Ciao! My name is Colin, I am a junior at Pitt studying Business Analytics and Supply Chain, with a minor in Economics. I am from Long Island, NY, and some of my passions include snowboarding, volleyball, going to the beach, and The Beatles. It has always been a dream of mine to visit Italy, and I am so happy to be studying abroad in Florence! I took Italian as a second language courses throughout Middle School and High School, which has definitely come in handy these last couple of weeks. I have enjoyed immersing myself in the culture by speaking Italian to locals and trying to improve my language skills.
I am a student at CEA Capa, along with many other students from Pitt. So far I have loved the program and all of my classes! The staff are all super friendly and helpful, and I have had the privilege of talking with many of them about their backgrounds, life in Italy, and everything we need to know for the semester. We even got to play volleyball with some of the staff, and I am looking forward to more university-organized activities like a cooking class and trip to Bologna. My professors are all very nice, and I have already learned a lot from them. My favorite class has been Beginning Figurative Sculpting, as while I may not be the most artistic, I have found sculpting to be very pleasing and enjoyable. My goals for this program are to find new interests and hobbies, try new things, learn more about life outside America, travel to new places, and create memories that will last a lifetime. I will only have this opportunity once in my life, and I plan to make the most of it!
In Florence, I am living in a 6-person apartment about an 18 minute walk from the city center. All of my roommates are from Pitt, most of whom are good friends of mine from school, which has made the transition to a new country much easier. Instead of having to adjust to an unfamiliar situation in both my rooming and surroundings, I have been able to instantly find comfort with a group that I trust and can plan activities with. We have gone to dinners together, classes, and even different countries on weekends (with more trips to come!) Still, I believe that this hasn’t taken away from my immersion into my surroundings and Italian culture . I have made an effort to meet new people, whether it be classmates, school staff, waiters, cafe owners, locals, etc. It’s always interesting to meet someone new and learn a little bit about their lives and what got them here, especially the Italians. I enjoy hearing about life in Italy, and its similarities and differences from living in the USA.
Life in Florence is upbeat and relaxed compared to America, even in the center of the city! Nobody seems to be in much of a rush, and people enjoy the simpler things in life, especially food. My favorite Italian tradition is the art of people-watching, which is when one sits in a cafe with a cup of coffee and a pastry, and sits for an extended period of time looking through the window. Although I’m not the best at waking up early enough before class to leave time for this, I still enjoy people-watching every chance I get. It’s fun to sit in a family-owned cafe outside the city center, and listen to the Italian chatter and attempt to decipher what they’re saying, and even try to hold a conversation myself (usually without success).
Although my apartment is a decently far walk from classes and pretty much everything else important, I don’t really mind. I’ve enjoyed my walks back and forth, taking in the sights and sounds of the city and truly feeling like a resident. There’s still so much of this city I have yet to see, and I can’t wait to do some more exploring. While I plan to travel elsewhere on most weekends, I hope to use my free time during the week to take walks and see what Florence has to offer.
Until next time, arrivederci!
