L'articolo è scritto dalla Dott.ssa Paola Basile del Lake Erie College. Descrive i viaggi in Italia che ha organizzato per i suoi studenti (14 in totale). Basile racconta la storia di uno studente che ha baciato la terra italiana quando è arrivato il primo giorno. Lo studente ha detto che ha sentito il legame con i suoi nonni, un legame con le sue radici originali e la sua identità italiana. Basile insegna corsi di italiano e organizza per gli studenti viaggi in Italia. Hai incluso in questo articolo anche le varie sensazioni che gli studenti hanno descritto dopo i viaggi e come l'Italia ha cambiato la vita di tanti studenti in modo positivo.

In 2005, I moved to the U.S. to join Lake Erie College as a full-time professor leading the Italian Studies program. At that time, I learned that “in 1953 Lake Erie College became the first one in the United States to institute a mandatory full term of courses to be taken abroad as a requirement for graduation”. When I joined LEC, the college did not offer mandatory study trips abroad for students anymore, however they had a wonderful study abroad program. I profoundly believe that traveling and exploring different countries with an open mind and an open heart is one of the richest learning experiences that humanity has to offer. Traveling helps develop highly valued skills such as intercultural communication, adaptability, and problem solving. I therefore enthusiastically joined Lake Erie College. 

Over time, the funds for studying abroad unfortunately decreased. I consequently decided to offer Italian Studies courses with a short trip abroad (to Italy), at a very low cost, that would provide the students with a solid academic foundation thus enabling them to benefit from the experience abroad more thoroughly, appreciate the foreign culture while rediscovering their own, widen their intellectual horizons, and gain a global perspective beyond prejudices and stereotypes. 

The students reacted very positively. 

- "A life changing experience we will never forget. - My experience in Italia was phenomenal. - The experience I had in Italy, on our study trip, was truly inspiring and educational. - The knowledge I gained is colossal. - There was more than just knowledge gained that bettered my life immensely. - I felt very blessed to have had the opportunity to go to Italy and do all the amazing things that I got to do. I felt that I was living out a lifelong dream and also the start of my legacy. - The one thing I loved about this trip was that we were able to immerse ourselves into the country and truly experience almost everything we wanted to see. Instead of being a tourist, we received a truer look at what Italy holds. And while we still only had a taste, it was that taste that will have me wanting to go back again and again…. Not only did we learn a lot about the country and culture, but we took away lessons that will stay with us. Memories were made that will cause a smile even on the darkest of days.”

I have organized a total of 14 trips abroad for students (alumni and members of the community occasionally also joined these courses with a trip abroad). In the past nine years, I have been the only faculty member at LEC to organize and lead these study trips abroad, most probably because they involve an incredible amount of work, time, energy, and responsibility beyond our full-time job. However, they can also be very rewarding. While leading one of these trips to Rome in 2009 with a total of 22 students, I came to realize that there was something more important than all the well-known benefits to studying abroad. 

As soon as we landed in Rome in May 2009, I saw one student in tears, bent down, touching the ground. I asked if he was feeling ok, if he was sick because of the long flight. He replied that he was fine. At the end of the trip, he told me that he became very emotional when he landed in Italy and touched the land of his grandparents, he felt the connection with them, with his roots, with his identity. He then thanked me immensely for this opportunity, it was like a dream come true. 

At that time, I realized that these Italian Studies courses followed by a trip abroad with the professor are an important bridge for my Italian American students, allowing them to connect with their heritage, their family, with their self. This is one of the main reasons why I keep organizing cultural trips to Italy, no matter the work or time involved. The excitement and happiness of these young students, that I see on their faces daily while traveling abroad with them, is more than rewarding, and it is even contagious! Through their eyes, I am rediscovering my own country and culture.

In May 2023, I took my students to the northern part of Italy. We traveled first to Tivoli to see Villa d’Este, then to Tuscany where we stopped for two nights, and up north in the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige regions, for a total of eight days. Below are a few comments by the students and our pictures of the 2023 trip. I am now working on organizing future trips, on different destinations in Italy, some off the beaten path, to give a better taste of the Italian culture and an educational transformational experience.

- “It saddens me to call our trip a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience because it was so incredible…I will be answering questions and telling stories from this trip for the rest of my life. I want to say ‘Grazie mille’ for planning such an unbelievable adventure for us.”

- “Our trip was so magical in so many ways. It truly felt like a movie…This has been an incredible experience and opportunity that I will forever cherish. It has given me and shaped my background into having a better awareness of other cultures and identities. Thank you again Professor Basile!”

- “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to travel to Italy with my Lake Erie College classmates on the cultural school trip. Each day provided an abundance of cultural discoveries, culinary delights, and new friendships, from the exciting moments at the airport in Rome to the breathtaking landscapes of Lago di Braies. This trip gave me a better understanding…It surpassed my expectations, and I cannot wait to go back! The memories in Italy will always hold a special place in my heart.”

- “The Enriching Journey through Italy: Exploring Culture, Cuisine, and Nature was a transformative adventure that broadened my horizons, deepened my understanding of different cultures, and left an indelible mark on my heart.”

- “My trip to Italy was an amazing experience! I learned and saw so much in just one week, and I already want to return as soon as possible. I enjoyed experiencing so many wonderful places and entering historical and famous places. I will always remember what an amazing experience I had during my first time out of the country. Thank you so much Dr. Basile for organizing this trip, and for encouraging me to continue my Italian studies! This was an unforgettable opportunity that brought new memories and friends that I will cherish forever.”