Hi there! Sara here. I’m Rome Abroad’s Managing Director.

A lot of people have been asking about our story lately. So I’m going to start from the beginning.

The year is 2007. I am in high school, sitting in Art History in a dark classroom looking at slides of Renaissance art.

Over the course of the next few months, I fall in lovewith art history, especially the incredible architecture and paintings of Italy.

Fast forward to 2009 — my friend has a friend who has a friend of a family in Pisa who would like to host a native English speaker to help their daughter speak English.

Long story short: I fell in love. I loved everything about Italy — the culture, the food, the cobblestone streets, the art, the people, the gelato, and the whole lifestyle! In fact, I loved it so much that I spent another summer there. And another! After 3 times of living with a host family in Italy, I realized that everyone should have this kind of opportunity!

When I came home, I had grown so much in confidence, made lifelong friends, and learned so much about myself and my culture. I also learned a lot about the world and gained a perspective that was more well-rounded.

Because this experience changed my life in such a positive way (but it wasn’t all easy!), I wanted to give that chance to other people. So in February 2015, I started the company Rome Abroad.

Now I’ve helped over 130 people have similar experiences in Italy, Spain, China, France, and Australia!

When I think of what Rome Abroad gives, I think of this quote by Mark Twain:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

That is the goal. To help others have amazing experiences with other cultures and ultimately, eradicate prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness by helping others create broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things through this experience.  

 

Outside the Colosseum in Rome 

 

Inside the Pantheon in Rome 

 

Outside the leaning tower of Pisa, just a short walk from my host family’s apartment

 

On a trip to visit Florence 

 

 

So that’s our story! How has traveling helped YOU grow?