“I was thinking about studying abroad in Italy but…..”

Read this when you are indecisive about studying abroad

I'm sitting in a café on Via de Macci, the sun is shining, the temperature a steady 50 degrees, still not quite precise with my Celsius so in the meantime I’ll continue with what I know (degrees, miles, etc) the cappuccino I'm enjoying is far better than the ones I have tasted in Starbucks. This Enoteca is a perfect stop after I have completed my weekly purchase of fresh vegetables from the local San Ambrogio market. Nice coffee and fresh Sicilian oranges, what a way to start my day.

Three years ago I did my first internship abroad here in Florence, I found Global Experiences through a pop up advertisement and the next thing I knew I was on a flight to Italy to learn Italian and intern as an event coordinator for Florence For Fun. I had no idea of what to expect but I got much more than I bargained for. Three years later I have returned again, but this time to live and work the so called “Dream.”

Many often ask me, do you think this is the right path to follow. The only response I can give after I share my story is to ask yourself this question, “What do I want out of life?” Besides experiencing the obvious such as wonderful food and amazing sights, you will be able to become part of a culture that is far more socially advanced than the rest of the world. These Italians are sure to live every day to the fullest.

It is not about what you do, its how you do. Its not about what time you go out, its about what you wear and its not about what you do all day, its who you are with. Life is what you make out of it in Italy and that is what I was missing in New York and what many of you might be missing too.

It’s funny, ask me two years ago while I was enjoying free shows and dinners as I worked my full time job on Long island, NY, if I could picture leaving everything behind to start a new life in Italy and love it. Now here I am spending my days as a waitress and a travel guide for university students traveling abroad. I hope I can help make their first and maybe only experience here as good as mine has been and will be.

If you are indecisive about moving overseas stop and think about what you want to experience, if its LIFE then you should probably make this move. You only live once and remember if you live it right, once is more than enough.

Submited by: Casandra Santoro