I had never left the United States of America before August 26, 2013. I was nervous, excited and did I mention nervous? My biggest fear was getting lost in an airport in a foreign land, missing my flight and not knowing what to do because I did not speak the language. However, I had nothing to worry about because after NOT getting lost in three different airports I had arrived safely in Florence, Italy.
One never truly forgets the first moment they breathe Italian air. I remember stepping out the airport doors with all my luggage (which was quite heavy because how does one pack for four months abroad?), taking a big breath and just looking at the scenery. I took as many mental pictures as I could before I was put into a taxi with my roommate, who I had just met in the airport while we waited for directions, and another girl who was, like me, from the Chicago area. Our taxi driver was very nice and funny and gave us some great tips about where to go in Florence. It is true what they say about Italian drivers- they drive like mad men! But we arrived at the apartment safe and sound (you have to have some danger in your life, right?) and settled in. The apartment is more than I expected and really cute. Honestly, it already feels like home.
While my days currently are full of planned activities and trying to get acclimated with Florence, I do plan to do a lot of exploring to the museums and local shops. Figuring out the streets of Florence has been tricky for me because they are laid out like a circle with random streets jetting out from the center and being from Chicago, where the streets are more grid-like, it is a little difficult to grasp the pattern and direction. However, I have no doubt that I will soon have a general idea of where everything is and will be able to explore without my map being a constant companion. My roommates and I have already found an amazing gelato shop near us that tucked away on the corner of a street. I am serious, this gelato is amazing!! And the woman who works there (she may own it) is really nice and helps us with our Italian. Probably one of my favorite things so far about Florence is that many people do speak English here but are also willing to help you with speaking Italian. I think they like seeing visitors making an effort to get to know their culture so they are more than happy to help you in any way they can. Florence so far has been a dream and I cannot wait to see what more it has to offer!
– Alyssa, Saint Xavier University
