It has been a week since, I was in the city that stole
my heart. A week since I walked the cobble stone streets of Italy, ate a gelato
a day and was constantly surrounded by the greatest group of friends I’ve ever
met. I can officially say that I’m amongst the lucky few “20 something’s” that
life has been forever changed by studying abroad. I’ve experienced things and
places that some people only are able to grasp at in their dreams. To say that
I feel like the luckiest girl in the world would be the biggest understatement.
I feel so accomplished and full of pride; I guess this is how you feel when you
achieve a dream. I know I’ve said this a million times, but I’m truly blessed
beyond measure.
To
avoid an extremely emotional post, I waited a week because I was in and out of
tears walking around Florence my last day, packing, saying goodbye to my
friends and on the plane. I had so many mixed emotions, I probably could have
written a novel! I felt ready to come home, and anxious to get back to
“reality” but a part of me was dying inside because I knew I had to say goodbye
to the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. I decided I couldn’t
look it that way, and I had to keep the light and positivity that I’ve gained
with me as I come home and finish school.
Now
that I’ve had time to process- it’s still mind blowing that I just lived in
Italy, I don’t know if that will ever hit me- I’ve had time to sit back and
think about what made Florence so special. I’ve talked a lot about my travels
around Europe, but I didn’t give Florence the credit or love it deserves. To
give you a little insight of my day-to-day adventure and just a few of the many
reasons I adore Italy, with the help of my friends, I created a list of the...
Top 10 Best Things About studying Abroad in Florence!
This
was actually my final project for my journalism class, but I had fun
reminiscing with my friends about the reasons we chose Florence and why we loved
our time abroad. It was actually funny that all of our reasons were mostly the
same, everyone had a little different twist or personal story, but in the end,
this is what we all agreed on.
This is a love letter to Florence and a “chin chin” to
the best city in the world...
2. Walking
everywhere: When in Florence you ditch your car and walk around everywhere.
At first this seemed like a daunting task because of the cobble stone streets
(the amount of times we tripped and oh, forget walking in heels!), but you
learned to love the simplicity of walking, and that everything you could
possibly need, is within walking distance. When you walk, you got to take in
the scenery, breathe in the scents of the bakeries and watch the Italians interact
with each other (when I mean interact I mean aggressively makeout)…There was always
something new on your daily walks and it was always refreshing.
3. The
history, art and architecture: Florence itself is a work of art and one big museum.
It was the playground of Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli and Galileo-talk
about awe-inspiring! Everywhere you look is more beautiful than the next and
normally has some historical content behind it (Walking past the Duomo daily
never got old). Obviously, Michelangelo’s David is one of Florence's famous masterpiece, but if you dig a little deeper, you can find hidden gems all
around the city. We all had our favorite “unique” spots, but most of us loved
across the river, were the “real” Italians lived. If you ever make it there,
sit in Piazza Santo Spirito for a couple of hours and bask in the simple beauty
and people watch-it’s magnificent.
7. The
other students abroad: Any abroad student
you crossed paths with instantly became your best friend and Florence family.
Everyone was so outgoing, positive and open to all new things. You see the
worst and best in people when traveling and it's important to be surrounded by
people who always manage to make fun out of every awkward and uncomfortable
situation, like 14-hour bus rides! You make lifelong connections and
share a bond unlike any other friendship. Friends abroad enhance your outlook
and forever change your life. It was so hard saying goodbye, but now we have
friends all around the states now and I know it wasn’t a true goodbye, it’s a
“I’ll see you soon.”
9. Lifestyle:
La Bella vida of the Italians. Generally speaking, Europeans have such a
different outlook on life, love and work. They enjoy every moment, and never
rush to get to place to place (Even just a week of being home, I feel stressed
to get somewhere). The relaxed lifestyle makes you appreciate the simple
blessings in life and leaves you feeling less stressed and anxious. The
passionate manners of Italians are also admirable. From their relationships to
the food they eat, there is always time, love and effort put into all they do.
I really wish Americans would adopt this lifestyle. It makes you so much calmer
and opens your eyes to what’s really important.
10. Life lessons: Oh boy, where to begin. Living in Florence has made me and many of my friends the “best version of ourselves." We will always have a special relationship with Florence for all the continuous lessons it has taught us. We learned to step outside our comfort zone, and be adaptable to all situations. We learned to trust ourselves and have the ability to be your own map and compass. We learned it's ok to get lost, because you will always find your way home, and along the way, you'll stumble on something new. We learned to become more confident in ourselves and learn to have pride in the simple accomplishments. We learned to be thankful, humble and appreciative of where we live and how we were raised. Most of all, we learned that although the world is big, no matter who you are or where you are from, we all have the same goal; to find happiness. Every small interaction and random conversations changed our perspective and was placed in our life for a reason. If you open your ears, eyes and your heart, you can learn a lesson from everyone you meet.
So there it
is. Just a tiny glimpse of why Florence is my favorite place in the world and
why it will always have a piece of me. Thank you Florence for all the
immeasurable gifts and joys you have brought to my life. I will be back…that’s
a promise.
Until the next big adventure…
Tutto il mio
amore
Baci e
abbracci
xoxo