Lissette Mitzi Mendez

During my semester abroad in Florence, I traveled nearly every weekend, making the most of being in the center of Europe. One of my favorite memories was meeting up with my cousin in Barcelona, where we explored the city together and reconnected in a completely new setting. Another highlight was Paris, where I spent hours wandering through art museums and picturesque streets. Florence was the perfect home base as it was walkable, inspiring, and well-connected to major destinations. These weekend adventures pushed me out of my comfort zone and sparked a deeper love for travel and spontaneity. 

One thing that truly surprised me about studying abroad was how comfortable I became with traveling independently. I never imagined I’d take a solo trip, but I ended up going to Denmark on my own and it ended up being one of the most empowering experiences of my semester. Navigating a new country by myself taught me how capable and resourceful I can be, even in unfamiliar environments.