Buongiorno, everyone! My name is Julia Caterino and I am a rising junior majoring in Media and Professional Communications with a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. I am also part of the Frederick Honors College here at Pitt. Today, May 29, I will be traveling to Florence on Pitt’s second session of the…
Tag: Italy
Taya’s Travels: Navigating a New Environment
While in Florence, I was subjected to both daily culture shocks and a shocking sense of continuity. I know very little Italian so it was jarring for me to be in a country where I could not readily communicate with the vast majority of people. On my first day I wandered around, feeling like I…
Taya’s Travels: Tourism in Florence – Suggestions and Advice
I think when traveling, especially in the age of social media, there’s a lot of pressure to get everything done. This means making lists and itineraries, compiling must-sees, and trying to visit every gelato place that TikTok insists is the best you’ll ever have. It can be really overwhelming. That’s why I tried to make…
Taya’s Travels: Introduction – Taking on Tuscany
Hi! My name is Taya Hoetzlein-Sirman, and I am a rising junior in the Frederick Honors College, pursuing a double major in History and Political Science, and a minor in Literature. I’m currently enrolled in Pitt’s Food Studies program in Florence, Italy, and I’m excited to share my journey with you guys! I chose this…
Ciao, Florence!
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…
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…