Last night as my host mother drove me through the Piazzale Michelangelo, I was mesmerized by the picturesque view it provides of Florence. The lights from surrounding buildings illuminated the Duomo beautifully and for the first time, I felt assured that I have just begun experiencing what will be a wonderful college semester abroad.
Flying in a group flight from New York all the way to Florence was definitely beneficial because I was able to get acquainted with numerous students in my program, all of whom study at various colleges across the US. The flight was long, but the adrenaline of meeting new faces and making conversation about what sights we each wish to visit while in Italy or personal anxieties overpowered my exhaustion of traveling for 13 hours. Once we arrived in downtown Florence Wednesday afternoon, I was amazed by the campus of my program provider, Syracuse University Abroad. Nestled amongst other small Italian villas and cafes, The Syracuse University Villa Rossa campus is stunning. Its ‘limonia’, a lemon tree garden which has been converted into an outdoor study lounge has so far been my favorite place to sip on a cappuccino and read. The SU Florence faculty and staff I have met have all been very friendly and I am already extremely excited to begin classes this Monday!
Although I was initially nervous about the process of getting assigned to my host family, within a few minutes of meeting my host mother, I felt more at ease about learning to adapt to living in a new household. My host mother, Donatella Nardi, and her daughter Francesca were extremely welcoming and kind. In just five days, Donatella has introduced me to over five different types of Italian dishes including Florentina bissteca, coccoli, and pasta carbonara. While my Italian is still progressing, Donatella and Francesa are always helping me build my vocabulary. Although we may be separated by different cultures, each day I find that there are more similarities than differences between my host family and my own family.
It has only been a week, but so far I am very pleased that I chose to study abroad this semester. The sights I have seen, people I’ve met, and food I’ve tasted in just the past few days have been invaluable experiences and I can’t wait to make even more memories and share them with the GW community.