What was your favorite class abroad and why?
During my time in Florence, I focused on taking business related classes to keep myself on track with my major at the University of Kentucky. My only non-business related class was called “Cultural Introduction to Italy.” This class focused on introducing American students to this new country that would be their home for the next three and a half months. This class really caught my attention because the first 3 weeks were dedicated to teaching us the basics of the Italian language.

Day one in Germany at Springfest! The lederhosen is a must!

This short tutorial really helped me communicate with the locals at locations such as the park and grocery store. My professor also made an effort to take us to different landmarks throughout our new city that we would never have visited or learned about by just walking around the city.

Took a quick peek into the Colosseum on our hectic weekend in Rome!

What travel tips would you give someone studying abroad?
Traveling while abroad can be one of the most stressful parts of studying abroad. If done correctly, you will be able to go everywhere you want with plans in every location! The first and most important tip I can give you is to plan trips in advance! I know this may seem like a no brainier, but there is a huge discrepancy between a trip that you planned 3 weeks ago versus one that you planned earlier that week. You can plan all of your excursions in advance, place to stay and flights will be significantly cheaper the earlier you book.

Had to get a picture in front of historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral!

Another very important tip for traveling while abroad is to pack accordingly. Be sure to check the upcoming weather for whatever country you will be traveling to that weekend. This is not limited to specific clothes to pack. The most important thing you need to pack is an outlet adapter for your electronic devices. Different countries have specific outlets. Make sure to pack a universal electronic adapter that has options for all countries you plan on traveling to. Nothing is worse than having a dead phone in a foreign country!

Witnessed my first international football match! Much different atmosphere than the United States.

What is your favorite memory from studying abroad?While I embarked on numerous wild adventures in many incredible countries, my favorite memory from studying abroad stems from the friendships I made. I was lucky enough to meet seven amazing individuals while abroad that to this day I can call some of my best friends. At the end of every Tuesday we would all meet at this discrete park on the outskirts of the city and watch the sun set over the foreign country that we called home. Just being in the company of my friends and sharing our stories from the past week was undoubtedly my favorite memory of my study abroad experience.

My parents came over for their first ever trip to Europe! Of course I had to show them the crown jewel of Tuscany, the wine!

Evan was a spring 2019 student from the University of Kentucky.