Advertisement
Published: February 4th 2018
Edit Blog Post
No matter where you go and no matter how old you are traveling is always a learning experience. When I think about where I want to travel it is usually a place that has a lot of nature where I can hike, climb and breathe in some fresh air. There's nothing I love more than a good scenic view over some mountains; however, I learned that traveling in a city is just as good when there is so much history and the food is fantastic! Also, I think walking 15,000-20,000 steps in the cold air all day long might add to that "hiking" aspect I love about traveling.
All that is missing in Florence is the fresh air, and that is mostly because so many people smoke cigarettes out in the open in Italy. The smoking atmosphere is something I had to adjust to when I previously traveled to Japan, and in this traveling adventure in Florence. I don’t know what other word to use than “adjust” in that precious sentence, I didn’t really adjust to it but it was something I had to get over. I learned that you kind of have to get over the things that bother you about a place when traveling or you’re not going to enjoy it as much; however, I can say that being around all the smoke definitely has assured my feelings about smoking.
Traveling with people you wouldn’t normally travel with is interesting. Not everyone is the same type of traveler, and that is something that I was very aware of on this trip. There is some like me who are just want to constantly be on the go, and there is others who would rather sit back and relax. I like to be on the go so that I get the most bang for my buck on the trip, and also to ensure that I don’t miss anything. I really can’t stand missing out on anything, but also its okay if someone would rather relax because that is what makes their trip more enjoyable for them. I was just glad to have a friend who wanted to check everything out, even when we were both exhausted, and take the time to understand everything there was to experience in Florence, Italy.
I learned that even though there is a LOT of frescoes and sculptures in Florence it is worth going to look at all that one can in a three week time period. I will be honest, after so many they all start to look the same. Regardless, each place I went to look at different pieces of art I found at least one piece that was different from any other piece I had seen in any other place. I gained a deeper appreciation for art on this trip because I realized how much time, effort and dedication went to it all.
Whenever I am traveling and experiencing one place my body constantly starts to itch about where I am going to travel to next. I would say that this trip has definitely been an influence on my future travels. My ideal study abroad trip, in my mind, had always been in Ireland where everything is green and I can hike. I went on this trip because I could get credit for my major and also because in actuality I will travel anywhere I can, but this trip allowed me to learn and experience traveling in a city. Traveling in a city with people who know the city was a huge help and gave me confidence to be able to figure out traveling in a city on my own in the future. When I traveled to Tokyo I had to figure out how to travel on my own I was terrified, and didn’t really do much but walk around at things I didn’t understand; with that being said, I don’t think I really learned to travel on my own like I did on this trip. I am grateful that I was able to do this trip with just enough guidance and independence at the same time.
For future study abroad students I would recommend getting some books on the place you are traveling to and read about them before you get there! This will allow you to appreciate all that the place has to offer even before you see it. It is better to know before you go so that you are not wasting time trying to figure it out once you are there. Although, have a book to help you along the way while there would not hurt either. Either way, on any traveling adventure go into it open minded and be ready to make changes when necessary. Not everything will be perfect, but the way you react to changes or mishaps will define how you look at your trip.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.09s; Tpl: 0.018s; cc: 6; qc: 44; dbt: 0.0343s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb