It is crazy to think about how I have now surpassed the one-month mark of being abroad in Florence. In this month I have been able to meet new people, explore Florence (and some other amazing cities), and, of course, get settled into my classes. Because there are so many amazing aspects to studying abroad, I have felt that the ‘study’ part often gets overlooked when asking others about their experiences. However, I have really enjoyed getting comfortable in all of my classes and am fully immersing myself in this new learning environment.

While abroad I am taking four classes (13 credits). Luckily, all of these classes count towards credit for my major, certificate, or general education requirements so I am really able to make the most out of my education here. One of my favorite classes that I am taking is Beginners Composition Drawing, which counts as an elective towards my Digital Media certificate. In this class we are learning the basics of drawing shapes, shading, and adding texture. We have drawn various objects in the classroom and this past week we went outside of the classroom to Piazza Santa Croce to draw the intricacies of the church that stands in this square. I love that in so many of my classes we are able to apply what we are learning and explore the city itself. We also use this technique in my Analyzing and Exploring the Global City class. The content of this class is all about Florence, its history, and its culture. This class has a unique format in that every class starts in the classroom for a lecture, and then for the second half we participate in a walking tour to see the sights of exactly what we were just learning about. This past week was focused on the food and culture of Florence so we went to the Sant’Ambrogio market and were able to sample various different meats, cheeses, desserts, and other traditional Florentine delicacies. This interactive aspect of these classes make them not only more interesting, but a lot easier to interpret and comprehend the content that we are learning.

For my major I am taking International Marketing. In this class we are learning about many of the marketing concepts I have learned in my classes back at Pitt, but are applying it on an international scale. We are doing a semester-long project about introducing a foreign company into the Italian market and are developing the marketing plan for that company. This course is a great addition to my major and is providing useful insight into a more global perspective of the field that I am interested in pursuing post-grad. Finally, I am taking Italian: Here and Now, which all Pitt students on the CAPA program are required to take. I am slowly learning and being able to use this new language day-to-day, which has made communicating in Florence much easier. I am really enjoying learning Italian from a local Florentine professor, Martina, who lets us in on the tips and tricks that locals use within the language, and has also been able to provide great recommendations about the city itself!

As a student abroad, I think one of the most important strategies is to be able to strategically immerse yourself in the city. By being aware of the different areas, history, and culture of Florence it is easier to comprehend the content we are learning in classes. The professors here are all very lenient and understanding of the unique environment of studying abroad, but all work very hard to make sure that we are getting the most out of our education here. The classes are long which allows for traditional lecture time as well as interactive parts of the class like tours and presentations. I am loving my experience so far here and am excited to see where the rest of the semester takes me.