I am grateful for the opportunity to study abroad in Italy.
La Vita è un Sogno - Life is a Dream
Ancient stone streets that guide visitors to historical landmarks. Tree-lined roads leading to stunning hilltop castle vineyards. Joyful locals enjoying their espresso while conversing with their friends in the sunshine. Street artists pouring their hearts and souls into their work. Restaurants welcoming visitors with wonderful street-side seating protected by the hot sun, and refreshing drinks awaiting them. Beautiful multicolored homes and picturesque bridges leading people across the rivers and canals to a new adventure. Colorful gardens and green spaces providing a contrast to the stone-filled city. The sound of a different language flowing through eardrums while venturing into a local Pasticceria searching for a mouthwatering cannoli. Stunning architecture commanding attention around every corner. Monumental marble-clad basilicas welcoming everyone with the magical sounds of church bells. Museums protecting the most historical and praised centuries-old art for anyone to gaze upon. These are the things I dream about; the things I witnessed firsthand during my unforgettable trip to Italy.
Traveling Solo
Nerve-wracking is a fair description of how my first international flight went. I had only flown a few times prior but nothing quite as long as my flight to Italy. I had purchased a red leather-bound journal with a beautiful vine on the front to write in during my adventure. In retrospect, I wish I had written more details about what I saw, where I ate, and transcribe more of my thoughts. My first entry in my beautiful red journal was
"Sitting at my gate to Italy! Now I officially have a stamp in my passport! Super exciting."
Though I knew some fellow UWM students studying abroad with me, I did not know them exceptionally well therefore, I flew to Italy alone and felt very much alone. I am thankful for the opportunity to travel solo because I gained a great deal of confidence in myself during this adventure. Sometimes I have trouble coming to grips with needing to do something alone but I need to remind myself it is aiding in my growth as a person. There is something so empowering to be able to venture off alone in an unknown city.
"First Day! I mapped out a couple routes to walk, which is truly getting me excited about being here."
Where Did I Study?
In the summer of 2015, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. My trip was only one month long and I truly wish I had stayed longer. I studied at SRISA, Santa Reparata International School of Art, one of the top art and design schools in Italy. The school has been around for 45 years offering a variety of courses, extra-curricular activities, museum visits and more. They understand the importance of experiencing the culture alongside education.
"In Art history class we met at Santa Croce and our teacher gave us a tour. We saw Michelangelo's tomb, Dante's memorial and some awesome frescos done by Giotto and his assistants."
I chose to study photography and Italian Renaissance History during my study abroad because of how closely it linked my two majors. My favorite parts of my trip were the planned excursions because we visited Siena, Venice, and a stunning vineyard in Chianti.
Summer Heat
My trip was in the middle of summer and the weather was primarily sunny with few clouds for most of the trip. However, we did experience a big thunderstorm at that startled many of us with thunderous sounds in the middle of the night. On average the temperature was about 32-35 degrees Celsius which is about 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
"We finally got our air conditioners set up! Just in time for 100 degree weather"
Cities in Italy are like concrete palaces with narrow streets, wonderful wide-open piazzas, and a bar (as in coffee shop in US terms) on every corner. Thankfully the temperature cooled to a much more comfortable level at night and we had air conditioning in our rooms to survive the heat. My all-time favorite way of keeping cool was strolling down the streets at night with a gelato in hand.
"Second Day! I walked a total of 10 miles today!"
The Heart of the Italian Renaissance
Florence is filled with culture and history around every nook and cranny. Every step I made I couldn’t help but think about the number of people who walked the same streets. My favorite spots in Florence are The Uffizi Museo, Mercato Centrale, Palazzo Pitti, Ponte Vecchio, Museo Nationale del Bargello, Palazzo Vecchio, and Piazza della Signoria.
"Today at school we visited the Bargello Museum. Originally a palace that was transformed into a police station/jail and then into a museum. I finally saw a sculpture I knew only from photos and studies, Donatello's David sculpture."
While exploring the streets of Florence, I saw many street performers and artists, which truly made it feel like I was in Italy. I learned that all streets lead to the Duomo, the most iconic feature on the Florence skyline. If I were to go back I would make sure to explore more of the city because I realize I did not experience it as a whole. The amount of history jam packed in this beautiful city is hard to comprehend and hard to fully explore in only one month.
Medieval Tuscan Town
Siena is probably one of my favorite places in Italy. There were fewer English speaking locals there, which gave me the opportunity to test my Italian Language skills. During my visit the town was preparing the Piazza del Campo for the historical Palio di Siena, a horse race held twice a year when ten horses and ten riders dress up in special apparel to represent ten of the seventeen city wards in Siena. The race only lasts a short period but the event is an all-day celebration with thousands of people crowding the track and seating around the perimeter. Unfortunately, I could not go to the race because I didn’t have the funds to travel down and pay for a ticket. However, some of my classmates did and they told me all about Palio di Siena. It really sounded like something I should not have missed.
"We all woke up bright at early for a two hour bus ride to Siena. When we arrived we split into groups to tour the Saint Catherine Cathedral. We couldn't take photos unfortunately, but I saw a mummified head and pinky of Saint Catherine. After the tour, the guide took us around the city explaining everything we saw from all the different districts and the architecture."
While in Siena I had the best gelato of my life and bought some beautiful Italian made oxford shoes and purchased a few other gifts. I honestly could spend an entire week in Siena if I had the chance because it is such a beautiful town and truly felt like I was connecting with Italy on another level.
City of Canals
We traveled up the Italian peninsula to Venice for the Biennale exhibition. I saw countless amazing artwork and installations that put me in a trance. Because I love photography so much, I was starstruck as I stood in front of framed photographs from Walker Evans. Walker Evans (1903-1975) is an American photographer and photojournalist known for documenting the effects of the Great Depression.
We explored the Biennale exhibit for five hours and then we were allowed to explore more of Venice afterward. During our second day in Venice we toured more places, and spent time in Piazza San Marco. I truly loved every second. While there, I enjoyed crossing the pedestrian bridges that span over the canals and watch the gondolas go by. Eating gelato, drinking coffee, and eating delicious Italian food were just extra perks.
Coastal Beaches and Lemon Trees
Visiting Monterosso al Mare was a simple but beautiful day trip with some of my new friends. We walked to the Firenze Santa Maria Novella Railway Station to purchase our tickets, which was an experience in and of itself.
“We caught a train to Cinque Terre at 9:30; the train ride was about three hours north and I stayed up the entire trip just admiring the landscape, mountains, vineyards, and valleys. The train even went through a tunnel in the side of the mountain!”
As we traveled by train up the peninsula to Cinque Terre, we came upon the classic storybook coastal town of our dreams. Multicolored buildings pushed up against the mountainous coast of Italy with lemon trees lining the streets. We spent most of our time relaxing and cooling off on the expansive sandy beach eating paninis and enjoying refreshing frozen drinks. I wish I could have stayed much longer because Monterosso is such a peaceful town. I would have listened to the waves crash onto the shore or even ventured further out onto the town if given more time there.
Wino Heaven
Smack dab in the middle of Siena and Florence is the wine region of Chianti. I am sure you have read that name on many bottles of Italian wine at your favorite wine shop. As a treat from the school, they took all of us to the stunning hilltop vineyard Castello di Verrazzano. We toured the gorgeous historical wine cave and enjoyed an amazing Italian dinner overlooking the vineyard. The dinner was comprised of local products including handmade pasta, delicious biscotti with dessert wine, aged parmesan with thick a balsamic glaze, and a charcuterie spread. As a custom in Italy each part of the dinner was paired with the tasty wine from the vineyard. I ended up purchasing two amazing bottles; Pino Grigio and Chianti Classico Reserva.
In Retrospect
If I had the chance to go back in time, or even travel back to Italy, I would:
-Save more money prior to my trip
-Plan more mini-adventures during my time in Europe
-Write more about my time in Italy, including more details in what I ate, saw, shopped for, etc.
-Take more photos. I know I took thousands of photos but when I look back I wish I took more. -Expand my food choices
-Stress less and have more fun.
"One of my new friends and I discovered a very good restaurant by the Duomo, La Gammbia Matta. Amazing Gnocchini al Pesto and had a great atmosphere."
At the time I did not have very much cash and I had to let go of some dreams like traveling to Rome, Pompeii, Pisa, and hiking in the Italian Alps. If anything I know where I will be going next time! Overall I had a wonderful experience studying abroad and it really did challenge me to think differently and stay open-minded. If you or someone you know has the opportunity to study abroad, I genuinely encourage it.
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