I have always loved art. When I visited my grandfather’s apartment as a young girl, I would spend endless hours staring into the beautiful pages of his art books, wondering at all the paintings from the different ages. I frequented museums to witness with my own eyes the wonderful brushwork of the Renaissance, the statues and sculptures of Ancient Greece and Rome, and the sketches of famous artists like Da Vinci.
For this coming summer, I searched to find a program that incorporated my love of art and my desire to experience other cultures. I scoured the internet and through countless brochures, but none of the programs seemed to be right for me. When I learned about the GoAbbeyRoad art program to Florence Italy, I knew I had found my perfect match. For years I had considered traveling to the heartland of art, and now I finally have an opportunity to go to this incredible country. With this program, not only will I be experiencing Italian life and culture, but I will also be learning new art techniques in a city renowned for its breathtaking architecture, statues, and paintings. I know that this trip will provide me with an amazing opportunity to experience Italian life and culture, and will be an unforgettable life experience.
What I hope to gain from this program is to have the experience of a lifetime. I am hoping that I will meet people who share my love of many different subjects, including art of course, and that I will establish lifelong friendships through this experience. I also hope that I am able to learn about and enjoy Italian culture, food, and maybe even shopping. Most of all, though, what I hope to gain from this trip is the knowledge and skills to work in a new medium of art and find myself through it.
During our first day in Florence-- literally a few hours after we got off the plane-- we travelled around the inner parts of te city. This is one of the churches in the area which the locals call Duomo. Seriously huge and very beautiful, it took me a few minutes to get this small part into my camera frame. :D 
After that, we all went to dinner at this really nice little side restaurant where we were served salad, some really good pasta, and icecream that tasted like fruitloops on top of fresh fruit. It was agreat time to get to know everyone and enjoy some nice food after a really long and tiring day.