Roaming Around Rome: Gelato-Inspired Reflections
Why Now?
When UW student Mohamed Mohamed finally seized the chance to study abroad, ringing in his ears were his grandfather’s words translated from Somali: “a man who doesn’t travel is a man who’s blind.” In high school, Mohamed was about to embark on a school trip overseas before unforeseen circumstances kept him from traveling. He always knew he wanted to study abroad, but as a Public Health- Global Health major he never imagined that literature and poetry would bring him to Europe for the first time. This program was perfect because he could be back in time to start his senior year at UW. On the early fall start academic support program, Rome: Imagination, Immigration, and Identity, Mohamed learned about the complexity and plurality of identities in Italy. The title of the program stood out to him, and even though these courses were not specifically a part of his major, they focused on populations and immigration, both fields strongly related to Public Health.
Why Rome?
Mohamed was drawn to Rome for three reasons; as a practicing Muslim, he was intrigued by the Romans “getting a whole chapter in the Quran” and wanted to see what "all the fuss" for the history of this city was about. Mohamed was born in Kenya, but his family is from Somalia. At one point Somalia was colonized by Italy and he grew up feeling the subtle impact of this, like how his aunt’s name is Bella (meaning ‘beautiful’ in Italian). Mohamed knew that many people were emigrating to Europe from Africa, traversing the Mediterranean to build a better life for themselves, and he wanted to familiarize himself with the current conditions in Italy to understand how it serves as a gateway country for immigrants. Being African and a person of color, Mohamed admitted that it was tough to see the situation African immigrants faced after leaving their home countries only to face new struggles upon their arrival in Italy. He coped by meditating and trying to understand that “not everything is going to be perfect in life.”
Mohamed still thinks about what the people moving to Italy endure. Immigrants in Italy suffer a lack of resources and assistance due to the particular economic and political climate in the country, and refugees are often tossed from one difficult situation to another. This observation hit home for Mohamed, and he felt personally affected over relating first-hand to the challenges of being forced to uproot from home in search of opportunity. Mohamed says he was humbled after reflecting on his experiences abroad, and he attests it made him more aware of the opportunity he has been given to study at the UW, which has motivated him to make better use of his education after returning to campus.
Carpaccio, The Pope, And So Much More!
When I asked Mohamed if he ever wanted to go back, without hesitation he told me of course! Besides the delicious gelato and stellar pastries, Mohamed was surprised by his favorite food, which was swordfish carpaccio. He never anticipated enjoying raw fish so much, and like food, Mohamed did not know what to expect when it came to the program’s academics. At the UW Rome center Mohamed and his classmates would discuss readings and films and participate in thought-provoking conversations. They read from texts which honed in on immigration and the perspectives of different cultures within Italy. Outside of the classroom, Mohamed would go on field trips to museums and historic sites and eat together with his professor and classmates, who all studied in different departments at the UW. He even got the chance to visit the Somali embassy and Somali communities around Rome. It was surreal for Mohamed to think about how he was living just 10 minutes from the “Mecca of Catholicism” with the Pope as his neighbor and the Sistine Chapel his backyard.
Every Bit Worth It
The on-the-ground experiences from his time in Italy definitively affected the way Mohamed sees the world, which is why he urges anyone to travel. His best advice is to get out of your comfort zone, even if you fear studying abroad, then create a support system. Mohamed found that network in the connections he made both with the people on the program and the locals. He grew especially close with his roommates, which he referred to as ‘the crew’. One of his favorite stories involved traveling to Pisa one weekend with the crew, and walking around the city thinking it was a ghost town until they climbed to the top of the Leaning Tower to capture an epic panoramic view of the city. It was in this moment that Mohamed knew he’d always remember the adventures he took and the memories he made during study abroad from engaging with the people and places around him.
