Fresh H2o Opportunity to travel overseas twice entices student In the spring of 2007, Harding introduced a new overseas program for students who had already participated in one of the other overseas programs offered. Harding University Second Semester Overseas (H2O) allowed students to have a more relaxed semester abroad in Florence, Italy. Senior Andrew Caldwell was one of the first students to participate in H2O. “I am extremely grateful to my parents for allowing me to spend two semesters abroad in Florence, Italy,”Caldwell said.“I was able to take some courses online and an Italian class.” Caldwell lived in the Bible school that was run by Avanti Italia in Scandicci, Italy. Although he had been in Italy for months, he never was at a loss for what to do. “I never ran out of things to do in Florence,”Caldwell said. “I certainly never tired of visiting some of the world’s most famous museums multiple times. I also was able to spend a lot of time with the summer HUF group.” Since Caldwell had already experienced HUF, directors Robbie and Mona Shackelford used Caldwell to help get the summer group settled. “Robbie asked me to go with Tracy, the former assistant, to pick up the group,” Caldwell said. “I was able to see the whole experience from the other side. It wasn’t five months ago that I was in their shoes.Their faces were showing a mix of emotions that I related with quite well.” In addition to helping with the HUF students, Caldwell was also granted the opportunity of being a counselor at a Christian summer camp on Italy’s eastern coast. “I was a counselor for the younger ones,” Caldwell said. “My language skills were really put to the test right alongside my patience. I woke up one morning, about 3 o’clock in the morning to be exact, with an Italian child wiping his ‘toothpasty’ mouth all over my bed covers. I happened to be sleeping in them at the time. I responded better than I thought I would if I was ever in that situation.” “Toothpasty”mouth aside, Caldwell gained a lot from the experience. “The Italian teens and the adults that were running it were incredible,” Caldwell said. “They made me feel welcome, and they taught me many things.” Many students returned from their semester abroad with numerous stories and memories that lasted them a lifetime. For Caldwell, he was blessed to have that experience doubled. [Jodi Jordan and Jennifer Harris] [h2o] 37
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