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…

One moment that meant so much to me during my time abroad was my visit from my family. Going into this experience, I hardly knew anyone participating and was afraid to be alone so far from home. Being here I found myself growing daily, creating new relationships and becoming more independent. When my family came…

Adjusting to life in Italy has definitely been a culture shock for me. One thing I have found myself adjusting to is the way people walk down the street. At Pitt, especially being in a city school, I am used to quick, focused walking. Here in Italy I have noticed that people like to take…

I can’t believe we are already a month and a half into the semester! Our academics are starting to pick up and it is currently midterm season. This semester I am taking Italian, Interculture and Migration, Introduction to Drawing, and International Marketing. My favorite class to go to is Italian. I love my professor and…

Ciao! My name is Ashlyn Coates, and I am a junior at the University of Pittsburgh studying business information systems and marketing. At school, I am a member of Women in Business and was on the member relations committee this past year. I chose to study abroad in Florence, Italy, this semester because I saw…