The ISA JournalFlorentine First Steps

Quick, get the camera! She’s taken her first steps in Italy!

Okay sorry, that was a little corny. But I’ve made it to my home for the next several weeks: Florence, Italy! I thought I would spend my first blog post sharing how the adjustment from the red, white, and blue to red, white, and green has been, including some lessons I’ve learned and some of my favorite parts so far! 

The Journey

I’ll be honest, one of the parts I was most nervous about in my study abroad venture was simply the logistics of the airport. Prior to this trip, I had never flown by myself before. I had always had my family with me to tell me where to go and what to do. I always had my dad insisting he hold the passports, and I always had my mom memorizing our flight information and schedules. So going in alone was a big step for me.

I mean, so much could have gone wrong. What if I went to the wrong gate or my luggage got lost. What if I misplaced a boarding pass or lost track of time and missed a flight? In case you couldn’t tell, I can be a bit of a worrier. However, I am happy to say that none of that happened! A lot of what I was worried about was really just in my head (which is the story of my life, to be truthful).

If I had any questions the staff were always very helpful, and everything was pretty straightforward. My one tip for those with flight and airport anxiety: Don’t be afraid to ask questions! I know the fear of sounding dumb or naïve can make this a task easier said than done, but I promise you, the airport staff have heard it all before. I found it to be much more comforting to ask all of my dumb questions so that I could have peace of mind as I navigated the airports. Here, to make you feel better, I’ll include one of my own silly questions:

“Do we need to go through customs?”

“No, you already did that.”

See! That five-second interaction made things so much easier because I didn’t have to worry about if I had somehow skipped security. And yes, the question was silly, but it was over and done with so quickly.

So, my top two takeaways for those who maybe are in the same boat as I was in terms of solo travel and flight anxiety are that it’s all going to be much simpler than you are making it in your head. And, if you do get tripped up or confused, it’s better to ask than wander around aimlessly. I promise you will be fine. And then, when it’s all done, you will get to celebrate the achievement of getting there by exploring your new home!

First Few Days

Talk about a whirlwind! From fighting jet lag to experiencing the first wave of culture shock, my first few days in Florence flew by. After hauling our luggage up five flights of stairs, we got ready for orientation. It seems after orientation—where we met other students and had our first taste of real Italian cuisine—that things have been flying by.

My favorite part of these first few days has been the unexpected cultural landmarks we had the privilege of witnessing. The morning of our walking tour, we found the Duomo to be filled with music as a choir’s voices were amplified throughout the piazza. It was so beautiful, I almost started crying. We later learned that the choir was there because a new cardinal bishop was being appointed, something that only happens once every 17 years! And we just happened upon it.

Later that same day, after taking a group picture in front of the fountain of Neptune, we found a large crowd gathering around the Palazzo Vecchio. After asking around, we learned that the first female mayor of Florence was being sworn in. We got to watch as the crowd greeted her and Florentine history was made.

Later that night we watched the fireworks on the river that celebrated Florence’s patron saint, Saint John. We joined the hundreds of people flocking to the riverside to see the beautiful colors of the celebration.

Then, just yesterday we got to watch as Florence hosted and presented the teams of cyclists for the Tour de France. Florence has never been the city to kickstart the race, so this was such a fun and unique experience! We saw people holding countries of different flags and feverishly waving trying to get the attention of their favorite cyclists. It was so beautiful watching families of tourists and locals alike come together to witness something Florence has never hosted before. 

Ultimately, my first couple of days were so much more than I was expecting. I mean, to be completely honest, I didn’t really know what to expect. But still, Florence has truly captivated me. Bewitched me, if you will. These first few days have taught me to keep your eyes and ears peeled, you never know what you may stumble upon on the street.

Just being here is such a magnificent privilege but then also getting to witness so many important events has been so incredible and exciting. So, while you’re abroad, if you see a large crowd of people, don’t be afraid to stop and ask what’s going on. Do research about local holidays and festivals so that you aren’t surprised like I was. Also, slow down! Really bask in what is around you, take notice of flyers or flags being flown, don’t be afraid to go off book with your schedule a bit. You could witness something you never even imagined!

Mindset Moving Forward

It’s safe to say that these early days of my stay have been so incredible. Getting to witness so many landmarks of Italian and European culture in this first week has been such a privilege and has only made my love of the city grow. Moving forward in these coming weeks, I hope to continue to immerse myself in all Florence has to offer and gather a few more tips and stories to share here. Until then, I’ll keep taking photos, saying “Wow, this is gorgeous” and journaling about what surrounds me.

Ciao!

Sydney Stephens is a student at University of Kentucky and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is studying with ISA in Florence, Italy.