My time in Florence has already flown by, I cannot believe I only have a little more than a month here. Time passes especially fast when we travel over the weekend. Not only am I trying to assimilate to the culture in Florence, but being exposed to another host of cultures, while traveling, can be overwhelming. Every country is different, and along with that comes different interactions, communications, expectations, and lifestyles. With this, I have learned to keep more of an open mind. I try to not go into trips having expectations about the culture or my journey itself. There is always something to learn when immersing yourself in a new country and its’ culture. Personally, I am a pretty picky eater, but I could not pass up on some of the cultural delicacies I have encountered on my trips. I have tried escargot, tapas, prawns, mangoes, and fennel!

So far, being a part of this program, I have learned more about being flexible while also trying to stay organized. Booking trips and navigating that with a large group of people can be difficult. People’s classes end at different times, planning to take the train while also having enough time to get through security at the airport, and figuring out what cites are people’s priorities are very sensitive issues to work through. Time management is another skill I have approved upon while being enrolled in this program. Exploring Florence, attending class, completing schoolwork, and traveling to other cities are all important activities that can sometimes be difficult to balance.

Additionally, I have furthered my knowledge of the Italian language. Italian class has been the biggest help with my language skills. Being immersed in a culture that speaks Italian enables me to observe and use the language more than I would at home. Furthermore, when I use the correct words or pronunciation, the locals usually give some praise, which validates my work to becoming more proficient in the language. In terms of traveling, I visited France and I was surprised at how much of the language I remembered from my high school curriculum.

Overall, being a part of this program, I have learned to be more organized and flexible throughout my experiences. Additionally, I have become more confident in myself and my skills. Studying abroad was a little outside my comfort zone, but seeing how I navigate relationships, experiences, and different cultures while being abroad has solidified my decision to study abroad in Florence.