Hello everyone! My name is Celeste Jorna and I am going into my junior year majoring in economics with a minor in business. I am interested in consulting and financial services and hope to work in either of these areas in the future. I grew up in the Netherlands and moved to Arizona when I was 13 and I do speak Dutch. Growing up in the Netherlands and the United States has allowed me to have a deeper awareness of international issues and how to adapt to new environments. In my free time, I like to read, run, explore, cook, and watch movies. 

As a citizen of the European Union, I was eager to go back and study abroad. I looked through many programs and ended up choosing and applying to the GBI summer in Florence program. One of the reasons I chose this program is my interest in the city of Florence. The summer after my senior year of high school I went on a trip around Europe for 22 days. We started in Italy visiting Pisa, Florence, and Venice. My time in Florence was so welcoming and the people as well as the culture here are so incredible that I instantly wanted to go back. Additionally, the classes that I will be taking really intrigued me. During this program, I will take 2 courses over the course of 6 weeks. I will be taking a course on intercultural and migration and a creative writing class about the city of Florence. There are also many additional activities planned throughout the weeks such as day trips to Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, and Sienna. 

My main goal for the program is to seize every learning opportunity I can. I want to get as much as possible out of this program in order to expand my knowledge in an academic and global sense. I have been raised with the idea that the best way to learn is to get out of your comfort zone and experience different cultures, both of which I will be able to do here in Florence. Being in a different and mostly unfamiliar city will allow me to strengthen my ability to adapt to new situations. The streets of Florence will be challenging but I hope that by the end of this program, I can get around without looking at a map. In these challenging moments, I will be able to draw on some of my Clifton Strengths. For example, as I am starting this program I know only a few people but I will use my relationship-building strengths such as empathy and inclusion in order to make new friends and make everyone feel welcome. My adaptability will help me get my bearings as I explore Florence and figure out my new routines. And lastly, strategic thinking and analytical skills will help me succeed in my classes and participate actively. That is all for now, I am so excited to share my experience over the next few weeks!