It’s been a while since I posted, but for the best reasons. Today marks a month and 6 days since I have been living in Florence and I couldn’t be more happy with my time spent so far. Now, sitting in my 4th-floor walk-up apartment looking out through the open window at the golden rooftops and cypris trees covering the sunny green hillside, I feel content. The past month and 6 days have made Florence my home. I know its streets and its hidden gems, its locals, and its energy. And though I’ve done much traveling on the weekends outside of Florence, it always seems to welcome me home in the warmest way every time I return.
When I first arrived, I didn’t know what to expect. There I was, an 18-year-old college freshman, about to live for the first time away from home across the world in a country I have never been to, with a language I didn’t speak a word of. But adapting was easy. I knew before I even arrived that I was going to love it here. And love it I absolutely do. The charm of the city has captured my heart. With its cobblestone streets, red-bricked roofs, towering green cypris trees, quaint cafe’s that spill into the streets. It really is just as delightful as it sounds.
Its hard to sum up into words how much I have learned since I’ve been here. In a city so dense with history and culture, my brain feels like a dish sponge trying to soak up an ocean of information. I’ve studied renaissance while walking to class on the very streets ruled by the Medici’s. I’ve read literature about 20th-century aristocrats conversing in the Boboli gardens while sitting in the Boboli gardens myself. The Ponte Vecchio is just one landmark on my every day walk to school and the Pitti Palace is my next door neighbor. The Tuscan air that blows a gentle breeze through the cobblestone streets is rich with culture and quality of life. In such a short time I’ve fallen in love with this place and I’m more than thankful to call Florence home.
More is soon to come- Bella <3