Hello everyone!! My name is Brianna Schill and I am a junior in the MAcc (Master of Accounting) program at Penn State.  I will be studying at the Institute at Palazzo Rucellai for the Spring Semester.

Can I first just say…is this REAL LIFE? Even after filling out the application, receiving the acceptance email, and finally booking my flight, it still hasn’t hit me that I will be studying in one of the most beautiful cities in the world!  I have never visited Florence before.  The only things I know about Florence are from shows I’ve seen on the Travel Channel or have heard from friends who have visited.  I cannot wait to see this historic city for myself!  And I can’t wait to bring you guys along with me on this four-month journey through Italy and other amazing countries.

I often get asked the same questions when I tell people I am studying abroad.  One of them being, are you nervous/scared?  To answer that- yes, a little bit.  But I am WAY more excited and eager than nervous. Of course, my family will not be a three hour car ride away, but a 10 hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean.  I will miss my darling little Chihuahua (isn’t she the cutest??) and my friends at Penn State.  But I cannot wait for the adventure that waits.  And it sure is going to be a crazy one.

I know this trip will change my life in such an amazing way.  I expect to gain more knowledge of Italian language.  As of now, I know only a few basic phrases so my speaking skills can only go up from here!  I’m not going to lie, I expect the language barrier to frustrate me at first, but I accept the challenge.  I can’t wait to look back on the end of the trip and realize how much I will have improved.  Also, I am thrilled at the idea of making new friends whether they’d be Italian, German, Slovakian, American, or whatever.  Apparently, we will be studying with students from UCONN and University of Arizona, which is going to be a lot of fun.  Finally, I know I will learn a lot about myself.  Being in an unfamiliar territory and dealing with stressful situations abroad can tell you a lot about yourself.  And I am excited for that.

In just over a month, I will be in the land of beautiful art, Gelato, Andrea Bocelli, pasta, Gondolas, and amazing leather.  Sounds like heaven on earth to me! (:

XOXO

Bri

Location: State College, PA