The world only has a select few settings. Not to say I haven’t been starstruck every time I step out onto the streets of Florence, but it is truly amazing to see how the world works in patterns. Since arriving in Florence, I realized that I initially focused on all the differences in the area compared to home; The different food, the different language, and the different dress-ware. Yet now, as I become a ‘self-proclaimed’ Florence resident (who has started to feel the presence of homesickness peeking through), I’ve noted a few similarities and differences between Pittsburgh and Florence.
Admittedly, the Duomo has become my new Cathy, and Pizza Co. (a small American style pizza shop that has anything your heart may desire) gives the feeling of sitting at Frenchies for a late-night snack. The Orno river reminds me of the three rivers and as far as I am from Pittsburgh, home is all around me.
As an out-of-state student, my life is divided into two; My place in Pittsburgh and my home in New Jersey. This makes Florence all the more interesting when considering where it falls in my life. Right now, Florence is at the center of it all and I can’t help to wonder what it will mean to me when I leave. You only truly know how much something means to you until you don’t have it anymore. Because of this, I have devoted my time here in Florence to convincing myself that I have truly lived in Florence. Whether that be singing on a 6-foot-tall stage during karaoke, watching the sunset on the Orno, hiking, or sitting at the library, I have attempted to make the most of living in Florence. So far I have learned how to take things one step at a time, to let loose and love life. Florence has undoubtedly been a much-needed change of scenery and I have seen myself grow because of it.