By Vincenzo Coppola
Reflection
I had the pleasure of publishing work in CANAL two times. The first was a short story I wrote which detailed a fictional tale of a King’s cat who long went underappreciated but ultimately saved the royal wealth. The second was a reflective paper I wrote of a film “Tutto Quello Che Vuoi” which stands as one of my favorite films of all time among other Italian and American films I have seen. While I have yet to pursue any literature, creative writing or Italian language profession, I do believe this experience had an impact on me professionally and personally.
Critically and creatively thinking in another language is an incredibly valuable skill to possess. Not only that but it exposes you to the worlds and cultures of people entirely different than you are used to. It is very easy to live in these little boxes, in our own worlds but reading, watching, researching, and writing in a new way helps us bridge to new ones. For me it certainly helped me see a more creative side of myself and not only was I able to learn about a culture very important to me but I was able to see the importance of the arts and not just focus on the technical engineering degree I was pursuing.
After graduating, I continued my education in a technical yet person-focused degree, Engineering Management. These skills certainly came through for the writing, research and people-first aspects required in this degree. Additionally, I lived in Italy for a brief stint with my family helping my grandparents with their day to day living and exposing myself even more to the culture. I think had I not been able to study Italian and culture as well as write and think in Italian, that would have been a much more difficult task and it would have been a barrier between me and getting closer to loved ones. I also was able to receive an offer to work as a data analyst in Genoa which at the time I was unable to take on, but certainly my time learning and writing helped me develop proficiency required to accept that role.
Overall, studying Italian Language and Culture while writing pieces featured in CANAL was invaluable to my career and especially to my personal life. It opened up doorways and helped me tailor my career in ways that I actually felt rewarding and that were beyond technical. I highly recommend taking a foreign language and learning to write, read and truly think in another language. It can not only open doors and expose you to new ways of thinking but it can truly bridge you to new worlds and be the first step to new adventures and cultures you never would have experienced without it.
Read “Il gatto dal pelo soffice” Canal Issue IV (2020).
Read "Tutto quello che vuoi alla fine l'hai avuto” Canal Issue V (2021).
Biographical Statement - Vincenzo Coppola
My name is Vincenzo Coppola, and I am a 2021 graduate from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML). I studied Electrical Engineering with a minor in Italian Studies. I studied under professors Viglione and Po DeLisle, who both helped me develop my Italian speaking and writing skills while in college. After graduation, I received my masters in Engineering Management and Data Analytics from Northeastern University and lived briefly abroad in Italy. I now work in analytics within the sports industry and thank my time at UML for teaching me the importance of technical competence and helping me develop a true appreciation for the arts.