Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

I have been living in Italy for two months now. It is an experience like no other. I arrived in Florence two weeks early because I wanted to do some traveling before the semester started. I am currently enrolled at Florence University of the Arts. However, before I started class I took two excursions, one to the Amalfi Coast, and another to Oktoberfest in Munich. The first two weeks in Italy were mix of fun and adjustment to living in a new city. I am Italian descent, therefore, I am used to the Italian way and culture, but it is always an adjustment when you move to whole new country as it is very different than Chicago, U.S.A.  

Arriving early to Florence and going on two trips before starting school definitely helped, though. My courses in Florence have all been fun so far but, they have also been very academically rewarding. Each section is around 3 hours a day, and I have been learning something new about the history and culture of Italy every day. I thoroughly enjoy my two English courses Literature Grand Tour of Italy, and Love, Sex, and Marriage in Renaissance Italy. Meanwhile, Florentine fashion walks has given me insight into Florence's fashion scene and allowed to gain knowledge of the city’s hidden treasures. Finally, I loved learning Italian as a language, learning a language is special and getting to share that knowledge with locals and communicate in Italian is so cool.  

I have learned so much about Ancient Italian culture, and the history behind the country’s famous novelists. I also feel that I have grown a lot as a student and a person. Studying in a different country gives you so much perspective, and it opens your eyes to a whole new style of learning and living. Everything is fast paced and you have to be prepared to start right away. The classrooms and teaching style is all different, and this had a profound and positive impact on me. As a person, I feel like I have grown and matured by living out of the house in a foreign country, as it truly is liberating for a young adult.  

A big shout out and special thanks to the Ingrid H. and George L. Speros Scholarship! 

Kyle at the top of the Duomo in Florence, Italy: