Half way through studying abroad in Italy, and I would have to say that it’s been absolutely amazing and unforgettable! For this course we’ve have 2 ½ weeks in Florence studying the Renaissance, and now our final 2 ½ weeks will be in Rome studying art and architecture.
During our time in Florence we stayed in a town about 40 minutes outside of the city. Figline Valdarno is a town that barely speaks any English, and our 16th century villa we’re staying in is about 10 minutes outside of that. It’s a type of family-oriented resort area, where camp sites and shared living are below with our villa situated above on a hill.
To date we’ve been to many of the churches, monasteries, and major attractions that bring so many people to Florence. In addition to this we have done day trips to more secluded locations in Fiesole and in the outskirts of Florence. It’s been amazing to see monuments and historical icons (such as the David, Rape of the Sabine Women, and works by Donatello, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Leonardo Da Vinci, etc.) within the working culture of contemporary Florentines and really knowing about what this city has gone through. Even though I have taken numerous courses in this material, putting it all in context makes it so much more impacting!
I’ve also been loving Italian cuisine, specialities, and being able to wander the streets of Florence in our days off and after classes (we usually have about 3 hours of free time to do what we like and get to the train station in time). This balance of school and personal time has been really wonderful and making my time away both a kind of recovery from my past two school terms and also a continuation of studies.
Next stop, Rome! I’m looking forward to the different metropolis culture even though I have been told to be much more careful. Nonetheless it’s still Italy, and I’m loving every minute of it.
by Kaitlyn Corlett
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