I truly cannot believe my time in Florence is coming to an end! In some ways it feels like just yesterday I landing in the airport and meeting my roommates, but in other ways it feels like I have been here for years based on all of the memories I’ve made, places I’ve been, and people I’ve met.

Some of my favorite things about being abroad, have been the people, and the culture. I have made so many friends abroad I know will be friends for life, and having immersed myself in such a different environment for four months has allowed me to reflect in so many ways.

Personally, I learned during study abroad how to be more independent. Having to plan trips, transportation, and housing, on my own while being so far from home allowed me to go outside my comfort zone and take initiative I don’t always do on my own. Also, being in so many unfamiliar places and situations has broadened my horizons more than I would have ever thought.

Academically I have learned so much here in florence. My favorite class has definitely been my italian class, which i take three days a week. I had not taken a language class since high school, so it was a big academic challenge for me to start learning one again. But now at the end of the semester I am so proud of what I have learned. I also am very proud of myself for taking a drawing class which is something I have never done before. Although i am still not. Strong aritst, I can definitely say I improved my art skills.

In terms of Business, my international marketing class has taught me so much about cultural differences in business. Our semster long project involved choosing a company and creating a plan for them to open and adapt in the italian market based off of what we learned in class. This course gave me a great new perspective on my marketing major that i will hopefully take into the real world with me.

Florence will forever have a special place in my heart, and I am so grateful that I made the decision to come here, as it has been one of the best decisions of my life.