Introduction
Ciao, tutti! My name is Audrey Ferdinand, and I am a rising Sophomore in the David C. Frederick Honors College and Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Economics-Statistics, minoring in Business and Studio Arts, and obtaining a certificate in Public and Professional Writing. Currently, I am studying Renaissance art history and oil painting in Florence, Italy, and I just crossed the half-way mark of my program. Time seems to progress quite quickly, and I cannot believe that I only have three weeks left!
Florence vs. Pitt and “Outside of Philly”
As I explore a new culture and live in a new community, I notice many similarities and differences between Pitt and my hometown: “outside of Philly” (I’m about 20-30 minutes depending on traffic). Perhaps the most significant commonalities are that wherever I go, I see people interacting and laughing, shops and restaurants bustling with business, and others enjoying a stroll along the streets. Florence and Pitt and Philly, however, are quite different from each other, and I can clearly see this with the width of sidewalks. Back in the United States (Pitt and Philly are no exceptions), sidewalks are long and dip at crosswalks for accessibility reasons. In Florence, they are unbelievably thin, and many people simply walk in the street. I fear that I must admit, I also choose to travel in the street if I have no room on the sidewalk.
Days progress at a relaxes pace in my host location but much quicker at Pitt and at home. For example, my classes in Florence have a longer duration than those on campus do. Sometimes, my Renaissance art history course can take up to six hours because our lectures are on-site (i.e. inside the Uffizi Palace, Santa Croce, etc.), and we explore and discuss the elements of the pieces we look at in detail. We usually meet at different times too. In addition, typical restaurant dinners in Italy last a couple hours and occur later at night. I’m much more used to quick, half hour (at most) meals that finish at around 6 PM.
Despite these major differences, I find Florence charming, and these changes are refreshing. I am grateful for the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture, the ability to see and analyze beautiful works of art in person, and the chance to experience life in a country other than my own!