Ciao miei amici (Hello my friends)! My name is Maxine Smith, I am 19 years old, and I look forward to having you joining me on this journey of a lifetime!
I am from the diverse city of Yonkers, NY and have been studying Italian since I was in ninth grade. I loved practicing the language, learning about the culture, and of course, eating all the scrumptious Italian foods! Determined to become a fluent Italian speaker, I continued to study Italian when I started college last year at Dartmouth. This led me to my school's study abroad experience in Rome, the capital of Italy. The combination of not knowing anyone else interested in the trip and being so far from my home and family in New York almost made me not take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. However, the chance to improve my Italian, learn more about such a rich and lively culture, and make great American and Italian friends made me push my worries aside!
I am so glad I can share this adventure with you! I hope that by sharing my experiences through my articles, you will feel like you are in Rome with me and maybe even travel here yourself one day!
