The experience I'm currently undergoing is nothing short of incredible. Being immersed in an entirely international environment, far away from home, has allowed me to gain a unique perspective and reevaluate many aspects of my life. The community, food, and daily experiences have completely transformed, and I'm now studying alongside individuals from all over the world, learning from their experiences and cultures.

Although the first semester presented its challenges, such as the exhausting task of studying and living in different languages, I managed to improve my Italian significantly and achieve excellent grades in my courses. However, as I approach the second semester, I'm faced with a new challenge: more complex courses, such as "Neuroscience and Data Analysis." While I'm confident in my ability to overcome them, my biggest concern is being able to pay for my studies and sustain myself here in Europe.

Despite my efforts to cut expenses and increase my income, it's still not enough. That's why I'm reaching out once more to ask for your help. If you want to aid me in excelling both academically and personally, please consider making a donation and sharing the link with others.

Your contribution will make an enormous difference in my life and future prospects, and I cannot thank you enough for considering my request. Ti ringrazio molto, Arrivederci.

André Sebastian

- I -

Growing up in Ecuador, I attended public schools my entire life, which instilled in me valuable life lessons in empathy, resilience, and teamwork necessary to overcome obstacles.

My work as a clinical psychologist in Ecuador taught me that some mental health issues require social support rather than individual solutions. Thus, I collaborated with NGOs and created programs that promote favorable social conditions for mental health support.

For the past two years, I have been relentlessly pursuing my goal of pursuing a master's degree abroad to gain a more extensive perspective on mental health. Despite facing significant challenges, including expenses related to paperwork, relocation, and tuition fees, I remained determined to achieve my goal.

Fortunately, with the generous support of many individuals, I was able to relocate to Italy in September 2023 and embark on my studies at the oldest university in the Western world.

-II -

The first few months in Italy were quite an adventure. Navigating through the bureaucratic procedures and wandering through the streets proved to be quite a challenge, especially since speaking English or Spanish wasn't very helpful in offices and supermarkets. This forced me to improvise my Italian and hone my skills in "charades".

Luckily, the people were very kind and patient, and I managed to obtain my university credentials and apply for my residency permit. Once again, creating a community proved to be one of the best ways to solve problems. I met some very kind people who showed me the hidden gems of the city and even gave me a bicycle to help me explore.

At first, the long sunny days made it easy for me to adapt to the city, but gradually the weather became a challenge and classes took up almost all of my time during the day. Fortunately, my mostly international classmates made the long days of classes more bearable, and the professors offered interesting perspectives and current research data.

As the classes and the year drew to a close, it became a great challenge to study away from home during the holiday season, stirring up a range of emotions. However, it was an experience that allowed me to grow and discover incredible places like Venice on New Year's Eve. And so, a new chapter of this study abroad adventure began in 2023.

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