Tag Archives: florence

Current mood: in love

 “Sono andata da Firenze a Ginevra e ritorno!”

Just got back from a calm and relaxing weekend in Geneva, Switzerland (“Ginevra, Svizzera” … Can you guess the title?!) where I visited my Aunt and Uncle for the weekend. (Or, I suppose, grand-aunt and grand-uncle would be more like it!) Screen Shot 2016-02-12 at 1.40.41 AMI thoroughly enjoyed seeing Geneva and their home, flying over the Swiss Alps on the plane ride there, and then again gaping at the view of the Alps through their kitchen window! Unbelievable.

We also saw some beautiful neo-impressionist art by a Swiss painter named Signac, enjoyed Swiss fondu and delicious chocolate (“il cioccolato”), took those naps, and indulged in life convos over coffee, croissants, and oj at the breakfast table! This was definitely my favorite weekend by far!!! I also heard tons of French (“Francese”) and learned a little bit as well, but just enough to get me through the airport and back to Florence!

“Oggi a Firenze”

“Today in Florence” for my Italian class, our teacher met us at the Piazza della Reppublica to practice our speaking and listening skills. We introduced ourselves to random Italian people, and we asked them if we could interview them for our class! All in Italian! It was so much fun! The people we spoke to were all very gracious in helping us do our assignment. Today was also an incredibly warm and sunny day (“oggi”), which has been quite a change from the past few. It was so warm, I was even able to hang out on the front steps of la Basilica di Santa Croce. Church (“chiesa”) steps seem to be a common place for Italians to hangout.

Current mood: in love

I feel like all the beauty in the whole world is just being revealed to me, and I’m just standing here speechless receiving it all in my heart, feeling tons of emotions, and loving everything. I’m so little (almost too little to handle it), but so in love, and I can’t imagine ever going home! (“Ti amo Firenze!”)

At this stage in my study abroad experience, I think the song “I See The Light” from Tangled sums it up perfectly…

Chorus
"All those days watching from the windows
 All those years outside looking in
 All that time never even knowing
 Just how blind I've been
 Now I'm here blinking in the starlight
 Now I'm here suddenly I see
 Standing here it's all so clear
 I'm where I'm meant to be..."

And, the people I’m meeting? Incredible. A good friend (“la mia amica”) of mine named Annie told me today, “It’s never too late to have a childhood. It’s never too late to be who you are, and it’s never too late to add to yourself.” She’s had some inspiring life experiences working with kids at her day camps. She’s like the kind of girl you’d read in a storybook! Like, Merida from “Brave” or Rapunzel from “Tangled.” She’s a brave, brave girl with a kind heart and a wicked sense of humor! She also has a horse named Annie too, but purely by coincidence!

I met a girl named Rena, who’s like a sister (“sorella”) to me! We are so similar! And, Cici, and Megan, and Brian, and Heather, and Nick! Such adventurous and endearingly optimistic people. And Sara, my beautiful friend from Florence, and David and Andrea, who work at the cafe next door to school (“scuola”) and put up with me trying to learn Italian!! What a dream this is! It must be!

 

 

A lesson learned

Study abroad can be exhilarating and sublime, especially when all of Europe is suddenly at your fingertips.

It’s 5:00 a.m., and I can’t fall asleep. I’ve been living in Florence, Italy for exactly one month to date. After visiting Siena, Pisa, Venice, the Chianti region, and Rome, knowing I’ll be catching a flight to Geneva, Switzerland in less than 6 hours running on zero sleep, seeing Verona appear on the horizon (exactly one week away for St. Valentine’s weekend), and not to mention, taking my first Italian test today… I don’t like to admit it, but I’m pretty exhausted.

A glimpse of Roma

Last weekend in Rome, a bunch of great new friends let me crash at their place last minute when plans to Naples fell through. FullSizeRenderThanks to their incredible planning, we visited every single sight I had ever heard of in Rome plus some—the Vatican and Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Trevi Fountain, the Sistine Chapel, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum, Domus Aurea, and the Colosseum. It was one heck of a weekend, and I still can’t believe it happened. I owe it all to God. After all of this, by the time I finally returned home to Florence and walked past the Duomo toward my little Tuscan apartment, I was able to take in a deep breath and relax. I definitely got an “ahh, it’s good to be back,” kind of feeling.

A lesson well learned

So far, from the culmination of these experiences, I’ve learned a pretty big lesson. Even when everyone you know is constantly talking about going out of town because they “don’t want to waste a single weekend,” it’s okay to stay home. In fact, staying in Florence for a weekend or two (or three!) may be exactly what I need—to recharge my batteries and enjoy where I am! I’m absolutely in awe of this experience and it’s ephemeral feel, but I need to start listening to my body. (You may not hear this often, but study abroad can actually be stressful!)

I love the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas when he says, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” It’s easy to forget, though, that this doesn’t mean I need to zip through the whole book in one sitting. It’s okay to relax, it’s okay to take things slow. And, it’s definitely more than okay to spend time marveling in the wonder of my host city. Heck, Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! And, of course, “taking it slow” is the Italian way to go about things anyway. A new Florentine friend of mine, who helps me out with my Italian, joked tonight that her mom loves to take “5, 6, 7—10 years!” just enjoying a cappuccino!

As tired as I am, though, I’m definitely more than excited and “all in” as always to enjoy a weekend in Geneva with my Aunt and Uncle! I’ll finally get to see their city! I’m not sure how I’ll make it through the rest of the week with school and all, but I just know I’ll still have plenty of reasons to smile!

Looking forward to a blank itinerary “a Firenze!”

A presto!

Angela

Finding my bearings!

So far, I’ve been here for 23 days, and I’ve experienced quite a whirlwind of events.

12637229_1169894266354910_1562663549_o

Italian Notes | Photo credit: Rena Kassak

Since I’ve last written, I’ve gotten into the thick of my classes and have fallen in love with the staff of ISI Florence. Professors here are a bit more laid-back than in the States. Our Italian Language teacher ensured us that we’re on the same level, and he made sure that we know we can go to him for help with anything at all during the semester! From my past experiences with college, which I carry solely from the U.S., this hasn’t always been the case. His heart is focused on helping us learn, and the same goes for my photography professor. Put simply, ISI Florence is taking absolute wonderful care of us!

Learning the language

I’m in love with the language here. It’s so beautiful. Today we engaged in conversations with four Italian speaking 20-somethings who visited our class; it was kind of like speed-dating! I speak “un po” (only a little!) Italiano, and they could speak a little bit of English. It was neat to see how well we could communicate.

View of Florence from the top of the Duomo!

View of Florence from the top of the Duomo!

Also, last week, I met up with a Florentine girl named Sara. We met through a language exchange website. She loves traveling and learning languages, and she studies English, French, Spanish, and Chinese. It was so lovely to meet her and to learn about Italy from her perspective! I very much enjoyed our conversation, which was mostly in English seeing as she speaks English better than I can speak Italian. And, not to mention, I am still a bit shy! (“Sono un po timida”)

Il Duomo di Santa Maria del Fiore - View from Piazzale Michelangelo

A view of the Duomo from Piazzale Michelangelo – In the last photo, I was looking out from the tippy top of this one.

We talked about the differences between Italian boys and American boys, indulged each other with stories of our past relationships, and bonded over a love of purity. She also taught me some slang words in Italian, like “figo,” which means beautiful but is used how we would use the word cool, and also its synonym: “ganzo,” which is only characteristic of Florence.

Wine tasting in Chianti

On a school trip to Chianti, we met Gino, a family-oriented man, who showed us the “sweetness” of life. The Italians’ mentality is much different than what’s common back home.

A view of Chianti from Gino's vineyard

A view of Chianti from Gino’s vineyard

“There’s no food without wine and no wine without food,” he said. Gino also emphasized the joys of taking things slow and really enjoying everything with all of our senses as not to get drunk but to enjoy the wine. “Wine is everything,” he said, it’s even where you are and the people you are with; “wine is life.” He advised us to drink good wine with good friends, and warned us to never drink alone. He also taught us that just because a wine is expensive, that doesn’t mean it’s a good wine! It could just mean that it comes from a very small vineyard. The only way you can tell if a wine is good is “with your eyes, your nose, and your mouth.”

Adventures in Siena

Last Saturday, I visited Siena! Signing up for the trip by myself, I wasn’t sure I’d know anyone there, however, a stellar group of kids, Heather, Brian, and Nick (Nick, who is actually in my buon fresco class) were there!

Screen Shot 2016-01-29 at 1.53.22 AMI had an amazing time spending the day with them enjoying the city view from atop the Cattedrale di Siena, stopping for gnocchi and “picci,” a thick pasta prized by Siena, and visiting the Church of Saint Dominic where we found the relic of Saint Catherine of Siena. It was so awesome to learn about her life right in her home city! Apparently people were drawn to her, and it’s no wonder since she was so drawn to Christ! Later that day, we ventured over to San Gimignano, a small medieval town with an incredible view that I could have easily mistaken as a painting had we been inside!

V for Venezia!

Then, of course, there’s the gorgeous city of Venice! With its waterways instead of streets and boats instead of cars, Venice is one of the most quirky places I’ve visited. We were able to catch the parade where the floats were literally floating (boats, of course!) And, we enjoyed what the Venetians call the Carnevale.

People wear all kinds of fun masks during the carnival!

People wear all kinds of fun masks during the carnival!

Venice is quite touristy, and I’d suggest going later on in the week to witness the carnival in full effect. We were unaware of this, and we actually made plans with a tour group in advance. The skies turned out to be overcast, and it was only the first day of the carnival–much too soon for the fun to pick up!

Although I met some great people on the bus, I ended up spending most of the day by myself. But, on the bright side, I got to check out the Chiesa di Santa Lucia, a church by the grand canal, where I saw the relic of Saint Lucy’s incorruptible head and visited the Blessed Sacrament of our Lord in a side chapel.

I actually didn’t get to go to mass on this day (Sunday), which was pretty upsetting to me. It was mainly poor planning. I’m still figuring out how to adapt to this life on the road because, at least at this point in my life, it’s so easy for me to get distracted. But, truly God is the most beautiful!

The not-so-wonderful truth

Although the travel life can seem romantic and glamorous from stories and photographs, I’ve been here for less than a month and as you can tell, I’ve already experienced a few bumps along the road.

  1. Crepes and waffle at La Milker

    Crepe and waffle alla nutella date in between classes! I don’t know how we made it through Italian class after this! Photo credit: Rena Kassak

    Pro tip: If you ever go to Italy please, please drink tons of water, and be weary of your dairy intake! I absolutely love picking up new foods from the market, especially cheese because it’s fresh, inexpensive, and we’re in Italy! So, why not try them all? (“perchè no?”) Well, just recently, I learned the hard way… that too much cheese and other dairy foods, like gelato, can actually cause constipation. (“Come sei dice embarrassing?”) Fortunately, a call home to mom, some prune juice, and laxatives really did the trick! Thank God!! I had no idea how painful that could be!

  2. Next? Well, I lost my cell phone one evening when taking out the trash. I would have gone diving in after it!!! But, the trash disappeared into the ground. They have some clever dumpsters here, and I didn’t even feel my phone slip out the moment it happened…
    Is this not the most beautiful motor vehicle you've ever seen?!

    Is this not the most beautiful motor vehicle you’ve ever seen?! Spotted near Firenze S.M.N. train station.

    Since the garbage company was already closed for the night, we had to wait to call in the morning. At this point, it was already compacted into a teeny tiny cube. I was able to communicate with my family and friends online, and my parents had mercy on me. Fortunately, I was able to replace the phone, and everything is semi-back-to-normal, if you can even call it that.

Despite the appealing aspects of travel, it definitely has its fair share of adjustments, ups, and downs (and there are even more if you’re clumsy!), but every single one of these has come and gone, and it continues to amaze me that I am actually here… Praise you, Jesus! And, thank you, Mom and Dad!

Next stop… Roma!

“Ciao!” From: Florence, Italy

Just five days ago, I boarded a plane and flew across the Atlantic Ocean. Since then, I’ve arrived in the wondrous city of Florence.

My new home

I live in an apartment on a narrow sidestreet in the pulsing heart of Florence. When I push open the emerald shutters, feel the cool fresh air, and hear the soothing sounds of Italian language, I’m refreshed and ready to start my day. Three minutes from the Basilica di Santa Croce (“Holy Cross”) and five minutes from the Duomo, or Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, nothing is out of reach in this walking-town.

My new family

Although I didn’t quite know anyone at first, I am fortunate to live with three sweet and adventurous roommates: Cooper, Erica, and Rachel. Cooper is an easy-going Seahawks fan majoring in recreation, parks, and tourism management. She enjoys running, photography, and visiting her good friends in town. And, then there’s Erica! Erica is a speech pathology major, wine connoisseur, and can’t resist shopping at the leather market. And, then of course, there’s Rachel, a bubbly advertising major, who should have her own cooking show and enjoys dancing at the night clubs! Erica and Rachel are both in different sororities back at school, and they carry with them what they call the “study abroad bible”—an all encompassing list of recommendations compiled by all the sisters that studied in Florence before them! I didn’t know that this was a thing, but I’m so fortunate and happy to tag along for the ride!

My first encounters with Italy

In Florence, the people own the streets, and the cars drive slowly. (But, be sure to get out of the way; some cars don’t stop!) Soft accordion music fills the piazzas, or “city squares.” It’s not uncommon to hear guitars and the vocals of street performers, either.

Ristorante La Giostra

Ristorante La Giostra

Beautiful dogs, little white ones and big golden retrievers, lay in the middle of the streets as their owners pause to chit chat. (Fun fact: dogs are welcome to accompany their owners into stores, too. At first I just thought everyone had service dogs, but then I realized that can’t be it!) Young couples hold hands, giving each other sweet kisses along the bridges. PDA seems much more acceptable here. Open-armed, Italian hospitality warms my heart. Italian men smile not just with the lips but with the eyes! And, have I mentioned the food? Gelato, spaghetti al pomodoro with fresh basil, four cheese gnocchi, cornetti, and tomato mozzarella panini. Delicious!

Our Lady of the Rosary ~ At La Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

Our Lady of the Rosary ~ Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

So far, I’ve enjoyed gazing at the Duomo in all its splendor, visiting the Ponte Vecchio, exploring the San Lorenzo market, engaging in little exchanges of Italian conversation (I love to practice!), attending Italian mass for the very first time at La Basilica di Santa Croce, and praying in the Dominican Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, Florence’s first basilica.

I’ve also experienced a bit of prejudice for asking, “Parli inglese?” (“Do you speak english?”) when words seemed unfamiliar, but the rare feeling of being unwanted has always been offset by the rich kindness and patience toward my broken Italian from more people here than not. One of my favorite things is when people genuinely ask where I am from. I’ve been doing my best to blend in, live gently, and keep my Americanness as subtle as possible, so this feels like a benchmark toward success! Semester goal: live like a local

Classes! (I almost forgot!)

Today was our second day of classes! I’ve now officially met all of my professors and gotten my first glimpse of each class I’ll be taking. My classes include: The Art of Buon Fresco, The History and Culture of Food, Introduction to Photography, and The Italian Experience: Italian Language 1. Again, I am in love. One particularly splendid thing is that my charming bilingual Italian language teacher, Alessio, speaks Italian for the entire length of class. Little did my classmates and I know it was possible to learn this way! I am so thrilled!

Finding my way around

Glittering canopies illuminate the streets of Florence. I’m not quite sure why, but perhaps it’s a custom to leave the Christmas lights up well after the Epiphany. The different lights have been great markers for my navigation, though, so I sure hope they keep them up!

Evening walk on the Ponte Vecchio

Evening walk on the Ponte Vecchio

Paper maps have also been a huge help. I seem to learn most when I’m by myself seeing as this requires self-sufficiency. Surprisingly, I can get from Santa Croce, to the Duomo, to the Piazza della Repubblica, and back home by heart already. Florence is actually very small. Most of the city still feels like a big maze, though. Until I get the hang of it, there’s definitely something charming and serendipitous about the side streets.

While I’m being swept away by all the beauty and excitement here, it’s easy to get distracted. I like this quote by Saint Therese that says, “The world is thy ship and not thy home!” It serves as a powerful reminder for me. Ciao! Angela

 

Glossary 

Piazza della Republica — A square with a carousel, some nice restaurants and shops, an Apple store, which has proven to already be super convenient, since I’m downloading photoshop for my Intro to Photography class and have had several problems. I met a very nice man named Giovanni who recommends restaurants when I bring in my computer for tech help!

La Basilica di Santa Croce

La Basilica di Santa Croce

La Basilica di Santa Croce—A Franciscan church in Florence in the Piazza Santa Croce

The Duomo—Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, or more commonly known as the Duomo, is the main church of Florence. It has huge dome on top where you can walk all the way up to the top and see the breadth of the city’s church steeples and red-shingled roofs.

La Basilica di Santa Maria Novella—The first basilica in Florence, and a Dominant one at that! Santa Maria Novella sits near the main train station, which share its name

 

The Ponte Vecchio—“old bridge” famous for love locks on the chain-link fence and the shops that sell gold watches and other jewelry

Mopeds— motorized vehicles, or glorified scooters

Piazza — square

La Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

La Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language Practiced

“hello!” — Ciao (chow)

“Good morning!” — Buon giorno (bwon jor-no)

“Thank you very much!” — grazie mille (graht-zee-ay me-lay)

“Peace” — pace (pah-chay)

“To the right” — A la destra (ah-lah dess-truh)

“To the left” — A la sinistra (ah-lah sin-iss-truh)

“Sorry” — mi dispiace (me dis-pee-ah-chay)

“How do you say…” — Como se dice… (coh-mo say deech-ay…)

“Excuse me” — Scusa (scooz-ah)

“I don’t understand” — Non ho capito (Non o cah-peet-oh)

 

 

Pre-Departure Musings

Florence (n.) – the capital of Tuscany; the birthplace of the Renaissance; once named one of the world’s most beautiful cities by Forbes’ Magazine; my home for the first four months of 2016
Wrapping up winter break with a visit to Little Italy, NY

Wrapping up winter break with a visit to Little Italy, NY

Ciao, my name is Angela. I am a junior majoring in journalism and minoring in international studies at Penn State University, and I’ll be living and studying in Florence, Italy for a little while. I come from a little town about 20 minutes outside of the city of brotherly love. Although my hometown and my neighboring home-city are my two first loves, I’ve dreamed of travel ever since I was little—a much bolder and far more fearless dreamer—and nothing in this world (other than travel) has ever looked so exciting! I’m not sure how I’ll process all of the “new” once I arrive, but for now, I’m just preparing myself (the best I can) to be open, optimistic, and ready to embrace everything as much as humanly possible.

Why Florence, Italy?

To be quite frank, I actually didn’t know where to go. But, I had always heard stories about Italy’s beauty, charm, and of course, its gelato. Once when I was little, I stumbled upon the words, “You may have the universe if I may have Italy,” by Giuseppe Verdi, a composer of Italian operas. The sentiment fascinated me, and travel had my heart ever since. Growing up, I continued to come in contact with beautiful images of Italian sights and splendid stories from my friend Katie Mae, who was an au pair right outside of Rome.

When it became time to choose my host country, all I knew was that I had warm and homey feelings attached to central and southern Italy. I figured, I’ve got to start somewhere if I intend to see everything, and Florence seemed like a lovely place to begin.

Three Days Before Departure

In just three days, I’ll step foot onto a plane. This makes me a little bit nervous! Although, I have traveled before—adventuring through Eastern Europe for two weeks. It was Easter break of my junior year in high school, and twelve other girls and I set out to explore Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. A little, old, Austrian man named Norman accompanied us as our tour guide along with Chief, our chaperone. Norman would tell us stories about each place we visited, and everyday he’d let us go exploring on our own. Mind you, we went to an all girls high school, and we were all 16 or 17 at the time wandering about countries that were foreign to us (buddy system of course!) Needless to say, the quote of the trip was, “Norman is out of control!” Thankfully, getting stuck in an elevator with my lovely rommate, Megs, was the only bad thing that had happened, and probably the funniest, too.

The next four months will be my longest stay overseas yet. I feel little butterflies, and my tummy kind of does somersaults when I think about it. So, I have been trying not to think. The older I get, the easier it is to be fearful because I am little more aware.

Little Italy, NY

Little Italy, Mulberry Street, Brooklyn, New York

At this point, I’m just gathering last minute items like locks for my backpack zippers and other staple pieces of clothing so I can pack lightly and re-wear a lot of the same clothes in an array of creative pairings. I haven’t yet packed my suitcase, but that’s next on the list. I’m afraid I’ll forget things, but then again, I can always run to the markets once I get there in case anything imperative is left behind, (or so I tell myself). Compiling the travel playlist is also pretty exciting. I’ve got a stellar christian contemporary line-up for the plane.

 

Expectations

I think I’ll miss my family and my pup. I love them so much, but at the same time, I am so excited to get away for four whole months to see things, (and hopefully) grow, and change, and be a bit stronger when I return. I’m treating these next four months as a retreat from everything I have ever truly known.

I imagine living among the locals, studying, deepening my Catholic faith, visiting the Eternal City, exploring churches and other places of religious significance, admiring art and ancient architecture, enjoying Italian food and hospitality, and (most hopefully) blending in as a seasoned traveler and modeling the Italian ideal of fare bella figura—to have a beautiful figure.

Although these wishful reveries are true to Florence, there’s definitely a ton about this city that I do not know, and it’s already apparent that this could very well be an unforgettable experience…

Join me as I find my bearings and, explore lo stivale, the boot, the beautiful peninsula the Italians call home!

 


Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

First You Live, Then You Learn

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.

Beginning to feel the culture shock…

So, I’ve been here for about a month and it’s interesting to think about the random things that make Italy so different from the US.

Eating/ Food

The eating situation here is obviously quite different.  In restaurants and caf�s, you are generally charged for sitting down to eat your food.  The same thing even goes for a cappuccino or hot chocolate.  At home you usually don’t see little bar areas where you stand up to drink your coffee, but here you have to stand if you want to avoid paying extra.  Also, back when I was ignorant about the food here, I kept saying how excited I was to be in the “home of chicken parm and fettucine alfredo.” Boy, I was wrong!  If I asked for that at a restaurant here the Italians would laugh me out the door.  I never realized how bad we “Americanize” our Italian food.  Let’s face it, the Olive Garden is good, but its not as authentic as we think.
Shopping/ Stores
It’s weird to look around and not see a giant Walmart every five feet.  Here stores are all small, family owned, and very specific.  There are no places like Walmart that have food, toys, and clothes in the same store.  Even though it makes it less convenient, I kind of like it because it leaves a lot of variety and options.  However, it can be annoying because when the stores are crowded its hard to move around in because all of the stores are small.  I find that I’m not using my credit card as much as I would like because a lot of stores are so small and old fashioned that they only accept cash.  At first grocery shopping was difficult because I couldn’t read labels and sometimes had no idea what I was specifically buying.  I think it makes things more interesting though.  Another thing, is they charge you for grocery bags, so it’s advantageous to buy a reusable one.
Love/ Affection
It is true that Italians (and probably the same thing goes for most Europeans) are more open about affection.  I walk around the street corner and I see a couple making out without a care in the world.  As an American I find it awkward, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.  I’m sure its going to get even more severe with Valentine’s day approaching!
Kids/ Dogs
I love how the little ones and dogs are dressed here.  I feel like in America we dress our kids up in dorky cute outfits, but here there are more fashion-y clothing stores specifically for kids, such as Ferrari.  It’s embarrassing when you walk by a two year old who isn’t even walking and he is wearing more expensive clothes than you are!  I saw a baby in a Fendi stroller and a baby boy wearing a Dolce and Gabbana winter hat.  They are not messing around when it comes to kids fashion here, or fashion in general for that matter.   But, I was expecting serious adult fashion, but the stylish little ones caught me off guard.  Even the dogs where clothes! At home, I always try to dress up my chihuahua in steelers jerseys, sundresses, polos, and even puffy jackets but she HATES it.  Here, dogs strut there stuff in sweaters and jackets.  I even saw one in Burberry! I love how locals take their dogs everywhere.  I was in Billa, a grocery store the other day, and realized they have little hooks in the front of the store which are meant to attach your dogs leash to! I saw a cute, well behaved terrier sitting there as people were shopping for food.
I think I’m adjusting to the differences well, but I find them very interesting!
XOXO,
Bri

Location: Via Tosinghi, Florence, Italy

Lawrence in Florence: An Introduction

Hi readers! I’m really excited to share my experiences with you as I study abroad for a semester in Florence, Italy! But first, you may want to know a little about me: My name is Lawrence Weathers, and I’m a junior at Penn State studying business management. I’m from Media, PA, which is about 15 minutes southwest of Philadelphia. I absolutely love Penn State and enjoy giving back to our great university through Lion Ambassadors (you may see us giving tours everyday or running events such as Be A Part From the Start, Lantern Tours, and Old Main Open House). In my (not-so-abundant) spare time, I also enjoy filming and editing short videos, and I hope to film a lot while in Florence and share them here, so be sure to check-in often!

I’ve always known I wanted to study abroad, but I didn’t give much thought as to where until last year when it was time to apply. After talking to my study abroad advisor, I decided that between my interest and what I wanted to get out of my experience, taking international business and art history courses at the Institute at Palazzo Rucellai in Florence was the place for me, and I’ve been excited to go ever since. My excitement has grown with nearly every person I’ve talked to who has been to Florence, with people describing it as “the most beautiful city in the world,” and telling me it will be “absolutely amazing.” When I found out my neighbor had studied abroad in Florence last spring, I asked her what she thought of it. She literally didn’t even have words to describe her experience; she just got really excited and kept saying how much she misses the city. And just look at it, how can you not miss a city this beautiful:

800px-Sunset_over_florence_1.jpg
To be honest though, as excited as I am to go, with the fall semester winding down, I’m realizing just how much I’m going to miss Penn State, all my friends, and everything going on here (like THON). I am also a bit nervous because I don’t know a word of Italian. However, I know that once I get home for winter break and get closer to my departure date (January 9th!), those feelings will dwindle as my excitement builds. I truly cannot wait for what I’m sure will be the experience of a lifetime, and I barely know what to expect; all I know is this is going to be an exciting adventure and I can’t wait to share it with you through this blog!

Also, a sidenote: 9 out of 10 people who I tell that I’m going to Florence respond with “Lawrence in Florence! Haha! Did you plan that?!” While I obviously had better reasons for choosing to study in Florence than the simple fact that it rhymes with my name, I admit that it does have a nice ring to it, so feel free to use that term.


Location: State College, Pennsylvania

Venice

I know I’m slacking on the posts but I’m hoping to get caught up this week!  Let’s start with my day trip to Venice.  The bus ride was long and started way too early but it was well worth it!  The day started with us taking a water taxi down the Grand Canal and I quickly became enticed by this amazing city.  From the Grand Canal, you could see houses, the bridges, churches, and more.  They each had their own pathway right down to the canal with the water lapping on the steps of each entrance.  The buildings each had their own personal details with accents of flowers or colorful facades. 

zzVenice 093.jpg

zzVenice 098.jpg
zzzVenice 113.jpg

After we got off the water taxi, we looked at a few street vendors and quickly became enthused by the beautiful Venetian masks and the Murano glass. After walking through beautiful San Marco square, which is sometimes covered in water, we walked to a Murano glass blowing demonstration.  The demonstration was quick but something I’ll never forget.  The glass blowers start their apprenticeship at a very  young age and it takes many many years to learn even the basics of glass blowing.  After the demonstration, we were walked through the museum of beautiful glass and it was hard to believe that young men created these beautiful pieces of art, and to call it anything but art would be absurd.  I wish I could have taken pictures of some of the pieces but they were very strict about it.  After this, we went for lunch and I had amazing spaghetti and clams!  I know I’ve mentioned food but I haven’t mentioned much about drinks.  Everything is expensive.  You have to pay for water and one small bottle is often 3 euro at a restaurant.  Alcoholic beverages are usually outrageous at restaurants too, so if you’re looking, your best bet is to go for the cheapest house wine.  It’s guaranteed to be pretty good because well… you’re in Italy!

zzVenice 149.jpg

After taking a very short gondola ride, we roamed the city by foot and walked the many bridges over the canals.  I highly recommend splurging a little for a Bellini in Venice.   They’re like a wine with peach puree and they’re very tasty!  After the Bellinis, walking the city, and doing some shopping we all boarded the bus home and quickly fell asleep. 


Location: Florence, Italy

Firenze (A Bit Delayed)

Ciao Tutti!

I have had this entry written and ready to post for a week now, but the internet in my apartment was not working.  I apologize for some of the references which seem a bit late…

——————————————

I am sitting on the train on my way back from Florence, but before I get into that let me start with the first week of classes.

I am taking five classes (16 credits) in Rome.  IES requires you take one Italian class and four other classes called “area studies courses”.  The area studies courses are anything from art to classes on the European Union.  My schedule went over a lot of revisions over the past week as I was in a few art classes that were over my head, but I’ll describe the classes I am currently enrolled in.

“AH/US 230: Roman Architecture and Urban Design” – This is one of the classes I switched in to half way through the week.  I missed the first lecture, but the second class was great.  We started off with a half hour lecture on the history of the Castel Sant’Angelo which was very interesting and informative.  It is amazing that a monument I can see from my apartment was a part of some of the most important events that shaped Rome as it is today.  After our half hour lecture, we actually got to go to the Castel Sant’Angelo and see everything.  It was originally built as a tomb, but was transformed into a fortress because it was ideally situated for battle.  Then, the Pope made it his safe house when the Vatican was attacked.  He actually built a mini-palace within the confines of the fortress!  After the Church lost most of its influence, the Pope did not need a safe house anymore, so the Italian Government turned it into a prison for a period of time.  Now, it is a tourist site with great views of Rome from the top. 

“IR 341: Italy and the European Union” – This class is great!  It is basically an overview of the formation of the European Union from the Post World War II era to the problems that plague the rapidly expanding organization.  I love history, so I cannot wait to learn all about the European Union.  I think this will be very beneficial for me later in life when I am working in Finance.  I will know the basics of how the EU works and will be able to apply it to my job.

“FS 200: From Viewing to Making a Film on Rome” –  I absolutely love this class.  We are going to watch four Italian films that were filmed in Cinecitt� (the Italian version of Hollywood).  The films were also filmed on site at Roman locations.  After watching all four films and learning the basics on Italian cinema, we are going to film two scenes from the films we saw on site.  We watch “Bicycle Thief” on Monday – I can’t wait.

“CM 330: Memory and Conflict” – This is the other class I switched into.  It is a really interesting class which is taught by the director of my study abroad program.  It is basically about conflict resolution techniques, but uses historical events to put the things we are learning into context.  I would not be surprised if I use the techniques I learn later in life.

This brings me to Florence.  Two of my friends (Sam & McKenzie) and I decided to go to Florence earlier this week.  We left on Thursday night after class.  I found a bullet train from Rome to Florence for only 19 euro.  The train was so comfortable and the ride was so short. 

Train

Picture of the inside of the train.

When we got to Florence, we met up with one of Sam’s friends from her home school, Emory.  He took us to our hostel (which was in a great location).  The hostel we stayed at was running a special where you can stay three nights for the price of two, so I paid 28 euro for three nights at a hostel.  The hostel was called “Plus Florence” and probably the nicest hostel I will ever stay at.  It was very clean, had a nightclub downstairs with a restaurant/bar, game room, a pool, a sauna, and a steam room.

 

On Friday, we woke up early and hit the two big museums in Florence before lunch time.  We wanted to make sure we beat the crowds.  The people I traveled with are studying Art History I school, so I was the beneficiary of a free tour of all the important pieces of art.  We went to the Academia first and saw Michelangelo’s “David”.  It was absolutely amazing.  After the Academia, we went to the Uffizi.  This museum was huge!  We were in it for three hours!

After the Uffizi, we met up with some of Sam’s friends from Emory who were studying in Florence and a few people from our program in Rome.  We had a quick bite to eat and then five of us headed over to the Ponte Vecchio.  They all bought leather jackets, I decided not to get one because I’m hoping to get a suit while I’m over here instead.

Over the past two days, we went to all the major churches in Florence – the Duomo, Santa Croce, San Lorenzo, and Santa Maria Novella. 

Here are some pictures from our trip to Florence.

Ponte Vecchio

 

Ponte Vecchio

Florence_Day 3 062.JPG

Florence_Day 3 145.JPG

The one thing that really surprised me about Florence was how small it is.  We walked everywhere we needed to go and were never walking for more than a half hour at a time.  Florence was a beautiful city, but I am happy I’m studying in Rome.  As a Finance major, I do not appreciate art as much as I should.  Now that I have seen everything I wanted to see, I am happy to be looking at the beautiful Tuscan countryside out of the window of my train back to Rome.

On another note, I planned our trip to Florence around THON.  I made sure the hostel had wifi and made sure our train would have me back in Rome to watch the final four hours of THON.  I may be 3,000 miles away, but I have been thinking about THON a great deal this weekend.  A lot of my friends are dancing and it kills me that I can’t be there to support them.  gWatching the THON Webcast makes me feel like I’m there and I lit a candle in the Duomo FTK!   I look forward to watching Family Hour from my room and, like all other Penn Staters, will go crazy when the total is raised tonight at approximately 10:00 PM my time.  

Always FTK,

Mike


Location: Florence, Italy