I am finally back at home in New Jersey following my study abroad program in Florence, Italy through GBI Florence and the CAPA Center. During this program, I had the opportunity to complete coursework in Renaissance Art History and Analyzing and Exploring the Global City. These two classes provided me with extensive information on Florence’s…
Author: alexishammer
Letter to Myself
Dear Alexis, So it’s nearing the end of study abroad. I’ve got one full day left and let me just say I’ve learned a lot. There’s some things you might want to know before you head to Florence. First, your layover to Florence is going to be the worst of the entire study abroad experience,…
If I lived in Florence full-time…
Florence is unlike anywhere I have lived before. The main industry here is tourism, so it doesn’t seem like I’d find a traditional marketing job here. But that’s fine with me, I can get creative. Currently, I live in the City Center, which is where all of the tourists come. Many people think that Florence…
GBI Florence: Obstacles in Elba
The biggest challenge I’ve faced abroad thus far is the language barrier, as I know virtually no Italian. However, this did not occur in Florence, as most Florentines know English. A couple of weekends ago, three of my roommates and I traveled to Elba Island, a beach vacation spot in Italy. I believe most of…
GBI Florence: Midpoint
I’ve been in Florence for three weeks now, so it makes sense to write about three of my biggest takeaways thus far. Although I have already learned so much about not only Florence, but also myself, pretty much all of it can be summed up with these three things. 1. Ask questions: It’s tough being…
Expectations, or the lack thereof, on GBI Florence
It’s hard to know what to expect when you’re about to experience something so unlike anything you’ve ever done before. Aside from college and sleepaway camp, I haven’t spent much time away from home. This is my first time in Europe and my third time outside of the country. Yes, I’ve studied Italy in European…
Arrival Process & Living in Florence
Ciao! It’s been about two weeks since I arrived in Florence. After a hectic flying experience, we took a taxi to the CAPA center, which is our academic building. I immediately took notice to the narrow, cobblestone streets. Due to the small sidewalks, it is normal for Florentines to walk in the streets. Only those…
Week 1: Goals
As I reflect on my first week in Florence studying abroad, I have created some goals that I would like to achieve throughout the remainder of the program. Although I mentioned some of my goals in the blog post before arrival, I now have a new perspective therefore it would be best to revise them….
GBI Florence: Week 0
Hi, I’m Alexis Hammer, an incoming junior at the University of Pittsburgh. I’m majoring in Marketing, minoring in Administration of Justice, and completing the Certificate in Leadership and Ethics. I have been a member of Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity on campus, since my first semester freshman year, and I will be serving…