Major: Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing
School: Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute
Location: Florence, Italy
Ciao from Italy
My name is Katy Kilbourne and I am a sophomore at NC State majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing. I am currently studying abroad at Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute in Florence, Italy.
Even though I have only been here for one short week, Florence already feels like home. The glowing city streets, the friendly faces, the stunning museums, and, of course, the incredible food has made me overwhelmed with welcome.
Ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of traveling the world. The idea of learning and growing while experiencing different cultures makes me overflow with joy. Therefore, you can imagine my excitement after officially deciding to study abroad in Italy. However, moving 5,000 miles away from home to a country where you do not speak the language is definitely intimidating. As soon as I arrived, I knew I had to mentally prepare myself to face the unknown with confidence and to approach adversity with ease – for I knew that although it would be challenging, it would be the adventure of a lifetime.
After only a few days of exploring the city and surrounding areas, talking with locals, drinking wine, and eating the pizza on the planet, I have no doubt in my mind that the next four months will be some of the best of my life.
I cannot wait to see what this semester holds for me.
Life in Italy and Beyond
I have officially been living in Italy for over a month now, and all I can say is that I don’t think I ever want to leave. From the people, museums, architecture, and – of course – the food, I feel like I have truly made a home here in this beautiful city.
My roommates and I have gotten along wonderfully and have already gone on so many amazing adventures together, including Tuscany, Rome, Venice, Pisa, and even Salzburg, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. I think I can officially say I have developed a bad case of the “travel bug.”
However, in addition to traveling, I have been able to explore the culture in many other ways as well. For instance, through my internship with a local marketing agency, I have had the ability to expand my knowledge of not only the Italian culture but also the Italian business world. Also, my small class sizes have allowed for each lesson to become more in-depth and for each group project to become more personal! Overall, my time here in Florence so far has been truly incredible and eye-opening… and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the semester holds!
Arrivederci!
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