Corri La Vita

            Trying to be a part of the culture and more than just a visitor in the city can be challenging at times. However, I had an opportunity to feel like I was part of something bigger, something that was 22,000 people strong. “Corri La Vita” is a marathon that supports Breast Cancer and is well known throughout the region. I wanted to participate not only to honor to my Grandma Jo and my mom, but also to be a part of the city. Waves of people all dressed in green, made their way down to Piazza de Signoria. The enthusiasm and excitement pulsed through the crowd, as participants waved hundreds of Italian flags. Even dogs and kids came out in support of the event.

   Trying to fit in another culture where you obviously stand out is difficult, but today, we were all dressed in the same shirt, walking the same direction, for the same cause and it didn’t matter that you were a foreigner. The marathon winded through the streets of Florence, past the Duomo, over the Arno River, and through the Boboli Gardens of the Piti Palace. It was a great way to see the city. Even though the walk took about three times as long as it normally would due to the massive amount of people, it was still exciting to participate and I hope to find more opportunities like that where I can come closer to being a local rather than an American Tourist. 

The First Month...

           Finding the right words to describe the past month in Florence, Italy is nearly impossible. It has been one amazing, hectic, beautiful, overwhelming, and eye-opening experience…and that’s only been the first month. I never knew that I could fall in love with a city the way that I love Firenze. It feels like home; not like my home back in California, but a very welcoming, lively, and interesting place to be. Everywhere I turn, there is something that truly astounds me. Going for a simple walk to school or down the street to get gelato, is sure to bring something amazing. It is so easy to stumble off the beaten path and find a small church, palazzo, statue, piece of art, or piazza that is awe-inspiring. There is something magical about being able have no plans when you leave the house and wander through the streets of Florence, and find something beautiful. Florence has this warmth and compelling sense that draws you in. It is no wonder why everyone flocks here. I am just one of the lucky few who get to call it home for a year.

Sunset View from Piazza Michelangelo.

            The week before I left was filled with so many conflicting emotions. The couple days leading up to my flight were filled with moments of franticly packing, running to the store for last minute items, weighing my bags and seeing that they were way overweight, saying goodbyes, and trying to rap my head around the fact that after a couple years of dreaming about Italy, it was finally coming true. I remember being torn in so many directions: excited for all the adventures, and sad to leave everyone behind. I met my friend Gina at SFO airport and it all started to feel so real. Knowing that Gina was feeling the same emotions comforted me. As I walked through Security, I continued to look back at my parents and Jason, trying to grab one last glimpse and wave one last goodbye. My mind jumped back and forth between excitement and sadness, all while trying to hold back tears. Once we boarded the plane, Gina and I realized that our seats were not together. After asking a couple of people if they wouldn’t mind switching, we eventually got a “yes.” The flight to Florence was fourteen hours total, including the layover in Zurich, Switzerland. As the plane approached Florence at dusk, I remember seeing the sun hitting the villas and houses that dotted the countryside; they really did glow under the Tuscan sun. I felt so relieved to finally be in Italy.
   

       

Our building and front door. 

          After the long trip to Florence, it felt great to finally get to the hotel. Gina and I were able to share a room for the first week until we had to find a permanent place to live. Because there were so many of us (about 120 students from all the CSU campuses) it felt as if we had taken over the hotel, and we definitely crashed their router with our many attempts to get on Facebook and Skype all at the same time. It was awesome to meet new people and everyone seemed so excited to be in Florence. Everything was so new, but at least we were all in the same boat. After our orientation, we were given a list of apartments that were available through a rental agency. Gina, myself, and our new friend Janelle, spent the day literally running through the city looking at apartments and racing to beat everyone else back to the agency to sign a contract. It was one of the most stressful days here and it just happened to be one of the hottest. The first apartment that we saw was perfect, but we wanted to make sure that we weren't missing any others. While we looked at other places, we were constantly comparing them to the first apartment. At the end of the day, we went with our instincts and signed the contract. Our apartment actually had four beds, so we were fortunate enough to find Tiffany, who became our fourth roommate. The house is perfect, and I’m still in shock that we live a block from the Duomo, across from the Medici Palace, and around the corner from San Lorenzo Church. Oh, did I mention that the building was built in the 1400s?! It is a typical, rustic, Tuscan home, some place where you would picture your Italian grandmother making fresh pasta. It is only about a 20 minute walk to school, and even then, I get to walk past the Duomo, Piazza San Marco, and through Piazza San Annunziata every day, so the walk is definitely not a chore. It also helps that there is an awesome pizzeria on the way there, Pugi, and the best gelateria, Il Procopio, on the way home. Let’s just say that I might be a little spoiled living here in Florence.

 

Pizza with prosciutto and arugula from Pugi; and Pistachio gelato from Il Procopio.