Things I have learned in Florence

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10 days have gone by since I arrived in Florence, Italy. Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity not only to see a new culture, but to realize things about yourself that you never even thought about or notice before. It really opens my eyes to new experiences and an appreciation for the little things. Not everyday is about going and seeing some grand museum or some tourist attraction. Some days I just walk around the lesser know streets with my best friend and see sights I would miss if I just went to the popular destinations. As someone whose not a fan of crowds, I like finding ways to enjoy the city without being bombarded with too many people. Also gives me a chance to try different restaurants and stores that are tucked away from everything else. You never truly experience a city until you delve into those areas that are mainly only made up of locals. Traveling with a friend is a great experience because its like having a bit of home with you while also bringing you guys closer together because of the experiences you get to share. I have also realized that I apparently do better being in warmer weather than in colder weather. I have been in Florence during the summer and now I am here during the winter and I have to say I did better in the summer. It is exceptionally cold here and I am having a much harder time adapting which surprises me because I always figured I would do better in the cold. I have also learned that I have a pretty good sense of direction which is a great thing considering I like to wander around the city. No matter where I wander off too, I always find my way back to an area I am more familiar with. It is also a good thing because my friends are a bit directionally challenged so I often point them toward the correct path. Studying abroad is also a great way to learn independence. I have been pretty independent all my life because my mom has always made it a point that independence be my top priority, but I only really experience true independence when I travel. When I am back home, I still do a lot on my own, but their are still things that I don't have to because of my family. For example, I don't really cook. I live in a dorm which doesn't supply me with a good cooking area or much room for food and, when I am at home, my mom wants to cook for me. Being here, however, I have to cook for myself and fend for myself. Although, most of the cooking is done by my friend because I am still not the best cook, but I am learning and that is all that matters. I have also learned that, so far, I am not good at Italian. Like at all.

Most importantly, though, is that I realized that I put a lot of emphasis on experiencing something rather than looking through a screen. I like photography, I always have and it is among some of the things I have considered doing with my life, but I don't see the point in taking photos of everything. I love taking photos of buildings if the light hits it a certain way or if something looks particularly pretty and I take a lot of photos of my friends, but I don't understand taking pictures of every tiny little thing. I go to these museums and I see all these tourist taking photos of every single painting in there instead of just sitting back and just enjoying the art and basking in the fact that they are standing in front of century old works of art. You can look up any of those paintings online and see an exact photo of it, but you will only be truly in front of it maybe once in your lifetime so put down the camera or phone and just look. Photos here and there are fine, but if you take photos of every single thing then you completely miss the experience. Also, if we are totally honest, most people will not even look at those photos again after that day. I even watched people in Venice having a gondola ride and recording the entire time. We all want photos to look back on, but don't take so many photos or stare so much at a screen that it's basically like you weren't even there. I've been that person during my first few travels and now I stop and just enjoy.

Step count: 14,070.

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