Caroline McKnight: Blog #2

Ciao Bella, Firenze! My First Week in Florence

Ciao! My first week here is wrapping up, and it has certainly been flying by !I have learned and absorbed an abundant amount of new information, culture, geography, italian language, and names of new friends. It has been exhausting, yet exciting, and jet lag still might be present. Let me take you through my life in the last couple of days…

My Travels to Florence

After a final breakfast with Dad at Le Peep on Sunday, I packed my duffel bag to exactly 49 pounds and headed to the airport. My flight to Atlanta was quick, and I prepared for the eight-hour journey to Paris.

Luckily, I had an aisle seat with an empty chair beside me! During the flight, I watched some TV, enjoyed a surprisingly good dinner (see picture in slideshow), and was inspired by Under the Tuscan Sun, though I only got about two hours of sleep in total.

Upon landing in Paris, my layover went smoothly, and I caught a few more hours of sleep on the flight to Florence that landed at 9am. Soon, I was in a taxi to the Accent Center to pick up my apartment keys. It felt so surreal to be here, in Florence, a place that I had been picturing and dreaming of for the past four months! I’m grateful for a smooth journey with no delays—thankfully, everything went well!

Reaching Florence

Within an hour of arriving in Florence, I had settled into my new home for the next four months! My roommate, Carlie, and I were assigned one other roommate, Lauren, in Oltrarno, a neighborhood located on the left side of the Arno River. We didn’t expect to live on this side of the river, as many people talked about living in the city center. However, we’ve quickly adapted to our quiant accommodation, which provides just what we need, and we’ve come to terms with the amount of walking we’ll be doing this semester!

After unpacking a bit, we took a walk around the neighborhood, grabbed a quick lunch, and then headed to a home goods store and Caddy’s (the closest equivalent to Walgreens here) for some essentials. That night, I met up with Caroline Rudicile and her roommates for pizza! We tried their famous pizza, Truntafina, along with a salad and pizza to share. The pizza literally melted in our mouths! We followed our meal with a search for gelato, and I ended up in bed around 10:30 PM.

My First Few Days in Florence

This week has been filled with orientation sessions and assigned activities. We spend several hours at the accent center, starting with general orientation sessions and then moving on to a few days of “Survival Italian” classes, where we learn the basics of the Italian language. We have quickly picked up essential Italian phrases and greetings, numbers, and key questions and words for dining and grocery shopping. I have absolutely loved learning Italian! Surprisingly, I’ve been able to absorb more than I anticipated, given how new the language is to me. I practice speaking Italian in shops whenever I can. I hope to continue improving my skills and becoming more comfortable with the language. Initially, I expected to know only “Ciao” and “Grazie,” but I’m grateful for the orientation sessions that have prepared me for navigating the city.

I believe it’s incredibly special for any study abroad student to try to learn the local language. Although it could have been lonely and isolating to be in a foreign country where so much is new, speaking Italian helps me feel more connected to the locals and makes this place feel more like home. Additionally, it’s great that most locals also speak English and can help me translate when my Italian fails.

I have truly enjoyed embracing everything as it comes! Even though my knees and feet hurt from all the walking, I’ve loved getting accustomed to the streets and different areas, taking note of restaurants and shops that catch my eye, and soaking up all I can about the city’s hidden gems. While this week has presented plenty of opportunities to feel pessimistic, frustrated, or even homesick due to the constant moving, low social energy, lack of sleep, and minimal personal time alone and with God, I’ve found that the joy of the Lord fills those moments with light and hope. By His grace, He reveals His heart for me and shows His kindness in both small and large ways each day. These reminders encourage me to look up, appreciate where He has placed me, and anticipate what He has in store.

This weekend, our program is taking us on a day trip to Siena and San Gimignano! I hope to go for a good run on Sunday and perhaps visit some museums since there are free museum tickets available on the first Sunday of the month. I’m also looking forward to getting on a real schedule next week. Until then… Ciao from beautiful Florence!