By Emma Hynek
Looking through a window in your apartment in Florence provides a beautiful view, and can lead towards a new mindset. If you look closely, you might see more than you expect.
When I got to my apartment in Florence, the windows immediately caught my eye. They’re like the kind you see in a movie – beautiful and grand, just waiting to be flung open. When I look out my window, I have an amazing view of the surrounding terracotta rooftops, the colorful apartments and breathtaking sunsets. I can hear bits and pieces of Italian conversations taking place in the streets. I start and end my day with the sound of church bells floating in through my window.
This description may sound far-fetched, and if I weren’t the one writing it, I would agree. However, the window in my room is more than a pretty picture: I see a city filled with a rich history, lots of culture, and opportunities for change. I look out and I am reminded of the incredible opportunity I have been given.
When I looked through the window for the first time, I could see the next three months of my life in Italy very clearly. The feeling of awe I felt at the time encouraged me to take full advantage of the new environment and learn everything I could. During the resto of my time here, I intend to fully immerse myself in a culture that is not my own and take on any new challenges that will inevitably arise along the way. Spending three months at school in a foreign country will without a doubt allow me to grow as a person in ways I never thought possible.
Is it possible that I got all this inspiration from opening the window in my room? Maybe. Either way, I won’t mind waking up to this view for the next three months.