By Caylee Brand
After four months spent studying abroad in Florence, I reflect on my favorite moments as well as lessons I’ve learned, and share some of my friends stories as well.
After nearly four months abroad, I have turned Florence, Italy into a home. I rarely ever use Google Maps, I’m a regular at my favorite sandwich shop, I know where everything is in my local grocery store, and I can order and ask for directions in Italian. It’s a huge contrast from where I started back in January as I touched down in a city I had never been to before, or knew much about at all. I am so proud of how far I have come in only a few months, and wanted to share some of my friends and my most notable stories from this semester.
Let’s start with first impressions. I have never lived in a city with so much history. Seeing intricate, centuries-old architecture lining cobblestone streets was initially, and still is, fascinating and intimidating. I remember my jaw dropping when I saw the Duomo on my first night. I was also pleasantly surprised by the prices…I could get a coffee and pastry for no more than 3 euros, my weekly grocery bill rarely exceeded 30 euros, and I could do a nice dinner out for 20 euros. However, navigating was difficult at the start – I think my nose was practically buried in my maps app for the first two weeks. My friend Emma Ash, who I met through my roommate, agreed and described her first impression of Florence as “scary, big, and overwhelming…every path [she] took to class or get anywhere felt like a maze.” Don’t worry though, after settling in she found it really easy to get around!
After a while, we all started getting used to life in Florence. I broke out of my shell a bit more, which was mainly due to dedicating time to doing things on my own. One of my favorite memories was spending a day at the Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti. Prior to then, I had never been to a museum by myself. Now, I make an effort to, as it was such a special, emotional experience. One of the most poignant paintings I saw in Palazzo Pitti was in an exhibit featuring the works of Jewish artist Rudolf Levy. Titled “Woman Playing the Guitar,” it is an unfinished piece, as it is the last one he worked on before being abducted by the Nazis to a concentration camp. It was extremely powerful. I spent the next few hours wandering through the property at my own pace, appreciating priceless art in a way I wouldn’t have otherwise. My roommate, Audrey Taylor, had a similar experience on a day trip to Bologna. “It was scary to take a trip by myself; I didn’t think I would like exploring a city alone,” said Taylor, “but I’m proud that I did it. I actually enjoyed it and want to do more solo trips.”
Another classic part of the study abroad experience is traveling to other places on the weekends, and with this being many of us students’ first time planning, booking, and carrying out trips on our own it wasn’t always the smoothest process. “Some days we would take a bus, train, tram, plane, and boat just to get to somewhere that wasn’t even far,” said Ryan Manor, who I met in my journalism class at FUA. Taylor had a similar experience, mentioning how she took “five connections to get from Florence to Amsterdam…it didn’t even save [her] a lot of money.” Her advice? “Just book the direct flight.” However, as the semester goes on, we learned from those mistakes and became pros at traveling out of Florence. I can navigate the Santa Maria Novella train station with my eyes closed, and I love utilizing the easy tram to the airport. Figuring it all out is a learning curve for sure, but a life skill we’ll all take back with us.
A common theme that many of my friends mentioned was how much they valued the routine, everyday moments where they could really take in the magic of the city. “I think one of my favorite memories when I reminisce on my time here would simply be my walk to class every morning,” Manor said. “I always wake up and set out with a cup of coffee and music in my ears.” Similarly, Ash stated her favorite moments are those she spends sitting on a bench in the park near her apartment, taking in the sunshine and listening to the birds chirping. These moments, which may seem insignificant at the time, are so special looking back. I realize how much I am going to miss walking past the fruit stand in Piazza di San Pier Maggiore, the quirky panda graffiti hiding down an alleyway on my street, or the countless pasticcerias I am always tempted to stop in.
In January, I entered Florence as a stranger, and in May, I leave as a friend. After over 100 days here, I have learned lessons about myself as well as the world around me, forged lifelong friendships, and made memories that I will cherish throughout the rest of my life.
“I’m really gonna miss this place,” said Taylor.
Yeah. Me too.