Hello World!

If you’re seeing this post, the blog is successfully up and working! (Or, at least, in a state of primitive functionality…)

My name is Tanner Shelly, and I am a First-Year Cybersecurity major with plans to double major in Network Engineering Technology and minor in Philosophy. I love to mountain bike and hike, as well as grab my camera and take pictures of whatever strikes my fancy! As I go through the trip, this website should be well-populated with pictures that I’ve taken.

As for the “study abroad” portion of this blog, I currently imagine Italy as a more picturesque and beautiful place than the United States, and the places I will be visiting (Venice, Florence, Milan) reinforce these ideas. I imagine it is adorned with excellent cuisine, storied history (see the Roman Empire), and remarkable landmarks and countryside landscapes, per your average American’s stereotypical understanding of Italy (hence why I expect to also challenge that stereotype!).

While I do understand that Italy has its roots in plenty of storied history, notably the ancient Roman Empire and its expansion into Gaul, I lack knowledge of time periods beyond that in Italy. It makes me eager to learn and discover what awaits me in a land so foreign to me, the typical American, while keeping an eye out for notable influences of da Vinci on modern-day Italy. I have made trips to foreign countries before with Japan being the most culturally significant and shocking, but Europe will be a completely new leaf to turn.

I look forward to embracing a new perspective on the world through Italy, and I hope that this trip will give me the insight needed to expand my cultural horizons!

-Tanner