Desert Hoya

Things Jack and I Learnt in Italy During Study Abroad

August 13, 2026

By Sama Alissa (GU-Q'27)

Florence skyline at sunset with the Duomo, bell tower, and city buildings visible. Mountains are in the background, and trees frame the foreground.

Sama Alissa is a senior majoring in Culture and Politics.

During my study abroad semester in the Villa Le Balze, I was accompanied by little Jack the Bulldog. Jack and I went on many adventures and toured a lot of cities together. Jack and I learned from every place that we went to, so I wanted to share some of the lessons we returned with.

Pisa, (Central Italy): With the right people, the most mundane trips can become the most interesting.

Pisa was the first trip Jack and I went on with our friends. Our friend group had grown beyond just the students from the Qatar campus. We didn’t know what to expect. We got off the train, excited to see the leaning tower. We stopped by a museum. Then we headed, all excited, to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. What no one will tell you is that, other than the Tower and its surroundings, there isn’t much to do in Pisa. We were bummed out because that meant we had 3 hours until our train ride back with nothing really to do.

A hand holds a stuffed dog toy in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, making it appear as if the toy is looking up at the famous landmark. Tourists and green grass are visible in the background. — At the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Victoria Amazonica waterlilies at the Pisa Botanical Garden

But Jack and I were soon having so much fun with our friends walking around the historic city, going into a botanical garden, and trying Italian hot chocolate as early as September.

Cinque Terre (Northwest Italy) – Silence is so beautiful.

I had never heard of Cinque Terre before I went to Italy, but our friends insisted on doing a beach trip there. Jack and I had never been the type of people to sit, relax, and do nothing on a trip. That whole concept changed the second we arrived. We were encapsulated by the beauty of Monterosso. The sun hitting the Mediterranean sea, the September breeze, the smell of fried fish, it was perfect. Through our quick tour of Montrusso, Varnezza, and Riomaggiore, Jack and I learned that doing nothing can be so beautiful.

Colorful buildings line a steep hillside above a small harbor with boats in Riomaggiore, Italy, under a clear blue sky. People walk near the waterfront and stairs, with lush greenery on the surrounding hills.

A hand holds an ice cream cone in a lively street lined with colorful buildings, shops, and outdoor cafes under a clear blue sky. People are walking and sitting at tables in the background.

Rome and the Amalfi Coast – Human connection is the most important bond you can form.

In Rome and on the Amalfi Coast, we stayed at Airbnbs. Jack and I were a bit nervous. We were used to the safety of Doha and didn’t know what to expect from strangers offering property on the internet. In Rome, we were met by an old couple and their daughter, and in the Amalfi Coast, we were met by a couple who couldn’t be older than our own parents, who didn’t speak any English. The kindness both hosts showed towards us demonstrated that human connection is the most important bond. Their kindness transcended cultures and languages.

A hand holds a small stuffed bulldog toy in front of the Colosseum in Rome, with blue sky above and crowds inside the ancient amphitheater. — Jack at the Colosseum

A hand holds a small plush bulldog toy in front of a grand, ornate church ceiling decorated with colorful baroque frescoes and architectural details. — Jack at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola

A hand holds a small plush bulldog toy in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, with the ornate stone architecture and statues visible in the background. — Jack at the Trevi Fountain

Paris – The cold never bothered us anyway.

Jack and I arrived in Paris on a cold night at the end of October. We had a rain jacket and a dream to explore the city. It was a very cold couple of days, and we weren’t prepared for the cold at all. On a boat tour on the Seine, we even joked that we were warming our hands with a video of a fireplace.

A hand holds a plush bulldog toy in front of the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, with blue sky and scattered clouds in the background. — Jack at the Louvre

A woman wearing sunglasses and a navy jacket smiles while holding a stuffed animal in front of the Louvre Pyramid in Paris on a sunny day. — Jack and I at the Louvre

A hand holds a plush bulldog toy in front of the Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum, with other paintings and a person visible in the background. — Jack at the Mona Lisa

But what we came to realize was that no matter how much we kept jumping in place to keep warm while waiting for the bus, the cold didn’t take away from our enjoyment of Paris. Just like Elsa sang in Frozen, “the cold never bothered me anyway.” Jack and I were having so much fun roaming the Louvre and eating crepes by the Eiffel Tower that we forgot it was 4 degrees (celsius of course).

Amsterdam – Keep in touch. No matter how much time has gone by.

A smiling person stands by a canal in Amsterdam, with traditional Dutch buildings and a bridge in the background under a clear blue sky. — Downtown Amsterdam

Jack and I went to Amsterdam to visit my cousin, whom I hadn’t seen in 8 years. This wasn’t my first time in the city. I had basked in its beauty during a visit with my family before. We were there to spend a weekend with her. I thought I was going to struggle to have conversations with her. But I was pleasantly surprised that our keeping in touch had kept our bond so strong. During the weekend we spent together, going grocery shopping and touring her university, I came to realize how important it is that she and I never stop messaging each other.

Madrid – Tick every destination on your bucket list.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been a Real Madrid fan. So it was very important for me to take Jack to the city I have always wanted to visit. Jack and I got to spend a weekend with my friend who studies in Madrid. Moving around with a local, we managed to go to every place I have always seen through Real Madrid traditions, or TV shows that I love and adore. Visiting these places brought me so much happiness.

A person stands on a wet street at night in front of a large, modern, curved building with lights. Construction barriers and equipment are visible around the area. — At the Bernabéu Stadium

Florence – A 30-minute walk is not long.

Jack and I lived in Florence for three and a half months. We did so much. But the thing we did the most was walk. On our first day, a 30-minute walk seemed like ages. But by the last day, I was surprised that the walk was only 30 minutes. These walks weren’t just to get from Point A to Point B. They were for us to see the city, to have conversations with friends, to stop at a gelato store and try out new flavors, to see a restaurant we’ll return to later, and so much more. These walks are what Jack and I miss the most. Our favorite part of every walk was passing by the Florence Duomo, our favorite monument in all of Florence.

Villa Le Balze – Professors care so much.

Our favorite class at the Villa was a required course called Italy Today, taught by Professor Tina Fallani. “Icon” is too little a word to describe Professor Fallani. On day one, she told us she used to work on movie sets and worked on some of our favorite movies, such as Dead Poets Society and The Godfather 3. Her classes were the most fun indeed. She taught us about Italy, and we taught her about our cultures. Her class became a space for cross-cultural dialogue. She cared about us and our backgrounds and our lives. Professor Fallani truly demonstrated what Jack and I had always thought: professors care about you so much more than you think. They are so invested in your livelihood and learning about you.

A hand holds a small plush bulldog toy in front of the ornate facade of Florence Cathedral, with people walking and the bell tower visible in the background under a clear blue sky. — At the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Duomo)

A panoramic view of a city with dense buildings, surrounded by green trees and hills under a blue sky with wispy clouds. — View from Villa Le Balze

A person holds a small plush bulldog toy in the foreground with a cloudy sky, tall trees, and a scenic landscape visible in the background. — Jack enjoying the view at Villa Le Balze

Florence taught Jack and me so much. We met so many people and had so much fun during our time in the Villa Le Balze, and we can’t wait to see how these lessons are going to influence the rest of our time at GU-Q.

The posts and comments on this blog are the views and opinions of the author(s). Posts and comments are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not represent the views, opinions or policies of the University.

Filed under