It is hard to believe that my semester in Florence has come to an end. Even though over three months have passed, it seems like just yesterday I was feeling the anticipation of the semester to come. In only these few short months I have fully immersed myself in the city and have learned so much about both my surroundings and myself.
When I first arrived in Florence I was eager and excited to embark on this journey, but also anxious and nervous to live in a new city with complete strangers. Those complete strangers who are my 11 roommates are now some of my very best friends. We made the most of our 30 minute walks to class, went out for gelato at 10pm on random weekdays, and traveled all around Italy and Europe together. While the city of Florence itself has endless things to offer, I truly believe that “the people made the place” and my roommates helped me enjoy my semester to the fullest.
My classes were also very impactful. Taking Italian class with our local Florentine professor Martina was very fun as we were able to learn about the best local spots and the secrets of the language, which was useful in helping navigate the city. Martina taught us all of the useful terminology to help us communicate with Italians. My Analyzing and Exploring the Global City class allowed me to see a different perspective of Florence. In this class we had a group project to explore a neighborhood outside of the center city, so I had the opportunity to explore the Campo di Marte neighborhood of Florence and gain a better understanding of how true Florentines live without the constant presence of tourism.
I have found all of my favorite spots to get pasta and gelato, my favorite routes to get to and from class, and have interacted with so many interesting people. These connections to Florence make it so hard to leave, but I will be taking a piece of the city and the lessons I have learned from this experience back with me to Pitt and beyond. Learning how to adapt to this foreign environment has helped me to become more comfortable with changes and has taught me to stay persistent through uncomfortable situations. As I move forward with my classes at Pitt and into the real world after graduation I will carry these lessons with me and will reflect on how this experience has shaped me both as a student and as an individual. I am beyond grateful for everything that this semester has brought me and truly couldn’t recommend the study abroad experience enough.
