Hi! My name is Makayla Bangoura, and I am a fourth-year student majoring in International Affairs. One of the amazing things you can do here at the University of Georgia, and as a student in SPIA, is participate in one of our amazing study away programs. However, if you’re like me and were worried to spend an entire semester away from campus, or you’re worried about becoming homesick, then the SPIA a Firenze Florence, Italy Maymester Program might fit your desired needs. I participated in this program in the summer of 2024, and it was the experience of a lifetime. It was the perfect amount of time to experience a new place and take amazing classes.
This program started in Rome, Italy, and for the first week we explored the Roman ruins, toured the Vatican museums, and took a day trip to Pompeii and Naples. We listened to guest lecturers from the Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) and toured the United States Embassy in Rome. We also had the opportunity to do a walking tour with an experienced tour guide and see sites such as the Trevi fountain and have a free day to ourselves to continue to explore the city. We spent the next three weeks in Florence where we took our classes and continued to explore more of Italy. While in Florence, we had the opportunity to tour the Basilica of Santa Croce, and do a walking tour of the city, and take a cooking class on authentic Italian cuisine. This program allowed the students to have a free weekend to explore more of Florence or take trips to other destinations. During this weekend, my friends and I took a day trip to Cinque Terre, Italy and utilized the rest of the free weekend to visit The David at the Academia Gallery of Florence, the Uffizi Gallery, and Boboli Gardens. On the last day of our program, we did a winery tour in Tuscany, Italy and had the opportunity do taste some wine as well as the olive oil that is produced at the winery.
This study away offered four classes, three of which were taught by UGA professors, and the fourth class was taught by a professor in Italy. The classes I took were Religion in International Affairs with Dr. Barber and Women in U.S politics with Dr. Stauffer. I found these classes to be incredibly engaging, and the course load to be light enough to be able to still enjoy our time in Italy. The design of each of my classes allowed for meaningful class discussions to help us to better understand the course material.
I would highly recommend this Study Away program to a SPIA student, because you get to learn so much about Italian history and culture, while growing your knowledge about Political Science and International Affairs. This trip was the experience of a lifetime, and I loved being able to see so many historical sites and museums and meet people in the field and learn about their careers. I am also incredibly grateful for the friendships that were made during this trip, which made my experiences even better. The best aspect of this program was that it was just the right length, so I would not develop any home sickness. If you are interested in this program, the priority deadline is November 1st, 2025, and there are scholarships available through SPIA, the Honors Program, Experiential Learning, and the Office of Global Engagement. Happy Traveling!
