Andrew was selected as an SAI scholarship recipient and blogger for the Spring 2015 term. He is a current student at the University of Alabama studying at John Cabot University (JCU) in Rome, Italy during the Spring 2015 term.

Tell us why you chose to study abroad.
I want to study abroad to further explore the world, learn about other cultures, and to retrace my Italian heritage.

Tell us about your school, major, interests, clubs (you in a nutshell).
I am a junior majoring at the University of Alabama. I work part time during the semester as a commercial loan clerk at the university’s credit union. I created and host my own radio show through UA’s student radio station. For one hour a week I host Crimson 80’s, a show dedicated to all music from the 1980s.

What are you most excited about re. studying abroad?
I am really excited to explore Rome at an intimate level that most visitors cannot experience in a simple vacation. I cannot wait to try to assimilate myself to the daily life of a city with more than 3000 years of history, culture, and tradition that was once the center of the world.

What are you most nervous about re. studying abroad?
I am nervous about the language barrier since I have never had any formal Italian education. I took Spanish in high school and grammatically they two are similar, but that will not really help me shop for groceries or find my way around the city.

What are three goals that you would like to achieve/accomplish while abroad?
-Work to only use Italian when out and about around Rome and Italy.
-Attend Easter mass at the Vatican.
-Travel to the town my family lived in before moving to America.