The past few weeks have been some of the most memorable times I have had this semester. I have had my family visiting for the past three weeks and having them here with me made me feel even more at home than I already have felt here in Florence. Continue reading
I have a little over a month left here in Florence and I can’t help but be a little overwhelmed by that. Over the past three months, Florence has become my home. It is strange knowing that in a few weeks I will not be waking up to the sound of church bells outside my window or listening to the busy happenings of the city life. Continue reading
These past few weeks I have been non stop busy. I took my midterms last week and unfortunately caught strep throat. I was so scared at first because I knew something was wrong and it was not just a cold. The medical system here is much different than in the United States and I didn’t have my mom there to comfort me while being sick. Continue reading
I have been studying and exploring Europe for five weeks now and something that goes hand in hand with that is beginning to feel homesick. I have learned how to deal with this feeling and ways to get through it. Continue reading
Taking a trip outside of Italy this weekend to Barcelona, Spain has shown me a different type of culture shock than what I experienced when arriving in Italy. The most notable difference was the language barrier. I have gotten so comfortable with ‘Ciao’ and ‘Grazie’ that having to change it even slightly to ‘Hola’ and ‘Gracias’ was difficult and a definite strange feeling. Throughout the weekend, I caught myself slipping out some Italian words more often than not.
This past week has been filled with firsts. My first week of classes, meeting new people, and even some first time food experiences. Reflecting on this week I have seen how much I am growing from this experience. This study abroad experience has pushed me way out of my comfort zone in every way possible. Continue reading
My first week in Florence has been filled with overwhelming emotions. Happiness, excitement, and nerves to say the least. Moving to a different country for four months is a big change followed by lots of adjustments. These past seven days have flown by. I feel like just this morning I was saying “arrivederci” to my family and friends back home. Continue reading