Ever since I was young, I always dreamed of studying abroad with my twin sister. We were exposed to travel from a very young age where were taught how important traveling is and were very appreciative of the places we had gone as young kids. My voice teacher, Hallie (but also practically my second mother) had gotten Florence in my head for many years before I actually decided on a place to study. I look up to her so much and she is very smart and experienced on traveling, especially in Europe, so her opinion and wisdom was very important to me. After deciding on going to Florence, there are so many things that I have learned even just by being here, the good and the bad.
Some things about Florence that I have learned to love are that the food here is really cheap, and very college student friendly. On the topic of food, all the food is so fresh here and so much better for you without all the preservatives at home. I also love how walkable the entire city of Florence is. I am thankful that my apartment is in the heart of Florence so practically everything is within a 15-minute walk, usually way shorter than that. I also love all the history that is constantly around me. I feel so lucky to be near such interesting stories all day long, and I feel like I learn something new about the city every day.
Some things about Florence that I am still getting used to and do not love is the language barrier. I try and learn a new phrase or word every day or every couple days, but not being able to communicate with most people’s first language can be frustrating because I want to fit in as much as possible. Thankfully, most people in Florence speak English, but I just wish that I could speak a little more Italian than I am now able to so that I can really immerse myself into the culture. Maybe the next time I write this blog I’ll be speaking better and more Italian!
In conclusion, being in Florence even for just a month has been the best experience of my life so far. I have appreciated every moment of every day, and still have so much left to do while I am here. Florence has already started to feel like home, but I also feel like I just got here yesterday. I am still adjusting, but every day feels like a new accomplishment if I make another friend or find a cute study spot. I believe that Florence is the best place to study abroad (I might be a LITTLE bias) but so far my experience has been nothing but fun.
Maddie R is studying Psychology and Music, and studying abroad with API through Lorenzo de Medici.
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