Previous Winners Gallery – Fall 2011

You Gotta See This

Joseph Miller –  Seattle Pacific University

This photo is of the Garibaldi Statue in Rome. The statue looks over the entire city and is a prime spot to relax over conversation with friends. I went up there many times during the semester.

Victoria Seligman – Wilbraham and Monson Academy

This temple was constructed around 430 BC on one of the most amazing locations I’ve visited in Italy. After studying so much history it’s a wonderful thing to visit an ancient site and see a magnificent building such as this one still standing after almost 3,000 years.

When in Rome

Sonya Lei – Parsons The New School for Design

London is a place where art can be found at every step of your journey.  Street art in London is not just creative, but works by famous gorilla artists engage spectators to think critically of what they see in reality.  When I first came across this ‘No Entry’ sign, I had to stop and stare for a moment.  I think this type of street art is iconic of London.

Carey Wong – University of California San Diego

This image is of three children swimming on the shore of Vernazza in Le Cinque Terre, where two of my roommates and I visited on an excursion. I love this picture because it captures such a perfect moment of childhood innocence and playfulness, seeing the one boy pointing at the girl who is swimming away. This image also captures a certain intangible quality of Italian culture and everyday life in Italy. Living in Italy can sometimes be uncomfortable and challenging because of the language and culture difference. However, seeing Italian children playing in the water is a reminder that humans share similarities all over the world, which brings more comfort and joy to our new experiences. When I first moved to Italy, it was definitely hard to get used to the changes in my life. But being able to sit down in Cinque Terre, relaxing on the shore, watching the people interacting around us, and ordering a soda in Italian was one of the most satisfying moments during my stay in Italy.

Wonders of Nature

Courtney Bosquez –  Trinity University

This photo was taken at Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence at sunset in October.

Everyone should make it a point to visit Piazzale Michelangelo at least twice during their time abroad; once during the day to witness the city at its finest and once during twilight to experience the brilliant colors sweeping the sky. This photo is untouched, unedited and very accurately paints one of the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen in my life. It becomes very easy to get caught up in the “doing” and “going” while abroad, but taking a moment to reflect and bask in the true beauty the city exemplifies, the authenticity, will never disappoint.

Robin Kopec – Carroll University

View from the hilltop in Telemone looking over the sea at sunset. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen, the kind you only see on the Tuscan coast.

SAI All the Way

Adrian Garza – Baylor University

This picture is also a landscape I captured while I was arriving at the Island of Giglio on a school sponsored trip. This is the first picture I snapped when getting of the boat. The island was beautiful, and all around, as far as the eye could see beauty was everywhere. The shimmering water, lively houses, and majestic hills really usher a sense of sublime in one. Being able to study in Italy and visit such beautiful places is a wonderful opportunity that is once in a lifetime.

Jasmine Harris – The College of William and Mary

This photo was taken at Borgo di Tragliata, the farm and villa where SAI treated us to lunch after our first excursion of the semester. After a long day in the sun at Ostia Antica, the beautiful farm and shaded outdoor seating seemed heaven sent. This photo incorporates the many aspects of Italy that I fell in love with during my semester abroad; the beauty of the landscape, the reverence of antiquity, and most importantly, the love of food! The meal my peers and I shared around that table was one I will never forget, and I think this photo captures the warmth and tranquility that we felt.

More is Always Better

Christy Leung – University of California, San Diego

This picture was taken at the Amalfi Coast in Positano. Out of the 9 trips I took throughout my experience abroad, this trip definitely topped them all. My group of 15 friends and I ordered a private boat, where the driver gave us a scenic, breathtaking boat tour of the surrounding beaches and islands. We collectively felt a moment of ecstasy – here we were, in one of the most beautiful wonders of the world, moments away from jumping off cliffs into the clearest, most sparkling blue ocean any of us had ever seen. Life was truly amazing at this moment in time.

Megan Ellison – Western Washington University

This trip was a side trip with other SAI students we planned on our own. It was amazing to meet people from different parts of the country and come together to see the amazingly beautiful sites of Italy.