One Week In!

I’ve just now hit one week since starting classes and almost two weeks since I’ve been abroad! It’s interesting looking back at what I wrote before I had left as so many of my worries either did not happen entirely or were much easier to manage than I anticipated. Other than a missed connection in Amsterdam and an added 8 hour layover, I got to my apartment tired but in one piece (and with all of my luggage!)

Prior to classes starting, my roommates and I took advantage of our free time and took a day trip to Constigleoncello, a beach town about an hour and a half train ride from Florence. It was around 25 euros for a round trip train ticket and we spent the day in crystal clear water and exploring around the town. I’m hoping in these next few weekends to take trips to Siena, Cinque Terre, and Verona.

Currently I am taking a three week long Food, Culture, and Society in Italy class that meets everyday from 12-3. This intensive course walks us through Italy’s history of food and how much of a role it plays in Italian and European culture. Today we walked through the basics of viticulture and how to understand and taste wine. Our professor is a level three sommelier so it was very interesting to hear her take on different kinds of wines and how you can improve your wine tasting skills any time you try a glass!

I’ve really enjoyed having a kind of routine to stick to and I’ve been appreciating my daily walk to class that brings me right past the Duomo. Each day I see different parts of the city and I’m excited to continue exploring!