My mother is from Italy and my father is from Atlanta, Georgia. I grew up in Atlanta and went to the Atlanta International School, where I began my French studies when I was four years old. I also began learning how to play violin. Junior year I transferred to McCallie, a boarding School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was a huge change in my life, but it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. In high school, I ran cross country, played soccer, joined the rock-climbing team, and ran track. Throughout my life, I have been intrigued with the outdoors. I enjoy mountain biking, fly fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities. For this reason, I am interested in taking this course on Journalism in the west. Since I have spent my entire life learning about climate in the southeast, it would be interesting to learn about environmental problems out west and be able to report on them. This is a new kind of hands on learning I still have not taken part of and am prepared to take full advantage of it.