Hi!! I’m Alyvia, but everyone calls me Lyv!
Right now, I’m studying abroad in Florence for four months, and it honestly still doesn’t feel real. I’m so excited to experience a completely new culture, try all the food (yes, all the pasta and pizza), and just live somewhere so different from what I’m used to. Being in a city with so much history is already such a cool experience.
I’m also really excited to travel outside of Florence and explore as much of Europe as I can while I’m here. Places like Rome, Switzerland, and Paris are suddenly so much closer than they’ve ever been, and I definitely want to take advantage of that before heading back to the United States.
At home, I go to the University of New Hampshire, where I’m a junior majoring in Information Systems & Business Analytics and Finance. My younger brother is actually a freshman there too, which is kind of funny (and fun) for our family!
I’ve lived in New Hampshire my whole life and grew up in a small farm town in southern NH, so moving to a busy, historic city like Florence is a huge change from quiet country roads and open fields. I’m really hoping this experience pushes me outside my comfort zone and lets me see and do things I never would’ve had the chance to back home.
I can’t wait to meet new people from all over the world, hear their stories, and make memories I’ll never forget. I’m so excited for everything ahead and can’t wait to share my adventures along the way!
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by visiting www.gilmanscholarship.org.
