The Los Angeles International Airport bustles daily with people in the late afternoon. In the midst of the crowds, 20-year-old political science major Taylor Anderson slips off his backpack and waits with other University Study Abroad Consortium students for his flight. Anderson is about to embark on a 10-week summer journey in Torino, Italy where he must adapt, speak and live according to Italian standards.

The University of Nevada, Reno student originally signed up for the program to fulfill the two-year language requirement for his major. But he realized that studying abroad in Italy would offer him the opportunity to learn the language, see Europe and expand his views of the world.

“I also wanted to study abroad during my college career because I think it gives a different perspective of the world,” he says.

A keen observer of politics and current affairs, Anderson also hopes this experience will contribute to his coursework as a political science major. He is particularly eager to learn more about the international affairs, differences in governments and how other nations perceive America.

“I’ll probably have an understanding of how the rest of the world thinks of us, how our government relates to other governments and how the rest of the world operates,” Anderson says.

Anderson will stay in an apartment with other USAC students. He will take seven credits during the two summer sessions, including classes in intermediate Italian and Italian cuisine.

While in Italy, Anderson plans to take full advantage of the field trips the program offers like the daytrip to the Piedmont medieval castles. Anderson will also venture to the Italian coast‘s small fishing villages in the three-day trip to the Italian Riviera during the summer program’s break. He hopes to visit other European countries on his stay in Italy.

“I may visit France and Zurich in Switzerland,” Anderson says. “They’re pretty close so I wanted to visit them.”

Despite challenges that may be ahead, such as his expectation of inevitably getting lost, Anderson remains optimistic and unfazed by living in another country.

“I’m not really that nervous,” Anderson says breezily. “I’m sort of just going with the flow.”

Follow Taylor's adventures in Torino by reading his blog.