And so it begins..

Hello! My name is Nicole, I'm 16, and I'm trying to go to Italy through AFS! However, this journey will cost about $10,000 or more. Through this blog, I hope to raise awareness of my cause and fundraisers, as well as providing a location for people to donate.

I suppose I should start off by saying what living in Italy for a semester would mean to me. In February, I went to China for nearly two weeks. During that time, I was so in awe of the fact that I was actually somewhere else in the world, seeing new things and having new experiences for the first time. Ever since we came back, I've been yearning for the opportunity to travel somewhere else. Living in Italy would give me the chance to fully immerse myself in another language, culture, and way of living. I would attend a school in which they would speak Italian, which would require me to take language classes two or three times a week. I would live with a host family and have host siblings, who would show me what they do for fun and introduce me to all of their friends.

Through this experience, I would mature and learn so much more than I could in California. I think it would be a great opportunity for me to learn about another culture, as well learn about myself. I hope I am able to raise as much money as I can to make this dream a reality. During my time in Italy, I would be updating this blog as frequently as possible, as a way to give back to those who donate. Any little bit helps!

-Nicole