Attraversiamo (Let’s Cross Over)

By Julianna Claase

Cobblestone streets, warm cappuccinos greeting you every morning, a friendly Duomo peeking around the corners of the city, a daily dose of gelato, and genius radiating from the historic buildings. This is Firenze, Italy, a place that I now, so easily, refer to as a second home. My three weeks abroad studying Renaissance art history could not have been more incredible. As an artist and writer I filled every day with sketching, journaling and constant absorption of the culture around me. I found two new rock star boyfriends—Donatello and Fra Angelico—masters of the Italian Renaissance and imagination.

I knew that I would come back from Italy a changed person, but little did I realize how much I would learn about my potential and myself. I now am open (and ambitious) to travel more, learn more, and cannot stop dreaming up my next adventure. The possibilities are endless. If you haven’t had the opportunity to study abroad yet, whether short or long term, please, let yourself go. You will learn more about yourself than you could ever imagine.