When In Rome

This past weekend, I ventured from the Renaissance to the earliest times of the Romans; that is, Florence to Rome. Although most people I spoke to prior to leaving for told me that I would absolutely love Rome, there were a couple of people who told me that Rome just wasn’t their cup of travel tea. I quickly realized that I would have to make up my own mind about the city.

 Right away I noticed how vastly different, yet somewhat similar Rome and Florence are. Rome is nicknamed the "Eternal City" for a reason. Alongside the epic ruins of the Roman Empire lies a city with a pulse like none other. It's fast paced, diverse, and vibrant. And not to mention the massive amount of green space and trees! (Something Florence unfortunately doesn't have enough of)

The traffic jams and crowded tourist attractions overwhelmed me with exhaustion. Aside from the chaos of the city, Rome’s famous attractions were stunning. It was hard to comprehend the ancient history as I walked through the Roman ruins. 

The beauty and immense size of the Colosseum was captivating. 

I visited the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Petersburg Basilica.

 

 I people-watched on the Spanish Steps and saw the Pantheon.

I tossed my coin and made my wish into the romantic Trevi Fountain.

I ate delicious Italian cuisine, explored sights I’ve dreamed about for so long and spent time with some pretty wonderful people.

 Rome is a mix of predictable and unexpected. A beautiful city caught in a mess of traffic and Vespas. Rome’s history is thousands of years old and I only got a small taste, but it was enough to make me want to return again someday. 

Wait...I'm here to study too?!

It’s a strange thing, to feel yourself blossoming. Blossoming isn’t really the right word, it’s much too frilly, although it does get the point across; I guess it’s more of a weird thing to feel yourself expanding, filling out the hollow bits, growing into a someone that has been patiently waiting for you to settle into it. It’s weird, but that’s how I would describe this past week.

 I have been swallowed by this city, by all the experiences and people and choices that are waiting, and that idea is so incredibly invigorating. And the thing is, it’s only been one week.

When most people think of studying abroad, I’m guessing they picture students gallivanting all over the world, but rarely do they remember that we actually take classes! I know when I pictured myself studying abroad, I thought about all the places I would see and experiences I would have. While I am doing just that, a large part of the study abroad experience is the “studying” aspect.

My classes thus far have been absolutely incredible. I’m enrolled in Digital Photography, Fashion Photography, Travel Writing, Drawing and Composition, and Italian.  All of them are so fascinating and on subjects that I am deeply interested in; it’s weird adjusting to the Italian school system but it’s good, too. I am so grateful I have the chance to take some amazing classes from Italian professors and to learn about the country that I have been exploring the past week and a half. I’m in for a very busy and fulfilling semester, and I can’t wait to see what my classes have to offer!

Preview for the next couple weeks: 

-Leaving for Rome bright and early tomorrow morning!

- Jetting off for an adventurous trip to Interlaken, Switzerland in two weeks. 

-Currently planning other trips to various parts of Italy and Spring Break in Spain! 

Stay tuned...

A Place I Can Reside

When visualizing my trip abroad before I left, I pictured myself exploring the city by day and vigorously blogging every single night about every last minute detail of my experience living in the heart of Italy. I even tried to begin on my first night. I sat down on my bed in my new apartment after over 19 hours of travel and my brain felt so overloaded with new information that I couldn’t even begin to fathom the idea of putting my experience into a single sentence.

I now realize my error. One day is not enough time to put into words the aged, complex, bustling, soulful city that is Florence. One week is not enough. Four months may not even be enough, but I feel as if I’ve explored Florence enough now to both feel lost in its foreign ways and also somewhat at home here. But how could I ever explain it?

In true Florentine fashion, I need to be expressive. And indeed, Florence is such an expressive city, a city full of passion, life and zest. What else could be said for the part of the world that gave us so much art and influence on culture? The people are loud and full of life. Florence is passion. Personality practically drips from the city.

My roommates and I have been parading through the city endlessly. As a result, I now feel a little more comfortable here, and I finally feel less like a visitor and more as if this is a place I can reside, and its only my second week. I guess there is a reason why Florence is a city that people fall in love with. It has wonders of the world that people fall over themselves to see and it welcomes you like an old friend.

I’ve learned that the best way to get more comfortable with living in a new place is to go out, sometimes alone, and just wander, get a little lost. It’s not like I could ever get bored here. There are tiny little shops and bars (bar means espresso bar here – a place you’d get a coffee drink) to duck into, locally owned boutiques and artists selling their work on the edges of the cobbled road. I know it might take me a while to blend in and start truly living as a Florentine, but hey! It’s only my second week.

I keep reminding myself; my Italian persona is not perfect yet, and that’s okay. I still fumble asking the checkout lady or barista “Quanto?” when I’m buying groceries or purchasing coffee, and I don’t have my route to school memorized yet. I sometimes see a local with a dog or a family with children and my stomach twists as I long for my own family and my own dog. But there is one thing I know for sure…this is an adventure. This is an adventure that is all my own. I’ve lived at home or close to home for my entire life, and I’ve never done anything remotely like this before. It is time to learn, to explore, to get lost in Europe and become an Italian!

And if there is one thing I’ve learned for absolute certain, it’s that when I walk around Florence and see the beautiful window boxes spilling with flowers, or when I walk across the Ponte Vecchio every day to school and see the breathtaking river before me, or when I turn the corner a stumble upon the Duomo, a famous statue or piazza, is that I know I’ve never been in a more beautiful or interesting place in my whole life.

The Outskirts of Florence

­ On Saturday, my roommates and I woke up to no rain! This was a big deal considering its been raining every day since we've arrived. So we decided to take the short trip to the little town of Fiesole. 

This town is a perfect place for two things, the escape from massive amounts of tourists and the breathtaking view of Florence. It’s just a short 20 min bus ride up the hill to the magical countryside. Simple and worth the €1,20 bus ticket.

The bus ride itself was quick and extremely beautiful. Finding the bus on the other hand was a whole other experience. Let’s just say it took us quite some time trying to locate where at the train station you are supposed to purchase bus tickets, and then where we to even find this bus. After wandering aimlessly for longer than we anticipated, we finally found it!

Hint: The bus to Fiesole isn’t by the train station. It departs from the Piazza San Marco, about a 10-15 minute walk from where we bought our tickets at the station. We apparently didn’t do our research before leaving, but thankfully we were pointed in the right direction by a kind British man, and a hotel concierge.

Finally settled on the bus, the ride from Florence to Fiesole led us up a winding road providing us breathtaking Tuscan views with each curve of the road. When you finally get the chance to stop and stare out to the view before you, your mouth will probably drop as you take in all of Florence spread out before you. Gorgeous villas dotting the hillside, a Tuscan country feel and a bird’s eye view of Florence made this trip so worth the trouble and confusion we had experienced earlier that day.

When travellers are looking to come to Italy the first on their mind is most likely Florence, Rome, Venice, and Milan. So far, I have fallen in love with Florence, but it can be easy to forget that towns outside of the major cities exist and are also just as beautiful. Fiesole is most definitely one of them!