Hi! My name is Josie Cataldo and I’m currently a senior at the college where I’m pursuing a major in English and a minor in French. I chose the program that I did because it catered to my major and the classes that I’m taking here are absolutely incredible. At the college, the classes for English majors tend to be fairly dense and restrictive at times, and the classes being offered here in Florence reminded me why I joined the English major in the first place. I also am of Italian background so I thought it would be fascinating to see where some of my relatives came from. One goal that I have set for my time abroad in Florence, Italy is to be a traveler and not so much a tourist. Rather than focus in on the more well-known aspects of the country, it has been my aim to branch out and try to live like a local. By the end of the program I want Florence to feel like another home for me like Charleston does. Another goal I set for myself upon coming to Florence was to not be afraid to push myself outside of my comfort zone. Of course, choosing to study abroad was the first step with that, but since I’ve been here, I’ve pushed myself to indulge in experiences that I might not have engaged in before. Whether it be trying to order my meal in Italian or bargain with a vendor at the leather market, I have really come out of my shell since being here, and I’m incredibly grateful that studying abroad has influenced me to do so. Before venturing to Florence, I researched what exactly the city was known for and the attitudes of locals; I was very concerned with not sticking out too much and trying to be respective of the culture.