Help get me to Florence, Italy!

Kristen Rippe Start Date: Feb 18, 2016 - End Date: Nov 17, 2016
  • Florence, Italy

My Travel Story

by: Kristen Rippe Start Date: Feb 18, 2016 - End Date: Nov 17, 2016
From as far as I can remember, there has always been a part of me that has wanted to travel the world. 



I've always thought about studying abroad, but money has always held me back. I just never though it was a possibility until this semester, when I could not leave the study abroad fair on campus to save my life. I just knew that this was it. Nothing was going to stop me this time.  After I've done all my research, I realized that I have a great opportunity to go to Florence, Italy to study abroad for my last semester in college. What better way to end my college career? Italy is somewhere I've only dreamed about going. Even thinking about the fact that it could be a serious possibility is still crazy to me. I feel that going to another country to study is going to be so enriching that I will not be the same person when I return. 

Italy holds such a special place in my heart is because, well, I'm Italian. I come from a crazy, huge, loud Italian family and my grandma was the heart of it all. She was the greatest woman I'll ever know. I want to go to Italy for my own reasons, like experiencing a new culture, seeing the beauty, and growing as a person, but I also want to go for my grandma. She never got the chance to experience Italy, so I want to experience it for her. 
I'm going to work extremely hard in order to make this happen for myself. Taking extra hours at work, working extra hard in school, everything I do for the next year is so I can make this work, but I can only save so much. 

Every penny/nickle/dime is appreciated. Thanks for even taking the time to read this if you do. 


  • Florence, Italy