After a long struggle to get Internet set up in my apartment, I am finally able to share the details of my journey and first few day in Florence. First of all, I am so excited to be here – it is everything I ever dreamed it could be and more! But I’ll start at the beginning…
Day 0: First International Flight
I left my house in Whitehall, MI around 1:30 PM on Tuesday, Jan. 24. After a three-hour drive, my parents and I arrived at the Detroit Metro Airport, five hours before my flight was scheduled to depart. To kill time we ate dinner before my flight, where of course I ordered an all-American cheeseburger and savored every bite. My plane from Detroit to Paris took off at 9:30 PM, and I spent most of the 8-hour flight watching movies on my personal TV. I had so much adrenaline pumping that I was unable to sleep.
Day 1: First Time On Italian Soil
After a nerve-wracking landing in thick fog and a hectic hour spent in the Paris airport looking for the correct terminal, I finally boarded my flight to Florence. I was surprised to see that most people on the plane were American study abroad students just like me. By 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon, I climbed down the steps of the airplane and walked in Italy for the first time. I arrived at my apartment and was shocked to see the enormously grand wooden doors that opened from the street and led to a beautiful courtyard and stone staircases. There is also an elevator that looks so old and unstable that I personally believe that it was one of the original prototypes. Needless to say, I carried my 54-lb suitcase up the flight of stairs and discovered another large wooden door. The door swung open and I greeted my new roommates. I live with eight American girls who all attend Palazzi in a spacious apartment with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. It is more than I could have ever imagined!
Day 2 – 4:
I spent Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday attending orientations for school and getting to know the city of Florence by exploring on my own. I’ve been walking more here than I ever have before. I love the energy of the city with mopeds racing down the narrow streets, the shop owners greeting customers in Italian, and crowds of tourists in search of Florence’s art, history, and gelato. I spend my afternoons walking and here are some of the sights that I’ve already seen.
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| Rubbing the snout of the replica of the Porcellino (Bronze Boar) for good luck |
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| View of the bell tower from the top of the Duomo |
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| The view from the Ponte Vecchio bridge |
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| The carousel in the Piazza della Repubblica |
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| View from the top of the Duomo |
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| The Gates of Paradise |
On Sunday night, all the roommates climbed a hill to the Piazzi de Michelangelo where we watched the sun go down over the city. I can’t imagine a better way to end the first weekend in Florence. Classes start Monday and the adventure will truly have begun.
