Hello again!
I cannot believe it is the final week of my time abroad! A reflection on my experience in Florence is one of admiration and gratitude, as I have gained a plethora of skills that will benefit me not only personally, but academically and professionally.
The first of these skills is adaptability. I have adapted to not only a completely unfamiliar environment, but an equally unfamiliar culture and way of life. This skill will greatly influence my ability to navigate new and unique professional and academic environments. Whether it be socially or individually, I am certain that I am better equipped to handle uncertainty in any environment. However, my success was not entirely due to my lone efforts. I attribute a great deal of this to my incredible roommates, peers, and faculty within the CEA Capa program. They always provided a shoulder to lean on or friendly advice. The relationships that I have built will influence me for the rest of my life, and for this I am so grateful. Working alongside others to navigate this unfamiliarity with my peers and faculty will also facilitate any future group work.
Furthermore, I had the privilege of taking a course through CEA Capa entitled “Analyzing and Exploring the Global City: Florence.” The final project of this class is to visit and explore a residential neighborhood outside of the city center. We are tasked with interviewing locals on the impact of tourism on their neighborhood and their own lives. Resourcefulness and using new methodologies of acquiring information are very important to this project, which is still a work in progress. I went to the Palazzo Vecchio, a political building of Florence, to acquire and research the city’s urbanization plans from 1990. This fieldwork definitely provides new research skills through a manner that would not be available to me at home.
I also enrolled in a beginners Italian language course. Taking this course while in Italy allowed for me to practice the language in an environment where it is spoken. This was a very unique experience that also would not have been available to me in the United States, and it greatly facilitated my learning. I am now able to order and communicate the basics with Italian speakers.
Still in disbelief that my time in Florence is nearly up, but appreciative of the qualities that have developed since being here. See you next week for the final blog post!
