The connections you make abroad are nothing more than spectacular. The friends I have made with people from so many different cultures and backgrounds from the states or other European countries have really opened my eyes to the world. One of my best friends I was able to meet abroad was a local bartender named Fabio, seen in the first picture. He was so welcoming and kind to me the first day we met, and we almost instantly became good friends. I learned so much about his past and his life growing up. For one, he grew up in Albania and came over to Florence, Italy, when he was 16 years old by himself; that is absolutely mind-boggling to me. He started working when he was 17, and he now speaks four languages because of all the people and tourists he has made working for four years there. I will always keep this friend and connection of mine and hope to see him again soon, especially since he just got his American Visa. I also made so many connections abroad with different study abroad programs from all across the country. Finding people from all amazing places across the United States is such an exciting feeling. Having such a small study abroad group and sending almost three months together, you become friends very quickly. Honestly, you are almost forced to become friends, but you suddenly realize that the people on this trip are amazing. I definitely meet some lifelong friends like my two roommates, Zach and Tyler, seen in the second picture. All three of us have very different personalities that meshed together perfectly. The Three of us never had problems and always being there to look out for each other, and we would have never have met if we decided not to come abroad. I am truly blessed to have gotten the opportunity to go abroad and meet all these great people.