First Impressions of Florence
Leading up to departure, it did not feel real that I would actually be going to Italy. I had thought about and talked about and researched about the program and its location for over a year, so much so that it felt like a dream instead of reality. But when I saw the skyline of Florence and the outline of the Duomo after flying over the hills of Tuscany, I nearly jumped out of my seat on the plane with excitement.
Our housing orientations was very quick – we were walked up to our apartments, given a key, told the wi-fi password and were left to ourselves. I was surprised by how casual it was, with no formal introductions. I was also pleasantly surprised that our hotel came equipped with an elevator, central air conditioning (a major plus when the average temperature is above 90 degrees F), and free laundry facilities. However, the best part about our apartment complex is that it is only a 10 minute walk to the Cattedrale di Santa Maria and its iconic dome.
Walking through the streets of Florence, you will notice many signs in English, as well as many English speaking tourists and shop-owners. There are pizzerias and gelatarias practically on every block, and pedestrians, Vespas, and smart cars flooding the streets. The city feels very much alive and bustling, but at the same time you could nearly picture what the same streets looked like in the 17th century, as most of the buildings are modeled to resemble those from the renaissance time period.
I’ve been in Florence for less than a day, and I can already sense the appreciation of culture, character, and excellent cuisine. I cannot wait to explore more of this magnificent, medieval city in the next three weeks!
