My study abroad experience was crucial for my personal & professional development. I lived in Florence, Italy, for three months where I had the opportunity to travel to Milan, Venice, Cinque Terre, Bologna, Rome, and even Prague, Czech Republic. These experiences were extremely valuable for my identity - I do not feel that I would be the same person without them. While studying at the Florence University of the Arts (FUA), I learned great depths of fashion design, international business, visual merchandising for a global audience, and wine! 

My fashion design class was taught by the unique Italian fashion designer, Eva Di Franco. Having Eva as a mentor was truly a privilege; she took the time to work with her students 1-on-1 which allowed me to hone in on my abilities and tailor them for the real world. Click here to view the illustrations & magazine designs that I created for her class. I found a true passion for spotting trends in the streets of Europe before they hit the United States - the pinnacle of this experience was being able to bring those styles back home.

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I also took a magazine publication course which allowed me to live inside the international mindset and explore life from that point of view. My class & I were required to travel the city on our own time and interview locals about certain topics. This is the moment I met some of the most inspiring people, including a Venetian entrepreneur who's words still effect me to this day. The quote featured on the homepage of my portfolio comes from the excerpt on the right - a handwritten brain dump from the entrepreneurs workshop.

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Last but certainly not least, I took a wine tasting class centered around the wines of Tuscany. This class taught me about proper business-etiquette and expanded my mind, and palette, in ways I didn't think it could. I learned how to have proper business meetings (the Italian way) and how the art of gastronomy can actually bring people closer together. 

These experiences reshaped my mind in many ways. I gained a newfound independence, deepened my love for all things fashion, fell in love with food & wine, grew more confident, and began viewing the world with an opened mind. I feel that everybody should step out of their comfort zones and travel alone at least once in their life.