To give is to receive. Albeit cliché, ISI students discover the truth in this saying while volunteering in the local community. ISI students Nadiya Chuchvara, Jingying Zhou, and Yaquelin Shephard stepped out of their comfort zones and joined Florence’s volunteer program, “Angeli del Bello”. The girls worked together removing graffiti from the walls of Santa Maria Novella train station. “We had a lot of fun. It was nice to get out of the ‘study abroad’ bubble and not only meet locals but also help preserve the beauty of this amazing city,” Zhou says. ISI Florence has been connecting students with available internships throughout the city for over ten years. “It’s a give and take,” says Serena Giorgi, ISI coordinator for volunteering; “yes, students get to help the community but they also get direct contact with the locals. They become a part of Florence.” Students spend a few hours each week in their chosen internship. As Giorgi says, “It’s a learning experience that goes beyond books.”