# @marist on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CdGewlYLYQ7
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/76449398-marist-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/94a9ff958e.jpg
- **Posted:** 2022-05-03T15:40:11.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Marist College (@Marist) — https://gondola.cc/Marist

## Caption

𝓡𝓮𝓭 𝓕𝓸𝔁 𝓕𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮𝓼 🦊 

Riley Abate ’22 knew that she wanted to travel to Florence since she committed to Marist College to play Division I Soccer in 2017. During her final semester on campus, the four-year senior was able to accomplish that goal. Only familiar with one other student traveling to Italy as well, Riley ended up meeting an unlikely duo that made her time in Florence feel a little bit more like home. 

“My building is on top of a wine store, and underneath is a cute grandma and grandpa. They started in the United States, but now live here and have been here for 40 years. And they really help us out with everything. When we come home from classes and its night out, they're always like, 'Oh, goodnight!' and in the morning going to class [they’ll say] ‘Have fun at class!’ So it's really nice having a sense of home here.”

“I've never been in a situation that I knew I couldn't drive home to see my family or have my close friends by my side,” she said. However, by just exploring the store below her apartment, she gained a relationship that would last the entirety of her time abroad. 

“We walked in the store - it’s a really cute little wine shop - and we just started talking. They're super friendly. And they [said], ‘We see you walk every day to your apartment’. They asked for our story. We learned about their relationship and everything. And every day we stop in and say hi to them.”

As her time in Florence comes to an end, Riley not only gained a new support system abroad, but can’t wait to return to her family and friends at home very soon.

Riley Abate ‘22 #RedFoxFeaturesAbroad

🎤: Bailey Colón
📸: Matthew Moraski

#Marist #RedFoxFamily #StudentStories #CampusLife #StudentRun #Connected #MaristItaly

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 484
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- **Comments:** 6

## Credits

No public credits are recorded here. This does not identify who made the post.

## Tags

campuslife, studentrun, redfoxfamily, studentstories, connected, maristitaly, redfoxfeaturesabroad, marist

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