Interdisciplinary Studies Study Abroad: Italy

Throughout my college experience, I have been able to take part in interdisciplinary programs abroad where I have obtained a relevant amount of new knowledge and unique experiences while exposed to new environments and allowing myself to immerse in such atmospheres. My first interdisciplinary endeavor took place in Italy, where I traveled with a diverse group of students from different areas of study. Likewise, I traveled with two professors with unique backgrounds. Professor Oliver for instance conceptualized the current economic crisis in this European country and successfully integrated economic theories as well as anthropological theories in her substantial lectures regarding the European crisis. She covered concepts such as collectivism and individualism and how such social models directly affected the economy in Italy, a predominantly collectivist society. Professor Perez brought with her concepts of chemistry and successfully applied such concepts to art restoration movement at the birthplace of the Renaissance movement, Florence Italy. In this city ,our group was able to grasp form firsthand the imperative impact that art has in the citys economy for most visitor frequent in order to phantom such masterpieces. The art restoration initiative had in its purpose to revitalize many important and emblematic works of art that could potentially increase the amount of tourists visiting the country per year. With the group of professors and students, we were able to access an exclusive tour through an art restoration facility in the center of the city of Florence. This picture displays the group with the director of the restoration program at the restoration facilities behind the Museo Opificio delle Pietre Dure. This facility house the 27 year old restoration project of Artist Lorenzo Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise", a famous set of 500 year old set doors originally made for the Baptistery of Saint Giovanni, a monumental architectural achievement of this important city. These doors have been hidden for decades in this restoration facility undergoing modern restoration techniques. This was truly one of the highlights of our trip for it demonstrated to me the significance given to art in this particular country. Those are not ordinary doors, they were truly masterpieces. Unfortunately I was not allowed to take a picture with the doors but almost all of the humanities textbooks that own contain a picture of them. Through the duration of my visit, I was also able to visit the destroyed city of Pompeii , and important archeological site. In addition, I was able to visit the city of Rome and have a fruitful experience in such an important city for the history of western civilization.

Artifact 1: Group of Interdisciplinary Studies Students at the Restoration Facility in Florence with the restoration director.

Artifact 2: Me at the Archeological Site of Pompeii

Artifact 3: Tour of the Coliseum in Rome