The people I encounter always tend to be my favorite part of an experience, and my time in Florence has been no exception. Community, I have found, is rooted in the connections made with others, whether that be in the form of a fleeting conversation or a lifelong friendship. Prior to starting my program, I received notification of my housing assignment. In that moment I found before me a list of six people; one of whom I had known prior, two of whom I had encountered through various involvements at Pitt, and three complete strangers. One could imagine the nerve wracking nature of moving to an entirely new country with a group of people who are largely strangers, but my mind was overwhelmingly dominated by excitement, rather than anxiety, at the potential to form new connections.
These connections did not hesitate to come to fruition. The first week was marked by cooking group dinners set to the theme of a Frank Sinatra soundtrack and citywide explorations to hunt down the best gelato, paired with a constant exchange of stories and laughter. This soon evolved into Saturday mornings at the public library, studying and sharing notes among all seven of us, before going out to explore the city home to the art and engineering innovations we had just encountered in our textbooks and Powerpoint slides. I found myself immediately grateful to have stumbled, entirely by chance, upon a group of individuals equally invested in the experience and eager to capitalize on their time abroad.
This sentiment has extended beyond my apartment and into the classroom as well. Our in-class discussions continue to benefit from a wide variety of engineering disciplines, especially when considering themes of sustainability. The contribution from various majors allows us to make connections across fields. We have delved into the role of civil engineering in integrating passive design infrastructure and some of the ways in which bioengineering can be used to develop environmentally-conscious medical equipment. Whether they know it or not, my classmates have certainly encouraged me to explore new perspectives, strengthening our engineering community through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Just about everyone I have encountered here has been welcoming and willing to learn. In this way, my community formed in Florence strongly reflects that of Pitt. Looking beyond those in my program, though, towards the broader setting of Florence, I have encountered some notable differences. In general, I have observed a greater awareness and presence among the people in Italy compared with those at home. Across the Arno River in the more residential and less tourist-centric areas, there is a visible slowness in the pace of life. At breakfast, it is common for people to stand at the counter, enjoy their cappuccino, and make conversation with those behind the bar. In the evening, you can find people sitting down for long, conversation-driven dinners. Food is not merely something that needs to be consumed, but rather just one of the ways in which people find the time to reflect on their day and connect with others. Food here provides a means through which connection can be cultivated, passed around the table like a shared pasta dish.
As I continue on my program, I aim to keep these lessons on connection and presence in mind. When I inevitably return home and leave the city of Florence behind, I will be accompanied not only by a menagerie of souvenirs for loved ones, but also by a deepened engineering perspective and an invaluable new community.