The journey is about to begin. The adventure is nearing, and for the first time in my life I am actually packed before the day of departure. For those of you who don’t know, my name is Morgan. I am a junior studying Public Relations at Penn State University, and I will be spending the next 4 months studying abroad in Perugia, Italy.

Traveling is something I look forward to. There are 2 things I want to accomplish more than anything else in my life: to travel the world and to meet Morgan Freeman. Sadly, the latter is much more difficult, but I am thrilled to be given this opportunity to travel to a beautiful country such as Italy. Although I don’t know how to say anymore than maybe 5 words (hello, goodbye, thank you, bathroom, pizza) in Italian, I can’t wait to be immersed in their culture. It will be exciting to explore the language, the food, and the people.

Now, my preparations have been somewhat subpar. I apologize. I’ve done my general research on Italy and the city of Perugia, but unfortunately much of my Italian cultural knowledge has been obtained from The Godfather…part I, II, and III. But if there is anything I’ve learned from the classic film it’s that Italian culture values family and history, and that is something I look forward to being a part of and learning more about. History intrigues me and luckily Italy is rich in it. I don’t think I have been more eager to learn in my life.

So here I am…just hours away from venturing on this exploration. I hope to truly absorb the Italian culture. That is why I chose a town like Perugia, which puts you in a true non tourist-like kind of vibe. I hope to gain a new understanding for people of all aspects of life. I hope to get more in touch with the art and architecture that helped influence so much of the world throughout the years. But most importantly, I hope to discover more about myself during my first real voyage away from home.

This study abroad offer was one I could not refuse! I am grateful to be given this opportunity, and I wish for you to follow along with my blog and join me on my journey.

Goodbye America! Ciao Italia!

Location: Columbia, MD