#gap-year

#gap-year

I went to Texas A&M University. It's a big school in a small-town bubble, where friendliness and tradition rule. I built a good life in Texas. I married a local boy, raised kids, built a career, and did everything the cultural syllabus told me to do. But deep down, I always felt a little out of place, like the transfer student who arrived halfway through the semester.

I felt welcome in Florence, and meeting people was easy. In Italy, I was spoiled by the welcoming nature of the Florentines I met. From the start, I was getting approached by locals in bars, overjoyed to speak with an American.