Just call me Jaci Medici!!!

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Ciao a tutti!

This first week is going by quicker than I could have imagined. I can’t even begin to choose my favorite part so far. I have taken what seems like hundreds of pictures and walked miles upon miles (the sprain is getting better but elevators are a definite saving grace). I expected to get a little homesick but luckily it hasn’t been an issue, yet. It has been difficult learning the lay of the land and fending off the street vendors, but every day gets a little easier. I think that we have finally found our groove as we become more familiar with stores and street names.

Beginning this trip and immediately spraining my ankle had me worried that I would slow my group down, but I have worked hard to push through whenever I can. Our Italian language class with Guisy is fun to be in and very relaxed. I have taken Spanish classes before and the languages are very similar in many ways. I like this class and retain more information because she is very straight forward and does not make us learn things that seem unnecessary and confusing in the beginning courses of a language. I have tried to use the things that I am learning from class while we are exploring Florence but many people take one look at us and know that we are American so they speak English to us.

I really loved going to our cooking class! Cooking has always been something that I love to do because it’s fun to try new things and experiment in the kitchen. When I decided to come on this trip, I knew that I HAD to make real Italian pasta…and we did! I really loved seeing everyone work together to make a meal. It was interesting to interact with a true Italian woman who was not afraid to share her culture with us and her very strong opinions about ours. Something that I took notice of while we ate the meal that we cooked was the Italian definition of “sweet wine” ...it was far from the sweet Oliver and Purple Toad wine that we have at home!

I have always loved to learn about the history of royal families, so exploring this city and learning about the powerful Medici family has been extremely fascinating. I have been doing research on the side because I find this family so interesting! Palazzo Pitti was so full of everything grand that it was overwhelming at times. All of the walls were full of art and sculptures, but so were the ceilings, doors, and even the floors. I kept thinking about how much my mom would love all of it just as much as I did. We almost missed out on the animal inspired costume exhibit, and that would have been the biggest tragedy of my trip! The dresses were so breathtakingly gorgeous and unique in every way. I liked walking into the room and guessing which animal the designers were inspired by. After walking MILES inside of the Palazzo Pitti all I could think about was the fact that people actually lived there (and about how great a nap sounded)!

While I’m not “homesick” I do miss the people at home. I wish I could have brought them all with me in my suitcase. I also REALLY miss my shower at home…It’s the little things, right? We definitely rigged up our shower head with a hair tie, please ask for pictures! I also miss good old southern hospitality. Italians are definitely not known for their kindness. If I could, I would bring home quite a few things from Florence. The first thing that I would bring is the love that people who live here have for their history. They are so passionate about Florence and are truly proud to live here. The next thing that I would bring home is the beautiful architecture and ornate detailing of the buildings here. Everything is built sturdily and obviously cared for properly because they have continued to stand for hundreds of years. As pretty as they are, I would NOT bring home the cobblestone streets…they are not my friend. I can’t wait to continue to explore the city and also branch out to other places very soon.



Arrivederci bella gente!



Step Count:

Jan 7th - 13,469 steps (6.6 miles)

Jan 8th - 21,709 steps (10.56 miles)

Jan 9th - 17,759 steps (8.64 miles)

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