A beautiful view of the sun setting on the Duomo. You can only catch moments like that when you’re walking!

I remembered telling myself to keep an open mind about the lifestyle here, in hopes that it would alleviate the culture shock. I luckily haven’t experienced much of a culture shock that many other students might have. There are definitely some differences that I experience every day, such as opening a door. Here are just some of the few things:

1.  You push instead of pull to get inside of doors
2. There is no tax when purchasing items
3. You have to pay an extra charge to have your groceries in bags
4. Most, if not all, stores are closed on Sunday on Monday
5. Hang drying your laundry on a clothes line
6. No microwaves
7. Walking is the main source of transportation

The lifestyle here is simplistic. At first, I didn’t know how I was going to go about a kitchen with no microwave and a laundry room with no dryer. Making meals was hard the first week, but gradually got easier. It’s such a huge blessing in disguise to not have a microwave. Luckily I live a few minutes from one of the biggest markets in town and get my produce, cheese, and meats all fresh on the day I need it. I also get to cook more often too with fresh ingredients.

Pasta Carbonara I made in my own kitchen! I got the prosciutto from the market close by for only a euro

Walking is also a huge bonus! Coming from a huge city (Houston), I never get the chance to walk anywhere. Now, I can freely go anywhere I want in the city within 30 minutes. It gives me the chance to discover more hidden gems within Firenze. Plus, walking helps me burn all the pasta and bread calories I consume throughout the day. On a sunny day, I sometimes wish I had a bicycle to stroll through the city. The traffic here in Firenze is a little intimidating though, so that idea probably won’t happen until I’m really comfortable with the streets.

On sunnier days, I try to spend most of my time in the outdoors. The Boboli Gardens is a perfect place to be when suns out. I would recommend bringing a picnic blanket and a few snacks when you go. Get lost in a book or bring a writing journal. It is so tranquil in the gardens.

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Christina is a student at University of Houston studying at Florence University of the Arts during the Spring 2014 term.