Holy moly, I can’t believe it has been a month since I moved to Florence. It feels like yesterday I was packing my suitcases, saying goodbye to my loved ones, and getting on the plane to travel across the world. I have been having a blast living in Florence and enjoying what this amazing city offers—drinking coffee and pastries at the multiple cafes around me. My favorite place to drink coffee and do homework is a café on top of the Hospital of Innocents. The place used was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, who commissioned it in 1419 from the Arte della Seta. It was originally a children's orphanage now a museum. You can order a cappuccino and have a breathtaking view of the Duomo.
The apartment that I am currently staying in is a 30-minute walk from the school. It was daunting at first because I would get confused about where to go and would sometimes be late. Over time I was able to find the route I was the most comfortable walking in the mornings. I get to see the sunlight hit each of the cathedrals I walk past getting to school. If I don’t want to walk in the morning I can simply take the bus that is only a 20-minute ride.
The classes I am currently taking in Florence are very engaging. In the history class I am taking on Mondays and Wednesdays the class is learning about ancient civilizations. From the rise of the Mesopotamia to currently the Roman Empire. In my other history class with the same professor on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we learn about the Enlightenment and how it inspired many revolutions including the American and French Revolutions.
With our art history teacher, instead of learning in a classroom all the time, we go out to different museums and learn about the art in the museum. Last month my class went to the Uffizi to learn about many famous paintings. Particularly “The Birth of Venus” and “Primavera” both are painted by Sandro Botticelli in the 1480s. I’ve also enjoyed going to the multiple museums Florence has to offer. My favorite museums I have visited were of course the Uffizi as well as the Accademia Gallery. It was so surreal seeing the David statue right in front of me. Rather than seeing the marvelous statute in the multiple history books I read.
Pictures from the Accademia Gallery and The Uffizi
Last month our classes got to take a weekend trip to both Rome and Venice. Both cities were very cool to visit. In Rome, it was cool to visit all the architecture that was built during the Roman Empire. It felt like I was walking through time going to the Pantheon and walking around the Colosseum. The city of Venice was very fun to explore and look at all the cool mask art hanging on the walls throughout the city. I can’t wait for the next adventures I am going to experience while I am in Italy.
Pictures from Rome and Venice