Ciao da Firenze!

I’m writing from Florence, Italy, where I’ve just finished my first week studying abroad at Studio Art Centers International. What a crazy week it has been! This post might be a little lengthy so that I can catch my blog up on everything that’s happened so far. Every day has been jam-packed, so I’ll be thorough.

Day 1/2: I flew out from Chicago last Sunday afternoon, arrived in Amsterdam around 7 am the next day, then had a connecting flight to Florence which arrived around noon. The first flight was around 8 hours, and I spent most of it watching movies and reading, so I was super tired the next day of travel! When I got to Florence, I met a bunch of other SACI students near baggage claim and we all got taxis to the Palazzo dei Cartelloni SACI building. There, I picked up my information packet and housing assignment! My apartment is only 5 minutes from the building, so that’s really great. I share a room with one person, and there’s also another double and a single room, as well as a living room, kitchen, and 2 bathrooms. It’s a beautiful and roomy place! After my roommates and I got settled into the apartment, we went to the Palazzo dei Cartelloni SACI building to turn in some forms and then found a snack bar for our first Florentine dinner: paninis!

Day 3: Tuesday was our first day of orientation. We spent the morning filling out forms as a big group and hearing introductory speeches from one of the founders, the dean, and the registrar of SACI. We had a lunch break and a little time to explore, so my roommates and I found a big open market that sells fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses from all kinds of vendors. We did some shopping there and at another grocery store. After we brought our groceries back to the apartment, we had our first tour of the city. Our tour guide, a SACI teacher’s assistant, brought us around to the Jules Maidoff SACI building, the Piazza del Duomo, where the Florence Cathedral and Baptistery stand, Piazza Republica, a square in the middle of Florence with shops, cafes, and a carousel, Ponte Vecchio, a beautiful old bridge on the Arno river, as well as many interesting spots in between! After our tour, there was a free buffet dinner at SACI so that we could meet other students as well as our professors. On our way home, a couple of my roommates showed us their new favorite spot: the gelateria down the street from our apartment. 🙂

Day 4: Wednesday was our second day of orientation. There were optional meetings during the morning (which meant sleeping in for me!) and a more educational tour of Florence in the afternoon, given by my High Renaissance Art History professor. We toured more Palazzos and Piazzas than I can count, and my professor knows everything about every. single. one. We had headsets to listen to her tour as we walked, and I can tell that I’m going to learn so much from her class. After that tour, a group of us went to a restaurant near the Duomo and I had some of the best gnocchi of my life. We walked around for a bit after that and got some gelato again!

Day 5: Thursday was the first day of class! On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I only have one class, while on Mondays and Wednesdays, I have three! I went to the other SACI building, Jules Maidoff, for my color photography class on Thursday morning. The professor is awesome and interesting and there are only about 5 or 6 people in the class, so I’m excited to get started! We spent the class getting to know the professor, the syllabus, and each other, and on Tuesday we’re bringing in our cameras. After photo I was done for the day, so I came back, made myself some pasta, and relaxed. Later on, one of my apartment mates and I did some exploring and found an excellent pizza place. Afterwards, we met some friends at a bar and a dance club!

Day 6: Since I only have classes Monday through Thursday, Friday I relaxed all day. I slept late and hung out around the apartment because it was pretty chilly outside. I also started some travel plans. I knew when I chose to study abroad that I would want to travel as much as possible, since it’s so easy to get around by train and cheap airlines. My art history class takes a lot of field trips around Italy, but I knew I wanted to go outside of Italy as well, so I started planning my trip to Paris! I found a cheap flight for two weekends from now, and I think I’ll be going alone, staying in a hostel and just exploring as much of Paris as I can in a weekend. I can’t wait to try traveling independently! On Friday I did most of my travel research and booking, so that took up the majority of my day. Later on, I did some exploring and shopping for new clothes.

Day 7: Saturday was another relaxation day. I think I’ve been sleeping so much trying to get over my jet lag, which is really tough! I didn’t sleep all day though; I knew I wanted to get out and see the city. My art history professor mentioned that the famous Florence sights get busier as the spring goes on, so that we should go and see them sooner rather than later when all the tourists are here. So, on Saturday afternoon, I set of to find the Accademia Gallery, which houses Michaelangelo’s David. The sculpture was breathtaking in person, and I’m so glad I went when I did! After I got home, my roommates and I went grocery shopping again and made ourselves dinner.

Day 8: Today, Sunday! This morning, two of my roommates and I had to get up at 6 am so that we could catch our 7 am field trip bus. Our first field trip for our high renaissance art history class was today to the town of Vinci and the Medici Villas. The bus left from a nearby plaza and took us to the first Medici Villa, Villa La Petraia. We walked to the gardens of the Villa di Castello before getting on the bus again. The Villas and the gardens were so rich with history and elaborate decorations! Then, we went to Poggio a Caiano, a beautiful villa designed to view the Tuscan countryside. It rained throughout our visit to this villa and its gardens, but we got a hot caffe after our tour to warm up! We then traveled to Carmignano to see the painting “Visitation” in the church of S. Michele before heading to Vinci. The drive to Vinci was long, winding, and hilly, so I was happy to get off the bus when we arrived at the birth place of Leonardo Da Vinci! We visited his birth home as well as Museo Leonardiano, which had reconstructions of some of Da Vinci’s ingenious inventions from throughout his life. After our visit in Vinci, with feet aching, clothes soaked through, and eyes and ears full of art history, we set home for Florence.

Since then, I’ve been relaxing and reflecting on my time so far in Florence. I can’t believe it’s only been a week! I have a busy day tomorrow- High Renaissance Art History, Painting, and Drawing- so it will be a long day, but I’m excited to get going in my classes. I’m also thrilled to have so many travels in my near future; there’s a SACI field trip to Pisa and Luca next weekend and of course my trip to Paris the week after that! I’ll be sure to update my blog as often as possible on my classes as well as my European adventures. 🙂