Summer in Europe: Christian D.

Rising senior Christian Duarte visited eight European countries this summer! This seasoned traveler started off studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria through UF and then ended with an internship at the recruitment/headhunting agency Rehrl + Partner.

Christian shared one of several funny anecdotes from her excursions in the birthplace of Western culture: “I was swimming in one of the many gorgeous beaches of Croatia when I look up and see a guy push a girl off a cliff into the water. My first thought: Murder! She's obviously dead. But then I saw her come out of the water alive and laughing, and the guy, along with their friends jump in after her. So of course, after seeing that they all lived, I went to find my friends so we could all jump of the giant cliff. It was amazing!”

So, Christian, if offered the opportunity to spend a summer studying abroad and interning in Europe, should we?

“Yes! This whole trip has been an amazing experience. There is not one country I have enjoyed more or less than the other, and each have given me a whole new perspective on the world that I will cherish forever. The people I have met, places I have visited, and things I have seen have influenced me deeply, and I encourage everyone to travel, because there is so much beauty to be seen out there.”

Sisterhood Spotlight: Sallie S.

If you thought being an Accounting major is boring, think again! Our sister, Sallie Stern, is interning in London this summer at The St. Bride Foundation, a nonprofit organization that upholds a historic printing library.

Between her internship and taking classes at the Foundation for International Education in London, Sallie still finds time to be a tourist. So far she’s seen Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Trooping of Colors celebration (where she caught a glimpse of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace!).

           

On the weekends Sallie visits places like France and Wales and she even spent the week long break between the summer semesters in Ireland!

Sister Spotlight: Mary H.

            We have a sister with saltwater running through her veins and her name is Mary Hoffman!  

Mary is working as a lifeguard this summer in Atlantic Beach, Florida for the fifth time. This workaholic partakes in friendly competition with her coworkers to see who can get the most hours in one pay period.

When she’s not rescuing beachgoers, Mary is hanging out with her lifeguard family and playing big kickball matches every Sunday after work. Her fellow guards have become brothers and sisters to her, and their captain, a second father.

Our resident beach kid is “thanking her lucky stars” that she was one of four chosen way back in 2009 for this sunny position and we can’t wait to hear about her adventures when we’re all reunited in Gainesville!

Sister Spotlight: Kylie B.

Ladybug spotting!

Upon arrival at her cousin’s home in Massena, New York Kylie Braddy found a ladybug on the front railing. Not only are ladybugs the unofficial mascot of Phi Mu, but they are also a sign in Kylie’s family that her grandfather is looking out for them.

This sighting was foreshadowing to an amazing trip filled with white water rafting, catching lightning bugs, fishing as the sun set (and reeling in her first catch!), and swimming in the Hudson River through the Adirondack Mountains!

Kylie toured the town of Massena, soaking up the breathtaking plants and wildlife, and came to an important conclusion: “The trip only reassured me that I absolutely love the small town, country feel and that family is the most important thing in life! I also found out that upstate New York trumps New York City!”

Sister Spotlight: Kimberly P.

Our star-in-the-making, Kimberly Percuoco, took another step in pursuing her dreams this summer when she visited the mecca of country music, Nashville, Tennessee.  

She toured the new American Pickers at Marathon Village, saw the studio where Taylor Swift recorded her first album, and even met Ice Cube on his tour bus! And if that isn’t exciting enough, she was invited to an exclusive bar named ‘The Spot’ where she met the executive lead producer for the show Nashville, Justin Noel. Her meeting with Bill LaBounty, a successful songwriter who has penned hits for stars such as Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, and Tim McGraw made the trip even more amazing.

LaBounty and his wife have agreed to help Kimberly get started in the music industry and she will be moving to Nashville at the end of the summer!