5 minute read
A Religious Experience
STEM major explores diversity of faith, fellowship, and food in Canada
By Ariel Nicastro
When I first signed up for a study abroad program on religious diversity, I knew it would be different from anything I’d done before. As a Physics major, I’ve spent much of my undergraduate career immersed in problem sets, research, and approaching the world through a scientific lens.
For 10 jam-packed days in May, however, I swapped the lab for temples and new perspectives.
Organized by Honors faculty member Rebekkah King with lectures by Brian Carwana from the Encounter World Religions Centre, the Religious Diversity in Toronto and Montreal study abroad program combined lectures, site visits, and cultural exploration to deepen our understanding of how religion is practiced and experienced across different communities.
Each visit gave us something new to think about and offered a chance to step briefly into someone else’s world.
IMMEDIATE IMMERSION
Each day in Toronto was intense in the best way: starting with breakfast at 7:20 a.m., followed by a rotation of lectures and three to four site visits that sometimes didn’t end until nearly 9 p.m. I feel like I learned as much in those four days as I would in an entire semester!
My classmates were all Religious Studies majors or minors, and I was the only student with a major in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). I wasn’t sure what to expect from the group dynamic or how I would fit in, but I found my place quickly. Everyone was welcoming, open, and eager to talk about what we were learning. We spent our free time together exploring the city, trying new foods, and developing countless inside jokes.
One memorable moment was when we got cultureshocked by the word “washrooms,” which are what we often call restrooms. What started as a group of classmates quickly became a group of friends. Even though our academic backgrounds were different, we shared a curiosity and enthusiasm for learning that brought us together.
I came into the program with an open mind and no specific framework. I just wanted to learn. And wow, how much I learned!
SACRED SPACES
We sat cross-legged on the floor of a Sikh Gurdwara and shared a langar meal with everyone in the community, which symbolizes the Sikh beliefs of serving others and the personal rejection of prejudice. In a Hindu temple, I was engulfed in unique sights, sounds, and smells: music, bells, incense, and bright colors. Each deity was honored with a beautifully decorated shrine. We danced at a Hare Krishna temple, practiced tai chi during a Daoist visit, and stepped into a wide range of sacred spaces: Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, and Zoroastrian.
Each visit gave us something new to think about and offered a chance to step briefly into someone else’s world.
After five and a half eventful days in Toronto, we traveled to Montreal, where religion was experienced a little differently. The city’s deep Catholic roots are reflected in its history, layout, and architecture. We visited churches, attended services in French, and explored museums about the religious and Indigenous history of Quebec.
My favorite memory from Montreal was strolling down an old street lined with tall, cream-colored buildings. As the church bells from the Notre Dame Basilica rang out, it felt like walking through a town I had only ever imagined.
Much of our conversation about religion in Quebec centered around laïcité, a form of secularism unique to the region that seeks to separate religion from public life. While Toronto highlighted lived and active practice,
Montreal showed how history, identity, and policy can shape religious experience in quieter yet lasting ways.
CONNECTIONS AND CURIOSITY
Of course, it wasn’t all study and site visits. We made time to explore too, enjoying Ethiopian food during our first evening in Canada, sampling dishes from Toronto’s Chinatown, comparing poutine in both cities (Montreal wins), and visiting the CN Tower—which I was especially excited about since I collect miniature towers.
I even got to practice my French while ordering food in Montreal. Those smaller moments, shared with people I had only just met, ended up meaning just as much as the formal lessons.
Looking back, this trip gave me more than just academic knowledge. It challenged me to think differently, listen more carefully, and stay curious. Thanks to funding from the Gilman Scholarship and the guidance of Dr. King, I had the opportunity to step into a field far outside my usual comfort zone. I came home feeling more thoughtful, more connected, and more aware of how much I still have to learn about the world around me.
And, maybe most importantly, I was reminded that meaningful learning doesn’t always happen in a classroom. Sometimes, it happens on the floor of a temple, around a shared meal, or in conversation with someone whose experiences are entirely different from your own. I would recommend an MTSU study abroad trip to anyone looking to challenge their perspective, build new connections, and learn in ways that textbooks simply can’t offer.
