Ever since I was a mere child, I have always been warned against talking to strangers. This admonition has followed me into adulthood and even today it takes great courage for me to walk up to someone I don’t know and begin a conversation.

Whether one calls this fear or shyness, it is a problem that must be overcome when one studies in a foreign country.

Everyone finds a different solution to this dilemma and each has its own results. They may talk to people that are most like them and, therefore, gain friends that are tourists similar to themselves. They may meet one person and use that friendship to meet more people. Each method has its own drawbacks and benefits.

Many people who live in Florence have told me, "Florence really is a small city," referring to the fact that once you know enough people, you will always run into people you know around the city.

I wanted to find a way to get over my shyness in order to meet enough people that I would feel the “smallness” of the city Florentines feel.

Soon the perfect opportunity presented itself in the one form that I am most comfortable with: art. I am taking Introduction to Digital Photography and our latest assignment: take pictures of strangers. CLOSE UP.

With my little point-and-shoot camera, zooming in isn’t a feasible option so I will need to get close to people. There is no pretending to take a picture of something else while actually taking a picture of the subject.

I begin by learning a key phrase in Italian; “Posso fare una foto per scuola?” (Can I take a picture for school?)

Then the search begins. Wandering the streets of Florence, I scope out potential victims and shyly make my first attempt.

How harmful can it be to ask three little old ladies if I can take their picture?

I approach them and, surprisingly, they say yes. When I begin to move in close, however, the first woman becomes very upset and almost begins to cry!

I am determined not to let this stop me and continue to seek out people. I soon discover that with a few exceptions, most people are completely willing to allow me to take their photo, even if the camera is being held mere inches away from their face. Many even say thank you when I am done.

Since this discovery, I have taken dozens of pictures of people on the street and, consequently, have come to realize how small Florence really is.

I continue to run into several people who I have photographed. Some recognize me and some don’t, but just being able to walk around the city and recognize faces makes it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like home. (And I got some amazing photos!)

Ciao from the American in Italy.