?All I need is an audience, I?m an exhibitionist.? -Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye (1955)
Though I write this memoir with lamentation that my time in Milan is coming to an end, I look forward to sharing tales of my adventures across the European continent with my peers back in Texas. Last I wrote, I spoke of the great wonder and awe which I was imbued with upon arrival. Since then, my time on exchange has taken me a great many places: from the briny foams of Venice, to the whisping winds of the Dutch coasts. Though I have seen much that this European union of nations has to offer, I must that my greatest developments have been those in my home base of Milan.
For you see, in the last few months, I enveloped myself in studies of fashion, the contemporary arts, and even some philosophy. I have experienced the works of some of my greatest inspirations firsthand. An example of this can be noted when I visited the Fondazione Prada: Milan?s premiere modern art gallery space, owned and operated by the fashion & luxury conglomerate of the same name. In this space, I gazed upon the work of the great filmmaker and fellow Texan, Wes Anderson. In his exhibition, I found myself deeply at home, being instilled with a newfound sense of creativity and passion for original work. Throughout this education in the arts, I felt a true sense of learning, not just from appreciation of the arts, but a deep, thorough discussion with my fellow classmates and peers.
Through deep conversations on art, politics, culture, and fashion, I became aware of my reality an American, and how that reality differed from my predominantly European companions. I have always taken pride in my abilities as a storyteller, but always longed for a more diverse audience of opinions and worldviews. This exchange gave me just that. My colleagues and I engaged in intellectual conversations: each presenting widely differing stances on themes ranging from arts and literature, to agriculture and sustainability. Time and time again, I was able to share my unique story: that of a young immigrant to who came to these United States, and found a home in our Great Nation. I shared with my friends, countless tales of the American teenage experience and of coming of age in the United States. A favorite hobby of mine was comparing my experiences to those depicted in pop culture through films and television. Often times this is the only worldview that the young international community has into the American experience.
It wasn?t long before I became aware of how different I was from my companions. However, this did not push us apart, instead we celebrated our differences and shared in each other?s culture. If you were to ask a small group of my Italian peers, they would have described me as an eccentric, eager, charismatic, and humorous addition to their generally refined daily lives. Many of my courses at Bocconi University required collaboration through group projects, and through the character development instilled in me at Mays, I was able to blossom in this setting.
This study abroad experience has imbued in me a newfound sense of American pride. I am proud to represent these United States, Texas A&M University, Mays Business School, and the great State of Texas in the most genuine and respectable manner I could. Through collaborations with fellow International students, I was empowered to share my personal narrative of the American Dream; and through these conversations, I gained to a broadening glimpse into the perspectives of my fellow citizens of the world.