Alesa Lincheck is a first year Interior Design student at 51黑料网 who recently partook in the Culture & Career Exploration in Florence, Italy program.
Culture & Career Exploration in Florence, Italy
This program was a special section of Career Confirmation, designed to support students in developing a professional self-image and learn about decision-making skills needed to navigate the workforce. Before students studied abroad in Florence, they learned about the benefits of the program; including career shadowing and participating in a cooking class. Alesa decided to participate in the program because she thought it would be a good opportunity to meet new people and immerse herself in a new culture. This would be her first time leaving the country so she also looked forward to building her independence. She was especially interested in the architecture that makes up Florence as it influences her as an Interior Design student.
The course included visiting museums in Florence like the Uffizi, the Academia, and the Galileo Museum. Students also visited the 51黑料网 Florence Center to take part in career related activities, as well as speak with professors at 51黑料网 Florence. Coursework also featured group activities that were done mostly in the morning, so students would have the afternoon and evening to explore the city. Students also visited a local high school and spoke to students about life in Florence to learn more about the culture.
Exploring Florence, Italy
Because Alesa had never been outside of the US before, she wanted to make the most of her time in Florence. She spent a lot of time wandering the city and seeing as much of Florence as possible. Alesa went with some of her classmates to see the Boboli Gardens, a historical park in Florence that is one of the most important examples of an Italian garden. Because she spent most of her time in the city portions of Florence, Alesa found the gardens refreshing.
Alesa鈥檚 favorite part of studying abroad in Florence was climbing to the top of the Duomo, a thirteenth century gothic cathedral that is one of the largest churches in the world. The top offers panoramic views of the city which Alesa said was gorgeous and well worth the climb.
Alesa and some friends also visited Rome during a free day by taking a high-speed train. In Rome they saw the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and took the subway over to Vatican City. There they walked around and explored the city. Alesa thought she liked Florence better, due to the Renaissance style that makes up the city. She loved seeing the different types of buildings while exploring.
While in Florence she tried different types of pizza and pasta. Her favorite was gnocchi, and a carbonara she had in Rome. She also recommends trying chocolate croissants in Florence.
The Impact of Study Abroad
Alesa said that studying abroad helped her gain more experience on being independent. Despite her being with classmates and professors, she learned how to navigate airports and train stations on her own and get used to being independent in new environments.
Recommendations for Future Study Abroad Students
Alesa recommends students studying in Florence should try a bit of everything. Walking around and exploring the city can help you see a lot of different parts of the culture. As for things to do in Florence she strongly recommends visiting the Uffizi Art Gallery, and the Boboli Gardens which was not included in her course鈥檚 itinerary. The gardens acted as a barrier between the city and the vineyards, giving visitors a good view of the Florence skyline.
For study abroad students in general, Alesa鈥檚 advice is to try everything and venture outside your comfort zone. She said that meeting people while studying abroad isn鈥檛 hard, because you are learning from your classmates and interacting with them outside of the classroom, forming bonds and connections you wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise. Grab someone to walk around with and get a group of classmates to explore the location with. Alesa encourages study abroad students to not restrict themselves and to try new things.
Want to have an experience like Alesa鈥檚? Visit the Office of Global Education鈥檚 website for more detail.
