Tawanna Browne Smith is a former actress, intelligence analyst, and now traveling mother of two boys. Tawanna has an undergraduate degree from Stanford University and holds a Masters degree in International Security and Economic Policy. Creative and analytical, she is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Mom's Guide To Travel, a site that provides multimedia content aimed at encouraging parents to continue exploring the world with and without kids. Tawanna works with hotel brands and tourism boards to experience and market their products.

In addition to producing travel video content, authoring two books, including Mom's Guide To Saving Money on Family Travel, Tawanna has written about travel for Examiner.com, NileGuide.com, 10Best USA Today, TravelChannel.com, Trip Advisor, and Family Vacation Critic. When she's not traveling for business, Tawanna appreciates the inherent adventure in family travel and draws from her personal experiences to provide insight and coach other moms on how to enhance their lives through travel. Learn more: http://momsguidetotravel.com/

What motivated your decision to go abroad? How/why did you choose where to go?

I was motivated by a pure desire to learn more about the world. For high school, I attended a boarding school in Connecticut with kids from all around the world. That early experience meeting people who were so different from what I knew in Brooklyn made a lasting impression. I had Korean friends, Vietnamese friends, Saudi friends, Spanish friends, French friends, and the list goes on. I used to listen to their stories about their home and where they'd spend school breaks and knew I wanted to see more of the world.

It was an easy decision figuring out where I wanted to go. I had taken Italian for the first time in junior high school and absolutely fell in love with the language. It wasn't until college when I could pursue the language again. I dug my heels into it determined to become fluent. When I learned that Stanford had a campus in Florence, exclusively for its exchange students, I was on a mission. We had requirements to be semi-fluent and to have taken a certain number of courses. I surpassed those requirements so that there was no debate about my acceptance into the program.

What was your experience like? What is your favorite memory? What were some challenges you observed?

Florence was an amazing experience. I was placed with the sweetest Italian family. My Italian parents owned a camera shop and two apartments. They had a daughter, Veruska, who spoke a tiny bit of English. They spoke no English, so it was truly an immersive experience. I lived in the apartment beneath theirs which was scary at first to be living in a foreign country in my own apartment. After a couple of weeks once I settled in, I realized how cool it was to be 19 and kinda on my own in Florence.

It's crazy, I remember the name of the street and all.. Via della Fonderia.

I have so many fond memories but I'd say one of my favorite memories is that of my mother coming up to the school one day to check on me when I was really sick with the flu or something. I was really surprised and touched by that. No other student had one of their parents stopping by to check on them. She really did make me feel like I was her daughter. When you're 19, you think you're grown when really you're not. You still crave the warmth of a motherly hug.

Besides the communication at first, it was challenging being one of very few black people in Florence. I didn't see any black Americans there in '94. I did make one friend on the way home from school. She was from Nigeria and studying for a semester in Florence as well. It was nice to see someone that looked like you in a city where no one else did.

Florence isn't big and when the tourists weren't there, it was easy to remember a familiar but different face. As a New Yorker that scared me, just from a safety perspective. I was constantly aware of my surroundings and making sure no one was following me. I could have been paranoid or maybe it was just street smarts but I definitely walked around the city looking over my shoulder.

I got a lot of unwanted attention from men. I remember one situation when I was going up an escalator in a mall and this couple was on the steps ahead of me. The man kept glancing back at me. The wife caught him and muttered in Italian. She was pissed. Now I can laugh about it but back then it made me self-conscious. It was much easier when I explored the city with friends from school.

What skills did you develop from your experience? Do you feel changed from your experience abroad?

Well, the one obvious skill I gained was learning Italian. I think the Florence experience made me hungrier to explore more foreign cultures. It made me more curious and taught me how to deal in uncomfortable cultural situations. I learned that no matter what language you speak or don't speak, a smile is universal. Growing up in Brooklyn, you didn't walk around with a smile on your face. People thought you were crazy. Everyone walked around looking hard or with an attitude. I learned that you have to watch people and make adjustments to every new environment because they're all different.

Has your experience helped you get to where you are today?

I wouldn't say my experience helped me get to where I am today. It's rather a small thread in the larger story of my travel life, an early precursor. After living in Italy and visiting other parts of Europe while I was on exchange, I knew I wanted to either live in Europe or visit again. Since that first exchange, I've traveled to Europe many times visiting countries like Cyprus, Greece, England, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. In fact, two years after Florence I did an exchange in The Hague, Holland. I was very tempted to set up roots and live there. That wasn't my fate but I had an amazing time during my exchange and think back to the experience with happy memories. I'm still good friends with three women that I met that summer.

What advice would you share with other students who are thinking of going abroad?

When I learned that I'd be studying abroad, I made sacrifices. I focused on spending less and saving more. I researched Italy to see what the cost of living was like and how far my money would take me. I knew that I'd want to go shopping for leather, shoes, and bags so I made sure not to buy any of those things on the months leading up to my travels. I worked extra hours at my school jobs and saved, saved, saved before and during the summer.

I'd say to make sure you do the research. Figure out how much you spend daily at home and save as much as that for your abroad experience where you'll most likely not be working unless you have an online business that generates income for you. Create a budget for yourself. Nowadays, you can look and see how much goods cost in foreign countries. We didn't have access like that in the 90s so you have an advantage of doing some really sound financial planning before you leave. Open a separate bank account that you don't have easy access to (i.e., a debit card) and just automatically place savings in that account weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. The money will accumulate quickly.

In general, do as much research on the city and culture where you'll be visiting. Learn some basic vocabulary if you don't have fluency. People are impressed when you say some words (or at least try to) in their language.

How has international education impacted or influenced your cultural identity?

International education made me aware that foreign perceptions of my culture differ and I find that very fascinating. I love dispelling perceptions and re-educating people, whether they are people from abroad or people from home.

#StudyAbroadBecause it will expand your mind, open your eyes, & change your life.

All photos courtesy and copyright Tawanna Browne Smith