Ciao, fellow D&M and Drexel students! My name is Adrienne, and I am studying abroad this summer in Florence, Italy.
My first time in Italy, I was 5 years old and traveled with my parents and my older brother. Although I don't remember most of it, I do recall the food being exceptional and my parents having to bribe me with gelato to get me to go to museums, often multiple times a day. This was most likely the beginning of my ice cream/froyo obsession (thanks, mom and dad), which is still prevalent today.
Post co-op this year, I really put my heart into study abroad. I've always wanted to return to Italy, as I can now appreciate its art, architecture, language, and culture. My mom's side of the family is from Calabria (southern part of the country) and I feel as though I am sharing a part of them by being here. Two flights and a long lay-over in Dusseldorf, Germany (is that a city, or a Harry Potter spell?) later, I am in Firenze!
After taking 4 years of Italian, I am really hoping to converse with the locals and improve my language skills. I am lucky to be sharing my Italian adventures with one of my best friends, sorority little sister, and fellow D&M student, Julia Pacitti. It is so nice to have her here with me while also making new friends. Our program is outside of Drexel, so we are the only two Drexel students here, who are surrounded by a lot of midwesterners and southerners.
Cinque Terre, Italy
Within the first two days of being in Firenze, it was like BOOM art history 102 coming to life. The Duomo, the Uffizi museum, Accademia museum with the David, the list goes on and on, it feels like everywhere I turn I think of sitting in the stuffy, old lecture hall of Nesbitt. I then take off my sunglasses and remember I'm in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Also within the first week, I had already climbed to one of the highest points in Firenze, Piazza di Michelangelo complete with a picnic (made by Julia and yours truly), hiked and swam at Cinque Terre, visited the Gucci Museum and the Uffizi, went to mass at the Duomo, and much more all while having 2-3 gelato per day. I have class Monday-Thursday, 9:30-12:30 which leaves a lot of time to explore Florence on the weekdays and take trips elsewhere on the weekends. We are so lucky to be in Florence, as it is central in the country with close proximity to Rome, Pisa, the Amalfi Coast, and more, and has a lot of American students while still remaining rich with culture and locals. It really is the best of all worlds, and I couldn't be more thankful for this opportunity.
Il Duomo, Florence, Italy
Arrivaderci for now, ragazze. I hope you will continue to follow me throughout my adventures in Firenze! Ciao!
That sounds really exciting! It seems like a great program to be apart of! I hope you really enjoy it since it really is everything we learned in Art History class. Have you noticed any cultural difficulties or differences yet?!
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