I seriously cannot wrap my head around the fact that this will be my last blog entry, meaning my semester here in Florence is quickly drawing to a close. It feels like only yesterday that I arrived here in the middle of a heat wave and was dropped on an Italian’s doorstep greeted by my host mom who spoke no English and her yippy dog. My heart is torn; “home” is now two places. Italian life has become so second nature to me that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to rid myself of it, not that I’d want to though!
The pace of life here is so much more relaxed than mine ever was back in the States. I love how much Italians value spending time with one another. Meals are a leisurely affair where conversation is just as important as eating. People stop to converse on the street and, even though it might irritate me that they are oblivious to my efforts of walking to class on the sidewalk and do not attempt to move out of the way, I’ve begun to appreciate and accept this cultural difference. Rushing around to get somewhere on time is not exactly the Italian way. People and relationships are of the utmost importance; something many should be reminded of from time to time. Being here has made me realize that I had some of my priorities mixed up.
These past few months I have seen and experienced so much, yet it feels like I have not even begun to see everything! I purchased a museum pass and have been trying to wander through as much art and history as possible. Florence is such an epicenter for creativity; it makes the artist in me extremely happy.
Recently I visited the Palazzo Pitti, a former palace that used to be the home to people such as the Medici family, and was in a state of awe the whole time. Everything was tastefully decadent and elegant, but I also couldn’t believe that I was walking through a palace that had been home to the first opera performance ever. Normally when I learn something in class I get to look at a nice picture in a textbook or maybe an image my professor got from Google. In Europe, I am able to learn something in the classroom and then see firsthand where it happened! It’s such an amazing learning experience; I am definitely going to miss having a living history textbook for my backyard.
– Amanda, Grand Valley State University
