Last year, I embarked on a journey to spend two months in Abruzzo, Italy to work with Salviamo l'Orso, a charity dedicated to saving the Marsican brown bear from extinction. My trip was funded by Wildlife Media, and I had the honor of representing them as an ambassador. The experience was nothing short of incredible. I got to work alongside students from all over the world, as we identified wildlife, learned about handling camera traps and monitoring systems while hiking in the mountains. It was a truly life-changing experience and it only fueled my passion for connecting humans to nature to improve mental well-being. Not only did I gain valuable skills to navigate difficult situations, but I also learned how to interact and co-exist with the local Italian people. One of my many highlights was being able to drive an automatic pickup truck in the mountains after only passing my driving test a few weeks before leaving. Being a part of a team of volunteers, I also developed my communication and management skills as we had to coordinate and organize our daily tasks. I also loved learning about all of the wildlife that call Abruzzo home and how by protecting the bears it improves the lives of all of the wildlife there. Trying to find the bears was an experience in itself! Unfortunately, there are only 50 individuals left, so protecting them is vital for the ecosystem in Italy. It was a great learning experience living and sharing a house with people from all around the world. Overall, this trip to Italy was a defining moment in my life, and I will never forget it.