“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

When living in a new country or city, this quote should be applied quite literally. For the month of May, our group lived as if we were Cortona natives, and we absolutely loved it. This amazing small town has so much to offer from the amazing views, restaurants, shops, and locals. Walking through town to grab lunch was like a social outing because of all of the locals we would see that we had met previously. Even if one of the Italians did not speak English, we would still receive a huge smile and wave! I have never been to a place that was so welcoming of literally every type of person; I never once felt out of place or just simply “an American in Italy.” On our weekend trips to Rome and Florence, my friends and I even felt homesick for Cortona because of how different the cities and vibes were. I really enjoyed and loved my time in Cortona, and I have definite plans of returning someday.