The coffee shop is a reminder of my petite hometown in South Carolina. It’s simple. Slow-paced. Warm and familiar. There are shelves on the wall filled with books—give one, take one, kind of deal. There’s family history sharing the same space: the owner’s coffee grinder from her grandfather. An old menu. Copper pots on the wall are from Sylvia’s home in Padua. A black and … Continue reading Caffè Rainer by Cassidy Sommer
Tuscany is enchanting; one might call it a fairytale land where wine connoisseurs frolic in the hills living out their dreams. The highly praised film Under The Tuscan Sun quite simply does not do this extravagant place justice, and I came to this conclusion the moment I set foot in this tranquil escape. Rolling hills, endless seas of green, horses grazing and galloping lazily in … Continue reading Tuscan Dreams and A Quick Trip to San Gimignano by Josie Cataldo
“I imagine this is how God expected the world to be” my long-time travel buddy/roommate/best friend smiled as we shared some REAL hot cocoa before our bus ride back to Florence. Bundled in furs on the outside bench of our new favorite cafe in Interlaken, Switzerland, life did not feel short from perfect. The air seemed to detox our lungs from Florence’s gasoline-exhausted streets, and … Continue reading 5th Grade Dreams Do Come True by Martin Allison
Ciao! I’m Hannah Bain, a Communication major and Political Science minor, and a junior at the College. I am currently studying abroad in Florence, Italy via a CofC faculty-led program intended for both Communication and English majors/minors. Our program emphasis is on the Slow Food movement. While enjoying all that Italy has to offer, we are also experiencing some of the best food the world … Continue reading Hello from Florence, Italy by Hannah Bain
For the past 20 years of my life I have lived in a world far from the pure and peaceful creation I had been taught was Earth’s original creation. Far from the “homeland” (if you will) I had imagined for my ancestral family. Small trees landscaped into concrete walkways and rain puddles tinged in antifreeze and oil. Pleasant days arrive and fade by the hour, … Continue reading 23 & (Hypothetical) Me by Martin Allison
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 … Continue reading Hello Florence by Josie Cataldo
Currently I am about halfway done with my program in Milan and it finally feels like home. I have adjusted to some of the culture changes such as daily attire, eating times, public transportation and my classes. I really love Milan because there is always events happening and it truly is a metropolitan city yet has that European charm. So far for events there has … Continue reading Reflections on Italy by Olivia Soccio
Hello, my name is Cassidy Sommer and I am a senior at College of Charleston. I study English with a concentration in creative writing. I am studying with faculty in Florence, Italy. I didn’t exactly choose this program as much as it kind of landed in my lap one day. In fact, my roommate had run up to me in the streets of Charleston and … Continue reading Ciao Florence! by Cassidy Sommer
Hey College of Charleston Study Abroad! My name is Martin Allison, and I’m a Junior double majoring in Communication and Studio Art. Being originally from Charleston I had never felt as though I “went away” for college, but studying abroad has definitely allowed me to experience that for the first time. Major props to all the students that travel to attend CofC, missing home is … Continue reading Feeling Florentine by: Martin Allison
I had really low expectations when preparing for my short weekend in Paris, Frace. Having already been to so many popular tourists destinations such as Rome, Venice, and even my host city, Florence, I was once again ready to be bombarded my large crowds, vendors hassling me to buy “skip the line” tickets into a museum or cheap souvenirs, and difficulty finding seats in restaurants. … Continue reading A weekend in Paris, France by Avery Gavornik
