Three weeks and ten pounds of gelato later, I finally have 30 seconds to breathe. This semester is flying by at such a rapid pace; a pause button would be handy at this moment in time.
After just three short weeks of living in Italy, I have already fallen in love with Florence. The history of this ancient city can be felt everywhere.
It crumbles from the bridges and crawls from the cracks of the buildings. It is a surreal feeling, to walk the same streets that Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo did hundreds of years ago. In a time period where technology and modernity is craved by all, Florence embraces the past.
Even with only a few weeks conquered, I have learned so much about the culture of Florence.
The first thing I picked up on is that Italians are very passionate people. When walking down the streets I am greeted on every corner by shouting men and women waving their hands, tempting me with their handmade jewelry and paintings.
I also learned quickly that Italians are never in a rush. They take their time, and appreciate doing things at a leisure pace. I found this odd after growing up outside of New York City. When I think of New York, I think of running through subway stations or Grand Central to make meetings and conferences. In New York no one sits down to enjoy a coffee or a lunch. We eat our lunches at our desks, and coffee is sipped while in the back of a taxi cab. In Florence, people take their time to enjoy a cappucino and the company they are with. Dinner is a social event paired with great food that can go on for hours. Whereas back in the States, dinner is quick and simple.
Learning how to slow down was a struggle for me. I am someone who eats while studying, and drinks my coffee while running to class. So naturally, I was not a happy camper when I had to sit down and drink my first cappucino, because Italians don’t believe in to-go cups. But 50 cappucinos later, I have learned to embrace the Italian way. I think we can all sacrifice five minutes of our day to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee.
With almost one month down in Italy, it amazes me how much I have grown. I never thought you could learn so much from living in a new city. I have learned how to communicate with people who speak a completely different language than I do. I have learned how to find my apartment in a city that is more complicated than human anatomy. I have learned how to light a gas stove without burning my eyebrows off. I have even learned how to live without wifi and netflix, which was the biggest lesson to master of all.
With over three months left in this city, I am eager to see what life lessons lie ahead. Stay tuned to find out.
I really connected with your post, especially the part about growth and maturity. I myself am studying in Seville for the semester, and having been here for just three weeks, I am already seeing changes in myself that have everything to do with being forced to learn how to communicate with others when there are barriers (like language) while simultaneously having to adapt to a new physical environment. I really had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Europe or even if I was ready for the experience (one of the last questions I asked my mom before leaving was “Do you think I’m ready for this?”). But one of the most important things I think you learn in a situation like this is that you are probably more prepared than you think and that the hardest part is making yourself actually get on the plane and come over. I don’t know if you feel this way but now that I am here, at the moment there is nowhere else I’d rather be!