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A DAY IN THE LIFE
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Ciao!
Ciao!
Welcome to my Florence Summer 18’ study abroad site! Here I am excited to share with you all the amazing elements of my 6 week study abroad trip.
Welcome to my Florence Summer 18’ study abroad site! Here I am excited to share with you all the amazing elements of my 6 week study abroad trip.
First, I want to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about my day to day life in Florence. My name is Estelle Emery and I am an undergrad Business Marketing major, about to start my sophomore year at SDSU. Florence interested me because I love art, fashion, and food. For the duration of my stay I lived right next to the Santa Croce, where Galileo, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo are buried. The Santa Croce is a stunning church with a large and lively piazza, located within walking distance from basically everything you would want to see. One of my first stops in Florence was the Gucci Garden, which is a small museum dedicated to the high end Italian label Gucci. It’s three floors full of the most stunning new and vintage clothing, and admission is free for students! My favorite pastime while in Florence was having picnics and playing card games with my roommates Shelby and Olivia, who also happen to be my best friends from State. Our three go-to spots were Giardino Della Gherardesca, the steps of the Santa Croce, or Boboli Gardens, which was free for us because of our Uffizi cards. The weather was perfect here 75% of the time- when you combine that with no phone use, (9 hour time change means everyone at home was asleep when we were awake) and a good ol’ game of Go Fish, it makes for a pretty perfect afternoon. But our days didn’t stop there, because the best way to get in 10,000 steps a day is with a walk to Piazzale Michelangelo to catch a glimpse of the sun setting over the city. The panoramic views are breathtaking, but I have to say the people watching up there is even better.
First, I want to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about my day to day life in Florence. My name is Estelle Emery and I am an undergrad Business Marketing major, about to start my sophomore year at SDSU. Florence interested me because I love art, fashion, and food. For the duration of my stay I lived right next to the Santa Croce, where Galileo, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo are buried. The Santa Croce is a stunning church with a large and lively piazza, located within walking distance from basically everything you would want to see. One of my first stops in Florence was the Gucci Garden, which is a small museum dedicated to the high end Italian label Gucci. It’s three floors full of the most stunning new and vintage clothing, and admission is free for students! My favorite pastime while in Florence was having picnics and playing card games with my roommates Shelby and Olivia, who also happen to be my best friends from State. Our three go-to spots were Giardino Della Gherardesca, the steps of the Santa Croce, or Boboli Gardens, which was free for us because of our Uffizi cards. The weather was perfect here 75% of the time- when you combine that with no phone use, (9 hour time change means everyone at home was asleep when we were awake) and a good ol’ game of Go Fish, it makes for a pretty perfect afternoon. But our days didn’t stop there, because the best way to get in 10,000 steps a day is with a walk to Piazzale Michelangelo to catch a glimpse of the sun setting over the city. The panoramic views are breathtaking, but I have to say the people watching up there is even better.
I had no idea what to expect from Florence. Everyday there was a new surprise waiting around the corner, and from nearly 25 class field trips, to pizza making and wine tasting, and even somehow ending up watching historic soccer and attending a music festival, I had the time of my life and even learned a thing or two (hundred). I hope you enjoy this little look into my 6-week adventure!
I had no idea what to expect from Florence. Everyday there was a new surprise waiting around the corner, and from nearly 25 class field trips, to pizza making and wine tasting, and even somehow ending up watching historic soccer and attending a music festival, I had the time of my life and even learned a thing or two (hundred). I hope you enjoy this little look into my 6-week adventure!
My roommates at home and abroad!
When we couldn't get up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the sunset, the Steps of the Santa Croce was a good alternative. It makes you almost not notice the ugly bleachers in the square!
Decibel Open Air was a pretty last minute decision for us. We learned that you can get into VIP for just about anything if you tell the locals you came all the way from California for this!
There is street art all over the place here! I like it because it's real art, versus just tags. My favorite art here is by Clet Abraham, who does all the funny street signs, but I thought this big Keith Haring inspired mural in Fiesole was cute too. It was so unexpected from such a small town.
We only went to the Gucci Garden once but still somehow ended up being nicknamed "The Gucci Gals"
RENAISSANCE
RENAISSANCE
Always amazed at how tall the David is. A real beast!
The artistry of the big song books from San Marco was so intricate! I just wish the bookcases were still there.
When I came to Florence with my family 6 years ago, we saw this statue at Boboli Gardens. I just had to go see it again. My brothers and I to this day will still use "like that statue of the fat dwarf naked on a turtle" to describe things.
I always thought Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" was one of the most beautiful paintings out there, but our tour guided Suzy changed my opinion when she revealed that Venus was based off a male model and has an ape arm. There are some things you just can't unsee...
On our first day here we went on a walking tour and saw all the major Renaissance buildings in Florence, the first introduction to our Italian Civilization and Culture class. The Renaissance is the most significant period in Florence’s history, and the name more or less translates to “reawakening” or “rebirth” of arts and culture. My favorite artwork from the Renaissance wasn’t from any specific artist because what I liked most was the various frescoes on the ceilings everywhere we went. I think the best of it was in Palazzo Vecchio, Cosimo I de Medici’s first palace. The hidden room (off the globe room) and Eleonora di Toledo’s green room are what I remember the most when I look back on the art I saw, aside from the stereotypical statue of David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. While these are hugely famous and magnificent, I think the smaller stuff is under appreciated.
On our first day here we went on a walking tour and saw all the major Renaissance buildings in Florence, the first introduction to our Italian Civilization and Culture class. The Renaissance is the most significant period in Florence’s history, and the name more or less translates to “reawakening” or “rebirth” of arts and culture. My favorite artwork from the Renaissance wasn’t from any specific artist because what I liked most was the various frescoes on the ceilings everywhere we went. I think the best of it was in Palazzo Vecchio, Cosimo I de Medici’s first palace. The hidden room (off the globe room) and Eleonora di Toledo’s green room are what I remember the most when I look back on the art I saw, aside from the stereotypical statue of David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. While these are hugely famous and magnificent, I think the smaller stuff is under appreciated.
One example of a ceiling I loved from the Pitti Palace.
ETRUSCAN
ETRUSCAN
The hike up to Fiesole was not my favorite thing in the world, but the ruins of the bath made it worth it. The baths seem like the place to be back then!
Never enough gelato... especially when it won Best in the World!
The other class I took while abroad was Historical Archaeology, which mainly focused on the Etruscans. Prior to this class I had absolutely no idea what an Etruscan was, but as Shelby puts it in the easiest way to remember, “they’re like the Native Americans of Italy.” Learning about the Etruscans was awesome because we got to travel all over Tuscany! My favorite places were Siena, Orvieto, and San Gimignano. San Gimignano has the “World’s Best Gelato” which was a fun bonus. Almost everything we know about the Etruscans these days is because they left behind so many tombs. While they obviously cared a lot about death, I love the Etruscans because they loved life. We can infer this from ruins, like the baths in Fiesole, which would have been a major social scene, and especially from the elaborately painted tombs in places like Tarquinia.
The other class I took while abroad was Historical Archaeology, which mainly focused on the Etruscans. Prior to this class I had absolutely no idea what an Etruscan was, but as Shelby puts it in the easiest way to remember, “they’re like the Native Americans of Italy.” Learning about the Etruscans was awesome because we got to travel all over Tuscany! My favorite places were Siena, Orvieto, and San Gimignano. San Gimignano has the “World’s Best Gelato” which was a fun bonus. Almost everything we know about the Etruscans these days is because they left behind so many tombs. While they obviously cared a lot about death, I love the Etruscans because they loved life. We can infer this from ruins, like the baths in Fiesole, which would have been a major social scene, and especially from the elaborately painted tombs in places like Tarquinia.
MANGIA!
MANGIA!
Italy is known for delicious food! The restaurants are warm and lively, but eating out is all fun and games until you run out of Euros in the first week….
Italy is known for delicious food! The restaurants are warm and lively, but eating out is all fun and games until you run out of Euros in the first week….
When I die please bury me in burratta!
Got a little bit tired of pasta...
Being from San Francisco (and living in San Diego) has made me a huge seafood person! The food on the coast was insanely fresh!
WEEKEND ADVENTURES
WEEKEND ADVENTURES
On Notte Bianca the arcade was open all night! Shelby won 25 tickets which got us 1 sheet of butterfly stickers.
Having no class on Friday meant there was plenty of time to travel! During my time in Europe I took weekend trips to:
Having no class on Friday meant there was plenty of time to travel! During my time in Europe I took weekend trips to:
- Cinque Terre (Vernazza, Levanto, and Monterosso al Mare)
- Cinque Terre (Vernazza, Levanto, and Monterosso al Mare)
- Paris (and Versailles)
- Paris (and Versailles)
- Forte Dei Marmi
- Forte Dei Marmi
- Elba
- Elba
Elba was my favorite. Shelby, Olivia, Ruth, and Lauren and I are pretty sure we were the only Americans on the island. The beach was white sand and the water was clear and warm. We happened to be there on ‘Notte Bianca’ so the island was basically one giant party from about 5pm to 1am. There were dj’s on every street, people walking on stilts and hoola hooping, and a laser show on the beach.
Elba was my favorite. Shelby, Olivia, Ruth, and Lauren and I are pretty sure we were the only Americans on the island. The beach was white sand and the water was clear and warm. We happened to be there on ‘Notte Bianca’ so the island was basically one giant party from about 5pm to 1am. There were dj’s on every street, people walking on stilts and hoola hooping, and a laser show on the beach.
Our last bit of relaxation before finals hit.
This summer spent exploring Italy and its immense history is one I'll remember for the rest of my life.
This summer spent exploring Italy and its immense history is one I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Thank you for following me on my journey!
Thank you for following me on my journey!
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