Hey! My name is Chloe and I’m so glad you’re here!

I decided to create this blog because I have been playing around with ways to record my life events, but I wanted to do it in the best way so that I can share my experiences with others. A few years ago in 2017, I took a trip with a group from my university and we traveled to four different European countries in one month: Italy, Austria, Germany, and Czech Republic. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I had an inkling the moment we landed in Rome that I would have a special connection to Europe. Throughout the trip I kept a journal of events every single day, and it is amazing to now look back and flip through my adventures—truly remembering every moment. I will be thankful for that forever!

Fast forward a couple years and I graduated from Virginia Tech a semester early (Go Hokies!) and knew my European adventures couldn’t have been limited to my one study abroad trip. I did some research and found a 10 week intensive Spanish language course in Salamanca, Spain…So I packed my bags and I was off to Europe once again to live in Spain for a few months. During that time, I kept a blog so that my friends and family could read along and follow my journey.

Well, while I was in Spain I was told about a job opening for an internship in Rome, Italy.. I had graduated college & I had no plan, so I thought, “why the hell not?” I applied and wasn’t expecting anything of it but I had a chance to stop in Rome on my way back to the US on the tail end of my Spanish adventure. I actually stopped by the office and made some amazing connections. I had fallen in love with Rome all over again! After all, Rome was the first place in Europe I had ever stepped foot, and was the city that stole my heart!

Months go by, I was back in Virginia and I hadn’t heard anything from the job. So, I had been applying to jobs in DC and I picked up a nannying job. I was really accepting that I was going to be staying in the DC area and I was actually quite happy with it. It was going to be a new stage in my life and I could stay close to my friends and family. But life likes to play you like that… One random afternoon, I got an email from the job basically saying “Hi, here is your contract. Sign it, send it back, pick up your work visa, and we will see you in 4 weeks”— WHAT?! This was crazy and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go anymore. After all, I had settled back into my life, I was about to accept a job in DC and it was just out of NOWHERE. But anyone who knows me knows that I can’t turn down an opportunity like this even though it was extremely out of my comfort zone. But it was just an internship for four months and it was an opportunity to work and live in Italy so I was like, “Alright, here we go I guess!” (Shout out to my parents for supporting and helping me make this happen).

So in September, 2019 I packed up and moved to Rome thinking I would be home in February, 2020… it’s now almost May 2020, we are in the middle of a global pandemic, and I have just accepted a job offer here so I think I am here to stay for a while. What a life…

• Side note – I hope everyone is doing okay during these difficult times. Stay home, stay safe & protect one another and we will get through this ❤

Many of you read and liked my blog that I wrote while I was in Spain, so I hope you enjoy following my stories, tips, and adventures this time around!

So…Redhead, Set, GO!