Italy - Week 1

It's raining in Florence tonight. Somehow it feels like a fitting end to a weekend that was full of sun and beauty. In fact, this whole week has been resplendent with day after day of new discoveries and delight in the charms of Italy.

We arrived early Sunday morning in Rome after an uneventful flight from the U.S. We were immediately met with gorgeous weather and a breathtaking drive as we traveled by bus to Florence. I wish I could say I took full advantage of enjoying the scenery; however, jet lag overtook me and I slept most of the way. This means there are no photos to share.

We jumped right into exploring the city of Florence and acquainting ourselves with the neighborhood surrounding the hotel where we will stay and attend class during the 3 weeks we are here. Below is a photo taken from a bridge near our hotel that overlooks the Arno River.

Monday through Friday were spent getting oriented into classes and becoming situated to life in Italy. My basic schedule during the week consists of class in the morning with afternoons/evenings typically free to explore Florence and enjoy the city. We also have occasional field trips as part of our program. This past Wednesday we ventured to Fiesole which is a town on the hillside just outside of Florence. Here you can find a Franciscan monastery, Roman baths and a Roman theatre, as well as part of the Etruscan wall dating back to the 8th century B.C.E. Since photo uploading is difficult at this moment - I suggest you check out the ones I posted on facebook last week :)

For the weekend, Molly, Nicole and I decided to venture down to the Amalfi Coast. It was beyond gorgeous. The first day there was spent checking out the island of Capri, including a boat tour around the island, a row boat into the Blue Grotto, and drinking granidas while overlooking the Mediterranean. It was basically paradise and easy to see why many of the rich and famous choose to live and vacation there. Saturday we spent the day lounging on the black sand beaches of Positano and Sunday we visited the ruins at Pompeii. All in all it was a pretty amazing weekend.

Nicole, Molly and I at Pompeii

One thing that has been interesting for me during my time here in Italy has been getting to know the other students on the trip. Most of them are undergraduates and for many this is their first time visiting Europe. It reminds me of my own experiences exploring France when I was their age and making new discoveries about life and culture abroad. In many ways, Italian culture is similar to French culture. In comparison to the U.S., they have a more relaxed lifestyle, a deeper and more meaningful appreciation for food, and definitely spend more time traveling by walking than Americans. Again, I find myself hoping I can take some of these attributes and habits back to the U.S. with me. I could use a bit more joie de vivre (a French saying, I know, but fitting) in my day to day life.