KITTY BOURNE
Background and expectations:
PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
I am someone who always seeks for more questions and answers. I like creating my own reality and I change everyday. I was born in Hong Kong and moved to Canada at the age of three. I quickly adapted to the North American culture but I am still connected to my Asian heritage. In my family the females are artistic, and the males are mechanical thinkers. I like to think of myself as a hybrid of the two. Even though the arts largely influenced my scholastic career in elementary and high school, I sought a discipline that piqued my curiosity in people and behavior. It is hard to define myself without considering the fact that I have been enrolled in a systematic and standardized form of learning almost my entire life. It is my choices in my educational programs that I think truly define not who I am, but what I do and how I think. And if that is what characterizes who a person is, then this would be it.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
I am completing an Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Interactive Arts & Technology. I chose the Design stream because of what I learned in IAT 233 (Spatial Design). Taking any IAT courses was an unexpected move from Psychology. I didn’t know what it was really about but it was the kind of teaching and classroom experiences that drew me to the Surrey campus. Being a student at SFU for over seven years now, I am very familiar with the academic system in the Burnaby campus and grew very tired of the standardized method of learning there.
WHY DID YOU APPLY FOR ITALIADESIGN?
Italiadesign has always a part of my development in SIAT, especially in the Design stream. It had always been the goal of students in the Design stream to be able to study Italian design, and I find myself very lucky to be one of the few selected for this cause and opportunity. I also chose this path because I had heard from close friends who completed the study that it had changed their lives and made them more wholesome and humble people.
Experiences In-field:
WHAT DID YOU LEARN:
Generally?
I found that I was way more engaged with the subjects that we were studying in person. When we could interact with our subject, it was even better. Italy was a place that was very different from what I expected but the imagery of the places was spot on. Attitudes varied from place to place no matter how far apart. Also, it is very important for everyone to find their own method of taking time for themselves and really using that time to sort out any mental kinks effectively.
About design, design process, and innovation?
The more we learn, the less we know. Wise designers don’t just accept what exists. They are people just like us who become increasingly confident and playful. Seeing how designers process and how studios function just reinforces what we learned and how we process at school. It is very enlightening to witness people give away everything they know and expect nothing back.
About cities?
Cities are places that show how people live and how people develop with the city. They are dynamic systems that support and tolerate change. When someone grows up in a city, the city is reflected in that person’s attitude and behavior. Vancouver is a place that has yet to find its own identity and culture.
About living away from home?
It was an amazing opportunity to just think about yourself and not feel obligated to our daily responsibilities at home. It really takes a load off our shoulders when we can just think. After being in post-secondary for seven years without a break, it was really one of the only times in my life that I would get a chance to let my thoughts sit and ferment. I became much more responsible for myself and my well being. Eating and sleeping habits are necessities that require regulation and planning. We don’t manage these basic things well when we are living at home and going to school.
About group dynamics?
We’re really lucky to be in this group because I appreciate our strengths and weaknesses. Living together can be stressful at first and takes a week or two to get used to for those who aren’t used to living with room mates or even sharing a bed. But after seven weeks you really begin to respect each other and become more understanding. Giving space and getting space from each other is important. It is a social skill that each one of us should learn by now.
FAVOURITE MOMENTS OR INTERACTIONS:
In daily life?
Everyday was an extraordinary experience compared to what we are used to at home. I loved living in downtown historic Rome, with the energy of the city and the people who say little things that make your day. The location of our apartment was perfect. We were a couple minutes away from the Pantheon, with an amazing Forno downstairs and great piazzas nearby with the works of Borromini. On the last day of Rome, I gave my toy gladiator suit to a little boy whose family owned a restaurant in Piazza Navona. It felt really rewarding to give something back to Rome.
In an interview?
I don’t think anyone can forget our interview with Carlotta de Bevilacqua from Danese. She was about an hour late and I thought she wouldn’t come at all, but when she showed up in her studio she took charge. Her presence in the room was fierce and her words exceptional. She spoke of current conditions of the world and what design should do for the world. Most importantly she demonstrated how a woman can dominate in an Italian design firm holding values for world ethics.
FAVOURITE PLACE OR SPACE:
One of my favorite places in Italy was Ostia Antica. I went there by myself on a day off and found it extremely rewarding for my mind and body. The massive ruins were a playground that evoked playfulness and curiosity. Usually you can’t get up close to ruins and touch them or stand on them, but here you could do whatever you want. That ancient port city was massive and had housed people for thousands of centuries. When you walked down the roads you could just imagine what life would’ve been like and how similar it was to Rome.
That was also my first opportunity to travel on my own on the study, so I really took the time to let my thoughts out and sort things out. I think that’s necessary for anyone that’s living and traveling with a big group. You can’t let the stress get to you.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME:
Sometimes the best learning happens when you don’t actively have to try to learn. It comes naturally and then you genuinely want to learn. Your body learns to get used to the water it’s drinking, the times to wake up and sleep, and the type of food it is ingesting. That’s what learning felt like in Italy. It all just came to you and there was no avoiding the experience.
AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE THAT YOU OVERCAME DURING THE FIELD SCHOOL:
I really didn’t expect to be able to talk to Italians the way I did and engage them in deep conversations about their culture, their life and their city. They’re a lot more open than I expected and getting them to talk to me (a stranger) was very pleasant.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE VALUE OF THE FULL SEMESTER OF CONTEXTUAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL STUDIES PRIOR TO IN-FIELD WORK?
About language?
When you first take ITAL 100, it doesn’t fully prepare you mentally in interacting with Italians in daily situations. I don’t think you even really realize that you’re doing this because you need to talk to people in Italy – it just feels like another 100 level class. But it does give you a head start in knowing how to pronounce words so you don’t offend people. And it provides a pretty good vocabulary to understand what’s around you. Knowing the language definitely boosts your confidence in talking to people but sometimes you’ll feel frustrated not knowing how to say something.
About Italian history?
It pays to know what you’re looking at. Being an informed traveler is better than an ignorant traveler. The architecture and art is so much more interesting when you know the story behind them. And people really appreciate it when you aren’t walking around blindly in their city. Italian history owns the story to one of the greatest empires that ever existed and the creation of one of the greatest cities in the world at that time.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE LEGACY PROJECT OF THE ITALIADESIGN FIELD SCHOOL?
There’s something profoundly meaningful about being part of something to which students have dedicated so much of their time and effort. That’s why it’s strange to call it a field study. It is so much more than what twelve people do together in Italy. It is an ongoing study that builds on top of the previous year’s work. But each year we are able to talk to people who can tell us what is current and of interest.
Reflecting:
CAREER GOALS, ASPIRATIONS, AND INTERESTS POST-FIELD SCHOOL?
Following the study, my mind wouldn’t stop running: it was like being on a high and I felt like there was nothing I couldn’t do. When I got to Paris, I wrote pages and pages of notes and drew diagrams of the accumulation of my experiences. I hope that after I graduate from Simon Fraser University that I can move to Europe for work or school. There’s so much more I want to explore in that part of the world, and there’s so much to see that interests me. Next on my list is Amsterdam and Barcelona.
DID YOU MEET YOUR PRE-TRIP GOALS?
Absolutely. I came into this program with a few simple goals:
WHY AM I DOING THIS? WHY AM I HERE?
- to see the sights of Italian culture and see new things
- to get away from Canada
- to get away from North American culture
- to be able to spend a decent amount of time by myself to reflect, ponder, explore
- to work out mental kinks and process in clarity
= personal growth and identity reinforcement
By the end of Rome, I felt like I already got what I wanted out of this study. Everything else afterwards was just a bonus.
WHAT IMPACT HAS THE FIELD SCHOOL HAD ON YOU?
ItaliaDesign has given me a profound sense of valuable living. People say that you don’t really live until you see the way people live over there, but I learned that everyone has their own scale of quality of life. For me, I found that quality of life is greater in the small hidden places of Europe than in North America. This study has changed my life in a way that opened my perspective towards European cultures. I feel like I can live in one of these cities and become well integrated into their culture. The small everyday interactions make me feel like that’s what life should be about.
I also enjoy certain foods now that I wouldn’t before, such as olives and pistachio gelato.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIADESIGN STUDENTS?
For upcoming ItaliaDesign students, I would highly advise taking as much time by yourself as possible when you are in Italy. After Italy, consider traveling off the beaten path. So many places in Europe are better experienced without the masses of outside influence. Don’t avoid using your Italian or talking to people – those were some of the most memorable and exciting times in the study. Most importantly, it will change your life!