Fortunately, I have been able to do a lot of traveling while living abroad in Florence.  In Palermo, I saw ancient artifacts, dating back to before Christ, and the famous Palatine Chapel.  Later, my friend and I travelled to Munich, Vienna, and Budapest, for spring break.  In Munich, we visited…

The first big takeaway from the time I have spent in Florence is that Italy has less of a “melting pot” culture than the United States.  I have come to this conclusion due to several variables, including Italians’ views on the way people dress, as well as the various careers available to residents of Florence…

Before coming to Florence, I expected that my time abroad would be defined by numerous milestone events that would immediately assist me in growing and learning.  After 37 days in Italy, I realize that – similar to life in the U.S. – developing as an individual is a process that requires patience, even when one…

Every weekday, with the exception of Friday, I awake in our flat in Borgo San Frediano at 08:00 and leave for CAPA at 08:30.  I walk 1 mile to school, which takes me around 20 minutes.  Although, I mainly walk to get places at Pitt, I will sometimes take the city bus or the Pitt…

For 1 week, I have resided in Florence, sharing an apartment with 5 other study abroad students, located in the San Frediano neighborhood – on the south side of the Arno River.  I share a room with Mark, a junior from the University of Colorado at Boulder; Mark is best friends with 2 of our…

Good afternoon, In 23 days, I will depart for the experience of a lifetime – a 4-month study abroad program in Florence, Italy, organized by Pitt Business Study Abroad and the CAPA organization. My name is Colin Jones and I am a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Finance, with minors in Economics…