Throughout my experience abroad I have been traveling around, exploring Florence and new cities. Those adventures have been interesting and valuable, but my most meaningful experience has unexpectedly been my Tuesday nights in Florence where I get dinner with a group of friends I met here. When I first came here, I realized I had to do everything from scratch including building friendships and a good support system. This was a really big part of my growth this semester.

These weekly dinners started early October after I had met a group of girls in Croatia. We all go to different schools back at home and in Florence so it was really lucky we all met in a whole other city. After the trip we agreed to meet up in Florence and decided to get dinner at a restaurant we had all been wanting to try. After that we said we should do it again next week and then it became our weekly tradition. Throughout the weeks we have also expanded the group with people we have been meeting through our classes or travels. Our small group has become really close.

When these dinners started it was the first time I felt like Florence was becoming my home and less of a foreign city. I finally had a routine other than school and necessary chores and I felt like I had made my first real connections here. This experience was really impactful for me because it showed me that stepping out of my comfort zone allowed me to create new opportunities and connections that I really cherish. Initiating plans and reaching out to people first were things I used to avoid doing as I am sometimes on the quieter side. I now have a new sense of confidence and enjoy getting to know new people.

This dinner is a small activity compared to all the travel opportunities I have had abroad but it is one of the things I will remember most about my time here. To me it signifies how I was able to find a community here and make Florence feel like home. It symbolizes how I learned to build relationships from scratch and put in the effort to grow them. It is sad to think about how there’s only a few more Tuesday nights left before we all go home to different states, but I know we will continue to put in effort to stay in touch.