Why Did I Study Abroad?

At the age of ten, I begged my parents to come pick me up after two nights at sleep-away camp. Why? Contrary to popular belief, the outdoor-camp life and late night bug zaps in the ear were not the main reasons for wanting to flee the small-town camp. It was my fear of being on my own in a foreign place, with new people and new experiences.

Zoom forward a couple years and I started to dread leaving home for college. After a devastating breakup with my then high school boyfriend (now current boyfriend!) I decided that a college campus would be a more healing environment than our hometown.

Regardless of the motivation to leave home, I did and with my newfound independence, I was able to flourish into a college woman! After joining a sorority, making incredible friends, actually eating some of the best dining hall food in the US and exploring a new small-town; I realized that I was ready for more. I was craving more.

I found myself daydreaming about my travels to Europe with my high school art teacher and classmates during my freshman lectures. This is what lead me to send a petition to my Dean of Students asking for permission to study abroad the fall semester of my sophomore year (it was against the Universities policy). After about a week of worrying that my petition was going to bounce, I timidly walked into the beautiful wood-paneled office and was handed a paper with a big green stamp that read “Accepted”!

I had known that I wanted to study abroad in Florence, Italy since I traveled there when I was sixteen. The bustling center of the city versus the quiet outskirts of Oltrano provided both a new city-vibe and the relaxed country-vibe that I was accustomed to. Let alone the endless gelato shops, fresh mozzarella cheese and high-fashion stores lining my walk to class!

Since Florence, I have traveled to Germany, Morocco, Spain, France, Switzerland, Argentina, and of course, home in New England.

My goals for this website are to hopefully inspire others to take a leap of faith and to always strive to find your authentic-self. The best thing I have ever caught is the travel-bug. Explore and embrace!