Jess Baumann

When I first came across this program, little did I know that it would be an experience of a lifetime. Before coming to Urbino, I had never been out of the country, therefore I had no idea what to expect. Coming to Urbino has forced me to go out of my comfort zone—simply being somewhere where no one speaks English, asking strangers to take their pictures, interviewing Italians, etc. I have multiple places that I am lucky enough to call home: New Jersey, James Madison University, and now Urbino, Italy. Urbino was the perfect destination for me to study abroad. This quiet but lively and small town has been so good to me; Urbino forced me to immerse myself in the Italian culture and learn so many new things. A big thank you to my parents for letting me come to Italy and be involved with this amazing program! I’ll be back one day Italy!