Arrivederci America

I am studying abroad this semester in Florence, Italy, and I couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity. I’ve been to France several times, so I have an idea of what beauty Europe has to offer, but a 2 week vacation is nothing compared to immersion into a culture for 4 months.

I am so grateful for the chance to see the world, eat new food, and further my knowledge of fashion outside the US. I think it’s important to study abroad for apparel merchandising because it gives you a more well rounded knowledge of where styles originated from and what influences fashion in other countries. And on top of all of that, I’ll be able to take classes that will benefit my future like trend forecasting and visual merchandising.

This trip is going to fly by, so in order to document everything I hope to blog my trips and experiences. I take way too many pictures already, so there won’t be a shortage of photos. However, I want to blog each week to recap where I’ve been, what I’ve learned, who I met, etc. so I don’t forget a moment.

I want to be a social media intern for the Study Abroad Center because I hope to pass on my knowledge gained abroad to students debating traveling themselves. I read countless posts from past study abroad students that influenced my choice of program and location, and I want be that influence this semester. I hope to show potential students all the opportunities that lie ahead of them. By writing and posting pictures of my various experiences abroad, I will be able to remember this semester and show others what adventure is out there. After all, we do go to Iowa State, a school where we get to choose our adventure, so stay tuned to see where my adventure takes me.