Found my place in Florence!

Many thanks to Melanie Guardino, an International Fashion Merchandising Management student at FIT, who looked high and low throughout Florence to locate my new apartment for me. She's a student ambassador with the Office of International Programs at FIT who moved to Florence and currently helps new students get settled into life there. My apartment is on Via Lacopo da Diacceto - my new street. My landlord, Carlo Seghi and his family live on the top level of this beautiful building - my apartment is on the first level.

My apartment is a one bedroom place - pretty small, but the location is magnificent! I'm just a few minutes walk to the Duomo (the cathedral in the center), Santa Croce - a hip neighborhood, the train station and to school.

I'm still practicing my Italian, filing for my visa, trying to rent my condo, selling my car, selling my belongings (except for two suitcases), preparing to work fashion week in Miami, trying to finish strong at my current job, and focusing on keeping God first in all of this. I'm feeling the weight of it all, but I am so excited. I'm on my way to living out my dreams! The journey is a dream in and of itself...

... so, if you're wondering if I have enough time for you, my heart is to make time. Staying connected to my family and friends is of the utmost importance to me. None of this is worth anything if there aren't people you love to share it with. Thank you for sharing this time with me. It means the world!

I'm moving to Italy!

Yes, you heard right! I'm moving to Florence, Italy!

For those of you who don’t know, I was accepted into Fashion Institute of Technology’s International Fashion Design program. It’s a two-year program: one year in Florence, Italy and one year in New York City. This is seriously the opportunity of a lifetime. I’ve wanted to do this for over 10 years now, and I’m finally doing it.

Some people have asked me “why now?” All I can say is it’s now or never. This is one of the only things in life that I know I will truly regret not going after. So instead of taking my dream to the grave with me, I thought I’d turn this baby loose and see what she can do! J

Loving that song by Drake by the way! “I’m doing me, I’m doing me, I’m living life right now and this is what I’m gonna to do til its over, til its over, but its far from over!” Sorry if I botched the lyrics, but that's what I heard when I took a listen ;)

I can’t wait to share with you all of the amazing things God is doing in my life – the lessons I’m learning, the risks I’m taking and the way I’m going to be able to make a difference in the world. This life has so much purpose!

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Separate note - to my blog kings and queens - please call me out if I'm not giving appropriate recognition for other people's content. I know about this a little, but it's different when you're doing it.