Previous Winners Gallery – Spring 2011

Florence

Photo by: Victoria Greco –  Miami University: Oxford, Ohio Campus

Passion and Simplicity- the two most important things I’ve learned while living in Florence, Italy.

I took this picture one afternoon while walking along the Arno river to meet a friend for gelato. I walked past this man passionately drawing his perspective of Florence. I stopped and took a minute to look at his work, which was so beautiful and yet so simple. I believe this picture captures the essence of Florence perfectly– it’s full of passion, artwork, and simplicity.

Photo by: Hayley Bisceglia-Martin  - University of California at San Diego

The day I went to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa was one of my best days while studying abroad. The weather was perfect, my friends were happy, the tower was even more stunning in person, and we laid out on the grass after taking silly photos with historical monuments and just let the afternoon pass by, and it hit me – I’m in the Piazza dei Miracoli. This is my life. I’m the luckiest person on the planet.

This photo is the last view that I had of Italy, flying out of Pisa Aeroporto on my way home, and everything seemed so small.

Rome

Photo by: Marc Nava – St. Mary’s College of California

This picture is of the crowed gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on May 1, 2011 for the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II. I woke up that morning at 2:30am and began walking from Trastevere to the Vatican at 3am. It took hours to get to the square, but I finally made it and I got to experience a great event with thousands of other pilgrims from all over the world.

Photo by: Harlie Cozad – Gustavus Adolphus College

I love this picture because this element of the city makes Rome unique. This shows how the Tiber river runs right through the heart of Rome. It has both history and a modern appeal to is beauty. It also captures the picturesque ideal of the traditional Italian buildings.  I saw this every time I walked to school and it will always remind me of my study abroad experience in Italy.

Sicily

Photo by: Melissa Pratt – Suffolk University

This photo was taken in the Piazza Duomo on May 8th at the Santa Lucia (the patron saint of Siracusa) festival. The reflection from the tuba portrays part of the Duomo. The Piazza Duomo was a place many of the other students and I spent a lot of time hanging out, eating gelato or enjoying a cappuccino. It was also steps from our school and was also a great place to people watch, or run into people we met on the island. When I think of my time in Ortigia, I always remember the Piazza Duomo and the memorable times I had there.

Photo by: Laruen Schmitt – Carroll University

The soft touch of golden light that is present in this photo will forever remind me of my last night in Ortigia, Sicily. Although I felt a bit teary as my last night in Ortigia before returning to America inevitably progressed into early morning, the night felt like a celebration of my time abroad as well as an end to an amazing experience in Sicily.

I chose to submit a photo of the street I lived on in Ortigia for this photo contest. Among my photos from Sicily as well as other parts of Italy and Europe, this photo especially holds a special place in my heart; I took this photo as I walked toward my apartment for the last time before leaving for the airport. This photo reminds me of the complexity of emotion I felt on my last night in Sicily; I felt heartbroken to leave the place that I grew to love, but at the same time I felt fortunate to spend my last night with a group of dear friends in the town we cherish.

While studying abroad in Sicily, I hoped to feel integrated into Italian culture. Living on this street allowed me to fully experience life in Italy. I didn’t feel like a tourist but a resident of Ortigia.

I saw some amazing places around Italy and Europe while studying abroad in Sicily, but my favorite place was Ortigia and particularly the street that became home.

Milan

Photo by: Emily Horwath – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

While I was abroad I took thousands of pictures but there was two pictures from Florence that really made me just got “wow, I cant believe I am here”. They are two pictures looking out of a window walking to the top of the bell tower looking over all of Florence. It has a very rustic look to it and really reminds me of how beautiful Italy really is and makes me appreciate my time in Italy SO much.

Photo by: Kristen Marzelli – Massachusetts College of Art and Design

This is my favorite significant photo to my time studying abroad because I believe it captures how I felt throughout all my travels. I took this on top of the Arc de Triomphe in March. We had climbed up the Arc to a view of the entire city of Paris. Even though I felt like I was on top of the world and I had an amazing view of all of Paris, it was clear that there was so much more of the world for me to see. I remember from this photo that the world is full of so many different people and places that it is impossible to know everything. All I can do is keep an open mind, keep learning from all of my experiences, and be humbled by this amazing world.

London

Photo by: Melissa Smith – University of Alabama

On January 5, 2011, I landed in London, England for what was described as a three-month studying experience. What they failed to mention was that it would change my life forever. When asked to submit one photograph that best portrays London as well as represents my own personal study abroad experience, I was overwhelmed. There is no single image that summarizes my trip abroad. Nor is there one picture which can fully transmit all of the passionate feelings and happy thoughts that light up inside of me when I think about it. I suppose if I had to use a single word to describe it the best, I would choose “magical.” I understand this may seem ironic considering all of the Harry Potter sight locations in the area (of which I made sure to see); however, that is the only way to describe the amazing things that occurred. I was thrown into a world of chances and opportunities, where neither fear nor regrets existed; we actually coined this description as “fake-life,” because it seemed too good to be true. I was able to explore an unknown world, and I, myself, was changed by the end. When I say that I changed, I simply mean that I grew up. I was able to look inside of myself as a person and to decide what exactly it was that I wanted to do with my life. I was emerged into a unique fashion, culture, and outlook on life. This image is one that I took during a fun and inspiring day with two fellow SAI students. We had taken part in London tea after exploring Spitalfield market and the Waterloo area. I was lying in the middle of a park experimenting with my camera settings. I feel as though this picture portrays iconic images of London, such as the telephone booth and black cab, as well as the new transformations which were occurring within me at the time. The bright red color of the booth popping out of the image resembles the new boldness and eagerness to live which was awakening inside of me. I, myself, was in focus in my own life. I was finally able to find the real “me” and to be completely content with myself. On January 5th, I stepped out of the United States of America for the first time. Three months later, I returned having traveled to fourteen cities in seven different countries. I am finally brave enough to embrace the person I am and to make myself known to the world.