Hi my name is Ashley Butler. I am a sophomore at The College of Charleston majoring in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Psychology. The program I will be attending is a Psychology course in Florence, Italy. I chose this program because it will help influence my understanding in both my major and minor while immersing myself into a new culture. I am also excited for the course I will be taking as I will learn in more detail about child/parent interactions and behaviors. My goals while studying abroad are to do well in class while also living like a local. Another goal I have is to learn some Italian phrases through meeting locals. I am also eager to try new cuisine. In the last few years, truffles have been one of my favorite foods to eat. Truffles are very popular in this region so I am looking forward to trying different truffle dishes. I am also interested in the location as I have traveled to Italy once before and loved it. I can’t wait to explore Florence and all that it has to offer. While studying abroad, I hope to travel not just in Florence but surrounding areas in Tuscany as well. Other towns I am excited to travel to are Portovenere, San Gimignano, and Lucca. I have quite an interest in Europe so I cannot wait to go to new places and learn new things.  While researching my host country, I have read about many sites to visit, restaurants to try, and surrounding areas of Florence. I am looking forward to staying in one area so that I can really get to know the city and its culture. I think that this opportunity of studying abroad will be a growing experience that I am looking forward to.