The Countdown Begins – Rome, Italy Pre-Departure

By:

Nicolette Alexandra Brito-Cruz

Published:

Countries

Demographics

,

Majors

,

Regions

Nicolette Alexandra Brito-Cruz

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Salve! <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Rutgers University at New Brunswick <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2024 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Rome, Italy <i>Program provider:</i> John Cabot University <i>Major/minor:</i> Journalism & Media Studies and Italian Studies / Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies <i>Demographics:</i> Hispanic/Latinx, First-Generation American, First-Generation College Student <i>Future career aspirations:</i> I aspire to be a foreign correspondent. I would like to take it upon myself to be the voice for the voiceless and be the representation for communities that are so often silenced. As a Dominican-American and child of two immigrants, I know what it feels like to have to force one’s way into spaces that do not welcome them. I intend to cover important topics surrounding gender, race, sexuality, and other aspects related to identity. <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1. Finding my voice as a writer is a significant aspect of what I will achieve while abroad. By going through this journey, I truly believe that different identities will emerge and perhaps reshape my current ones as well. 2. Improve my Italian language skills and fully immerse myself in the Italian culture. 3. I also hope to create meaningful and lasting relationships with the individuals I meet, which may later aid me in my career as a foreign correspondent.

Hello everyone! I am Nicolette Alexandra. I’m a third-year student at Rutgers University majoring in Journalism and Media as well as Italian Studies. I will be studying abroad at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy this summer. As a future foreign correspondent, I know it is important to be exposed to different cultures and customs and I believe that being in the eternal city will further prepare me for my future career. While there, I will be taking history classes that not only take students to historical sites and museums but also expose them to the reality of social inequalities that were present back then, and still linger in the Italian society today. Seeing that I hope to write about stories surrounding identity and culture, I know that this will be a big step in the direction of my future and I’m so excited for all the opportunities that John Cabot University will expose me to. I am very thankful for the Fund for Education Abroad, and I cannot wait to use this platform to blog my weekly experiences!