perspective outside the classroom.  I have participated in events on and off campus to engage with people focused on international affairs.  All of these choices have culminated in a truly globalized education that has stimulated my individual growth as well as prepared me for my future career.  I hope to attend law school next fall and eventually pursue a career in public service and policy.  I believe that there are numerous domestic issues to face here in the United States, but most have international implications.  Our world is incredibly interconnected; economic, health, environmental, and military policies have ramifications that include other states all around the globe.  In order to face these issues, a globalized understanding is necessary.

 

When I set out to study abroad, I expected a lot of differences in Italy from American life, but I did not expect some similarities I am about to discuss.  Aside from international, my education has had a political and historical focus.  Throughout my political science and history classes, I have always been taught about societal divisions in the United States that incite discrimination and prejudice.  Basic American history features the era encompassing the Civil War and the divide between the North and South of the United States—between abolitionists and slaveholders.  The following century, even through the present-day, featured the divide between white Americans and black Americans through segregation.  The divide is even larger in the global context; my foreign policy coursework has included the concept called the “North-South divide.” This refers to the idea that the countries of the Global North (i.e. the US, Canada, and Europe) are richer and more developed, whereas the countries of the Global South (i.e. Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East) are poorer and less developed.  Of course, there are exceptions to this generalization, but this concept suggests that the North-South divide is a systemic issue of international affairs.  

 

This segues into my unexpected observation of Italian culture and history that I learned while studying abroad.  Italy is not immune to such societal divisions; it features a discord between northern and southern Italians.  The northern regions—such as Veneto, Lombardy, and Piedmont—have been considered more elitist, wealthy, and superior than the southern regions—such as Campania and Sicily.  Throughout its history, Northern Italians have felt superiority over Southern Italians. Color is a factor because Southern Italians, like Sicilians, have more Mediterranean physical traits like darker skin. Sicilians had derogatory nicknames given by northerners and were stereotyped as thieves and mobsters. Southern Italy certainly was less wealthy and developed than the North, mainly because the North had more resources and access to trade due to its proximity to the border.  The North had cities likes Milan, Turin, and Genoa that acted as industrial hubs.  Additionally, immigrants from North Africa and Greece had more access to Southern Italy. My interpretation of intercultural issues certainly expanded as I discovered this similarity in Italy to the United States and the greater global context. 

 

My understanding of Roman and Italian history truly put things in perspective.  I have been to many American cities that have historical significance; I have seen the Statue of Liberty and White House, which originated from the nineteenth century.  I have been to St. Augustine—the oldest city in Florida and the United States—which was founded in the 1500s.  The Pilgrims did not arrive in America until the 1600s.  This brief history lesson illustrates that the United States is an incredibly young country with history only dating back a few centuries. Meanwhile, I walked among temples in Rome dating back to thousands of years ago.  I toured the Colosseum, which was built in the first century, as well as the preserved city of Pompeii, which was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in the first century.  While visiting London, I saw Westminster Abbey, which dates back to the tenth century. The historical sites I saw abroad were nothing compared to those of the United States.  My global awareness shifted.  Through my history and political science classes at UF, I have learned a lot about other countries, but I think those classes were more focused on contemporary history.  Maybe my mind was more American-centric since I have lived and studied here my whole life, but I finally understood when I traveled abroad that the United States is only a modern development.  My classics professor who taught “Daily Life in Ancient Rome” brought up a funny point about historical sites abroad too.  He explained that, in the United States, there will be a plaque denoting when a soldier in the American Revolution shot a musket.  However, there is no plaque at Largo di Torre Argentina in Rome, which was believed to host the square in which Julius Caesar was assassinated. There is no plaque to signify the balcony in Palazzo Venezia, which is where Benito Mussolini would give various speeches to crowds.  There is no plaque to indicate that the sandy area of Circus Maximus was once the home of chariot races watched by over 150,000 spectators.  My professor insinuated that, unless you thoroughly read the history books or had an experienced archeologist such as himself as your tour guide, you could unknowingly walk right past these historical treasures. This point makes me wonder what historical treasures I might walk past each day.

 

Overall, my global awareness and perspective has changed dramatically since traveling abroad, engaging in globally diverse events, and taking international coursework.  My involvement at the University of Florida and in the International Scholars Program has better prepared me for my professional post-graduation life.  I hope to attend law school next fall and eventually work in public service and policy. My foreign policy and comparative politics coursework have been invaluable to my understanding of how interconnected the world is.  International cooperation is the best tool we have to foster healthier relations around the globe.  By understanding the global implications of American policy and experiencing other global perspectives, I will be better prepared to make decisions and formulate policy that is more successful for the greater community.