Reggio di Calabria: Your Unlikely Golden Ticket

By George Vergara

For many students, their study abroad experience is their first adventure outside the nest of the United States. What better place to go than Italy? The mythical land that gifted us plebeian Americans with the culinary treasures of pizza, pasta, and fine wines is a foodie’s paradise. The breathtaking sceneries and landmarks captivate students’ wildest dreams, as they continue their quest for the perfect Instagram. For JMU students studying Italian in Harrisonburg and abroad in a place like Reggio di Calabria, they may wish to continue living their Italian dream and enroll in JMU’s European Union Policy Studies (EUPS) graduate program in Florence. However, they wouldn’t just be returning to their ‘happy place’. They’d also be setting themselves up for prime academic and professional success.

In the Summer of 2017, I traveled to Reggio di Calabria to complete a month-long, undergraduate study abroad program led by JMU Modern Foreign Languages department head, Dr. Giuliana Fazzion. While the program is focused primarily on Italian language, Dr. Fazzion offers courses on the history and culture of Southern Italy, business and society in Italy, and Italian literature courses. Although the program is only a month long, it’s highly intensive and gives students a deep, first-hand immersion into Southern Italian history and culture. For students considering the EUPS program, I highly recommend that they enroll in the business and society course because there is a whole lecture dedicated to the structure and nature of the European Union.

Reggio and any of its sister cities in Southern Italy are hidden gems that many consider to be the ‘road less traveled’ by students. Many towns in Southern Italy usually are either cliff hanging and overlooking the sea, or located on the side of a mountain. There are plenty of landmarks to see in the region as well. Ancient Greek statues and temples, baroque cathedrals, and even Spanish castles are around every corner. The people are friendly too! Southern Italians are some of the most genuine people you’ll ever meet and they probably embody the notion of ‘Southern Hospitality’ better than we do in the United States. Even if your Italian skills are nonexistent, they aren’t going to simply brush you off as a tourist. However, this language barrier can provide a challenge for some folks. Southern Italy isn’t for the faint of heart because unlike in Florence, where English is spoken everywhere, you’re lucky if you find someone that can understand a single word of it. You have to speak either Italian or attempt to use hand motions (which is basically also Italian) to get your point across. Annabelle Giaccone (EUPS ’19) also spent the Summer of 2017 in Reggio and commented, “No one speaks English. It forces you out of your comfort zone as an American, but that’s what makes the authenticity of Reggio and its people so distinct from a place like Florence”.

If you hop on a flight from Reggio and make a quick connection in Rome, you can make it to Florence in about three hours. With trademarks like Michelangelo’s David, the Uffizi, and the iconic Duomo, Florence is one of Europe’s crown jewels. It somehow manages to juggle the sentiment of a modern, bustling city, while simultaneously encompassing a much slower and calmer way of life. If you really get creative, sometimes it even gives the notion that you stepped in a time machine and got spit out in 1349, but without the plague! Given its rich political, architectural, literary, and artistic history, it’s no surprise that Florence is one of the top study abroad destinations in the world. Each year, students from across the globe, including those from JMU, descend upon the city for what will likely become one of the most memorable chapters of their lives.

In Florence, JMU offers undergraduate study abroad programs in the fall, spring, and summer terms. On the graduate level, the EUPS program is a tenth month long, highly intensive political science program. While it’s strongly encouraged that students learn Italian while they’re in Florence for their stay, it isn’t a matter of life or death if their skills are minimal. However, JMU requires all students in Florence to take an Italian class in both fall and spring semesters. For graduate students who have already completed a program like Reggio, adjusting to life in Florence would be second nature. Classes are also quite intensive like those in Reggio. From a professional standpoint, there’s a much greater possibility that they’ll be selected for one of the program’s prestigious internships during the summer term. Locations such as the American Consulate or various international law firms often require interns to have proficient Italian skills. Nick D’Ambra (EUPS ’18) just started his first year of law school at William & Mary and traveled to Reggio in the Summer of 2016. He interned at an international law firm during the EUPS summer term. When asked how Reggio contributed to his successes in Florence, he said, “It just makes you more comfortable in Italy overall. You’re able to understand Italian politics better since you’ve actually experienced life in both Northern and Southern Italy, and that can be extremely useful in class. It also helps especially for the internship- it gives you something else to talk about and they know you actually enjoy the country rather than you’re just there for a masters program”.

If staying and working in Italy is your goal, studying in a place like Reggio is a great start. Enrolling in the EUPS program is where you can truly follow through on that dream. Your Italian skills will develop and you’ll be an attractive candidate for a stellar internship. The connections you make in Florence, whether through your internship or on your own, will always provide you the possibility to open doors to new places and career opportunities. As the time approaches again for students to decide which city they will call home for their time abroad, I encourage them to be adventurous and consider their options seriously. No matter where their travels may lead them, I hope that they always keep an open mind and an open heart. From the treasures of Florence, to the Mediterranean sunsets of the South, Italy will always await those who seek to learn its ways with open arms.

George Vergara is a member of the EUPS class of 2019. He studied abroad in Florence with JMU’s SIF program in the Fall of 2016 and then with JMU’s Summer in Reggio Calabria program in the Summer of 2017. He graduated from JMU in May of 2018 with a B.A. in Political Science & Italian and a double minor in Modern European Studies & Italian Business.