Hello. My name is Jacob Vandever and I am in the final semesters of education at the Pennsylvania State University in the Anthropology program. Before I wrap up my experience at Penn State, I wanted to experience a different type of learning. I decided I wanted to study abroad in Italy through the Umbra Institute’s Food and Sustainability program. I have traveled a lot throughout the United States and I have been to a couple of countries as well (Japan being the farthest away). While I was only in Japan for a week, I fell in love with the culture and decided I wanted to experience as many different cultures as I could. I’m not going to lie, 4 months in a foreign country is a daunting thought. However, I have an incredible support network to help me settle into my new (temporary) life in Italy. Hopefully my experiences can help shed the light on all of the wonders this world has to share.
