When I decided to study abroad, I had no idea the impact that the experience would have on my life. I was certainly hesitant about going, because I am always unsure about the unknown. But as soon as I got there, I felt at home. The friends I made, the places I got to see, and all of the food I got to eat made for some of the best memories in my life. Here are my top four favorite places I got to visit while I was there:

1. Rome, Italy

Rome was an amazing experience. I got to see all of the things that people say you have to see in Rome, which included the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and Vatican City. My friends and I were able to see all of these things in a day, which has hard and tiring, but we did it! Those were all amazing to experience, and I can’t wait to go back to see everything else Rome has to offer.

2. Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, was probably my favorite part of Italy. Cinque Terre  is a string of old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. There are five towns that you can visit along this coastline, each with various types of hiking experiences. It was breathtaking, and cool to see what small village life was like. There were trains that could take you to each of the cities, and they were fast and efficient if you didn’t feel like walking to each of the cities

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3. Genoa, Italy

Genoa was a beautiful town that was rich with history and beautiful scenery. The town had very narrow streets so it was rare to see people driving cars; most people drove mopeds. There were beautiful churches, and the all of the people there were friendly! I loved it. We also got to try focaccia, which is a typical Italian dish from this region.

4. Alba, Italy

Alba was one of the first trips that we went on, and one of the most memorable. This region is known for being the gourmet capital of the Piedmont region, and they weren’t wrong. Nutella was also founded in this region, which was a cool fact that I was unaware of. The wine here is also supposed to be some of the best in Italy. It was cool to see a region in Italy that did not have a lot of tourists everywhere as well.

Overall, my experience in Italy was one for the books. It was an amazing life changing experience, and it completely opened my eyes about the world around us. I am looking forward to my next international experience, but I know that Italy will always be on my mind where ever I may go next.

Ciao for now!

When I first signed up to study abroad this past November, I was excited. Excited about the unknown. Excited about all of the possibilities of what I could experience while abroad.

But, as time got closer to my departure, I was beginning to get nervous. I had never been this far away from my family and friends before, and never had I entered into a situation where  I knew no one. I was reasonably nervous, but I knew that I did not have any reason to be. Everyone around me was reassuring me that this was going to be the best time of my life, and they were right.

As soon as I stepped off the plane in Torino, I felt at home. While it was a vastly different environment than what I am used to back at home, it was something that I could definitely get used to. Immediately upon my arrival, everyone was so friendly, helpful, and welcoming. I never felt nervous asking for help, because I knew that someone could point me in the right direction.

In my first week here, I have had many firsts, whether it was my first Gelato, my first authentic Italian Pizza, trying Kalamari, Squid and Mussels, and seeing sights that I never dreamed of being able to witness.

I am excited to see what the rest of my journey will entail, but I know that it will be nothing but great, fun memories.