At the end of our semester in Italy, I was sad to say goodbye but ready to see my family and friends stateside.

While in Italy, I pulled an all-nighter to watch Barack Obama win the presidential election, a pivotal political moment for the U.S. and the world.

Sometimes a great adventure story comes from the simplest act of moving outside one’s comfort zone, as expats do.

Verona is a distracting place: one minute you’re headed to a Roman amphitheater, the next you’re climbing a beautiful, mysterious staircase.

The recipe for pizza seems simple: dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella. But ask an Italian baker and he’ll tell you otherwise.

Venice, once a capital of music and art, is now mobbed with foreign tourists, lines and overpriced restaurants.

During a visit to Padova, Italy, I wanted a cultural immersion — but I was still grateful for a small dose of American familiarity.

Lesson learned: Don’t plan a Saturday night rendezvous “at the bell tower” in any town in Italy, the land of a million bells.