Over the past two months, Florence has presented a variety of areas to explore in the city and in the classroom. The art and history in this city are rich and all around you in everyday life! Living here has been beautiful but also challenging at times when assimilating to Italian cultural norms. I find it most difficult to adapt to the size difference in side walks and housing in Florence and throughout Italian cities. While I enjoy the ability to walk everywhere, the sidewalks are smaller than what I’m used to at home, especially with the amount of people living in and visiting this city. The size of furniture, housing, and restaurants are smaller too, emphasizing the differences from America. Over time I have assimilated and gotten used to this difference and have grown to enjoy it. Everything is a little more cozy and full of personality that new construction doesn’t have. When I first got here I was overwhelmed with the winding, narrow streets and didn’t know how I would learn my way around. After walking to class every day and learning how easy public transportation is, I’m starting to recognize streets and feel more comfortable with my surroundings.
In the classroom, there has been some ambiguity about exam formats and homework assignments. With any new class, the first exam is nerve racking due to uncertainty in the type of questions asked and answers expected by a professor. As I’ve asked questions to find out exam requirements in my different classes, I have felt more prepared and confident. With homework assignments, it was unclear at the beginning how we were to complete Italian homework on Canvas. It was a different layout than some language classes at Pitt, but once I realized that it was all in the modules the instructions were clear and easy to follow. Another area to navigate is the lack of technology used for taking notes in class. Unlike Pitt, professors here encourage the use of notebooks only for note taking. For example, my Renaissance Art class requires that notes only be taken in a notebook. I believe that this has helped me learn and retain information better since a notebook is less distracting and writing things down increases memorization.
It’s definitely been an adjustment living so far away from my loved ones. I am from Pittsburgh, so I am able to visit home and see my family frequently, something that I am unable to do while in Florence. This has led to me feeling a little bit homesick at times, but I call my family and friends often. As I learn my surroundings and classes, I become more excited to share my experiences with my loved ones and for the weeks to come!
