Hello from Florence! (Or as they say in Italy, “Ciao da Firenze!”) It is mid-March and I am already halfway through my study abroad voyage. Although only a short time has passed, I am already in awe of what I’ve accomplished and there is still so much to be discovered and explored. Listen up, freshmen and sophomores at Fairfield! This has been my life for the past two months and this experience could be yours.
Upon arriving in Florence, the change of lifestyle hit harder than a train crashing into a brick wall. The apartments, the streets, the people, the classes, the restaurants…it was extremely clear. I was no longer stumbling day by day through the patterned routines of the bubble. I was completely and entirely out of my comfort zone.
At the end of the first week, jet-lagged and disoriented, we hopped onto a bus headed towards Rome as part of our orientation “Tour of Italy.” After a stop at the quaint and cozy town of Orvieto, we reached the city encompassing one of the most holy places in the world: Vatican City. As I walked through the gates of the “Musei Vaticani,” it hit me. Fairfield beach or the Vatican? I think I made the right choice.
Renaissance paintings, tapestries, statues, artifacts…everything I had seen on slides in Dr. Eliasoph’s art history class sophomore year was coming to life right before my eyes. The history of the city in which I was standing was incredible. The tour of the museum ended with the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment,” which I thought at the time was the most amazing thing I had ever seen, that is, until we took a visit to the enormous, ever-present Saint Peter’s Basilica.
On the way back to Florence, we made a stop at Assisi to visit the dimly lit, spiritual tomb of Saint Francis. Located upon a hill, Assisi gave the perfect postcard image of what I had imagined Italy would look like. It blew me away that I was standing in the middle of an Italian landscape that seemed to be taken from the pages of a book, blossoming with vineyards and tiny hillside houses. With one week down and fifteen to go, I knew I was in for the ride of my life.
Although the tiny, windy side-streets seemed overwhelming at first (watch out for scooters and cars that will run you down with absolutely no remorse), by the second week things became much easier. After catching up on some much needed sleep, it was time to finally see the city I would be spending the next four months in.
Walking around Florence, you know you’re “not in Kansas anymore.” Good experiences happen as do the bad, but no matter what, you immediately learn from them and learn how to adapt to the city’s habits and behaviors. Just from walking around, I ran into many of Florence’s awesome hot spots including the Ponte Vecchio bridge crossing the Arno River, the open air markets and, of course, the Duomo of Florence.
A miniature version of the basilica in Rome, yet larger than any church I’ve seen in the States, the Duomo lies right in the city center. Walking up the cramped and claustrophobic spiral stairs to get to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome, I was able to observe Florence from an eagle’s eye view.
On top of all this, I’ve visited Switzerland and Venice as well and have plans to visit England, Scotland, France and Milan. I still have yet to visit the Uffizi Gallery and the Academy, both located right in Florence. Four months seems like a long time when you’re preparing to leave home, but once you get here you quickly find that there simply isn’t enough time to do it all.
Florence is also exceptionally diverse. Mexican and Indian restaurants can be found when you need a break from the pastas and pizzas. If you need a taste from home, there is an American style diner and the House of Sizzle, which serves burgers, fries and quesadillas (but trust me, you will not want a break from Italian food). Bars are numerous, including jazz clubs, Irish and English pubs, and clubs crazier than any back home. There’s something new to experience each and every day.
Classes of 2007 and 2008, I highly urge you to challenge yourselves. Step outside of what you’re used to and take advantage of Fairfield’s great opportunities to travel the world. If not Florence, go anywhere! You have all the options at your fingertips and if you don’t grasp the chance now, you might regret it for the rest of your lives. I know that this is four months of my life I will never forget.
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