Living abroad has meant coexisting in spaces where I don’t always know what’s being communicated around me. This has made me more reliant on the visual ques of my surrounding and environment. Interpreting signs, symbols, and images has been a vital component of navigating the vivacious city of Florence. After dining at a restaurant in the heart of the city, I quickly realized just how unique language diversity can be. As I sat and soaked in the ambiance of the restaurant, I overheard the waiter communicate in four different languages at neighboring tables around me. This was an experience unlike anything I had encountered before. To my surprise, this was just the start of the number of encounters I would have hearing multiple channels of communication at once. Although initially challenging, I’ve learned to adapt to the wealth of languages and embrace uncertainty. Each day I challenge myself to cultivate a new Italian word into my vocabulary. The first words that I learned were basic greetings such as “Ciao” or “Buona Sera”. I picked these up in a matter of days. More challenging words have been those that require a precise articulation or pronunciation practice. However, I’ve enjoyed learning the Italian language along the way. The best experiences I’ve had with developing my Italian have been trips to the grocery store or ordering food at a restaurant. These are times when I’ll engage directly with Florentine citizens and be challenged to practice the Italian language. I’ve been grateful to receive patience from Florentines in times when I struggle to communicate. Nonetheless, I’ve had a great experience with developing my language skills thus far. I’m eager to see just how much of the Italian language I learn by the end of my program. I expect to come back to the College of Charleston as a more well-rounded student with a new global perspective.