Meet Your Advisor - Rachel Dickson

Where did you study abroad?

Rachel sitting on a couch in her apartment in Viterbo, Italy.

As an undergrad, I studied abroad with USAC in Viterbo, Italy. I took an advanced photography course and was able to travel to Spain, Denmark, and The Netherlands after my program ended.

What is your favorite memory from your time abroad?

Rachel on the roof of the Uffizi Museum in Firenze, Italy. My favorite memory from overseas was getting off at the wrong train station in Italy. My friends and I had to navigate back to our home base on the bus system and we ended up having to take three different buses; the first one broke down, the second bus driver decided he was done for the day, and we finally made it back on the very last bus out that evening.

What is your favorite place you have traveled to and why?

Finland was by far my favorite place I’ve traveled to. My family is half Finnish, and it was wonderful to meet up my mom there. It was our first time seeing our family roots firsthand and experience a big part of our culture and history. Going to a traditional sauna and jumping in the Gulf of Finland took the cake!

What is your funniest travel memory?

Rachel and friends sailing around the island of Capri off of the coast of Napoli, Italy. One of my funnier and silly moments traveling was going on a date with someone I met online in Rome. My friends and roommates were worried about my safety, so they secretly followed my date and I around the city the whole day. We had a good time and really got a nice tour of the city. He eventually discovered my friends following us and we all had a good laugh about it over some gelato.

If you could go on any USAC program, what would it be and why?

I would love to go to Lyon, France! I am an art and art history gal, so it would be lovely to take a French art and architecture course while learning the French language. I am also obsessed with French style and how effortless and glamorous everyone looks.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Rachel on a weekend trip from Italy to Barcelona with Viterbo and Stirling program friends. I love being with friends and exploring new places to eat good food and drink coffee. I love being outside hiking, going to hot springs or climbing. I also love using my free time to read, make art, take photographs, and work on my newly discovered hobby: decorative mending.

What is a weird fact about you?

I have a collection of weird knick-knacks; one item is a salt pinch pot that is essentially a ceramic dice with a crawdad crawling on it.

What’s on your bucket list?

I would love to do an artist residency abroad. It involves taking a month or more of time to focus on making art, mingling with other artists, and regularly contributing to the community by hosting a workshop, talk, or other art event.

What’s a meme that describes your life?

Meme of two people in the ocean, one person in the water and the other floating on a door with a caption that reads "I'm sorry Jack, there's not enough room."