Ciao again, reader. Time has been flying by for me here in Florence, Italy – I can’t believe it has already been almost two full months! In a few days us students here will begin our spring break, which means we just completed our midterms for the semester.

This semester I am taking four different courses, with one requirement being Italian. The other three consist of International Finance, International Economics, and Analyzing the Global city. I have enjoyed each class thoroughly and each professor has created a constructive learning environment. I have actually found the lectures here to be quite similar to Pitt in terms of difficulty and substance. The only major difference I have noticed is the difference in student body in each lecture. Back in Pittsburgh my lectures could reach up to or over 200 students, while here in Florence we barely hit 35 students per class!

One challenge I have had to overcome in this academic environment is the cultural difference in professors’ expectations of a student. Specifically, when it has come to situations such as the professors posting their lecture slides, as students are expected to take the notes and are not provided the slides to review at a later date. I have also often found back home that there is an expected minimum word count when writing essays or answering open ended questions, which again, is not the case here. These are minor differences in the academic environment but are definitely still divergences I have had to assimilate to!

As midterms come to a close and spring break begins, I’m finding myself settling more comfortably into both the academic and cultural rhythms of life here in Florence. While there have certainly been small adjustments to make in the classroom, these differences have ultimately helped me become a more adaptable and independent learner. I’m excited to carry these experiences with me through the rest of the semester—and to see what new challenges and opportunities the coming weeks abroad will bring!