Market madness

Every city needs a department store, a convenient place where residents can efficiently check off all the items on their shopping lists, …

Small victories

  Students search for cultural enlightenment   There is nothing that can create a sense of community quite like sports, and this made me think that if I wanted to really get to know Florence, sport might be an ideal place to start.   It didn't take long …

Purple shirts and politics

It's long been known that soccer, appreciated all over the world for its display of agility and athleticism, does not enjoy a high status in U.S. sports. Someone once explained this phenomenon to me in a very simple manner. Unlike the rest of the …

Finding Florence

Study abroad students: if you live in Florence, you are likely to have an opinion about them. They arrive, they study, they play, they leave. But is that all there is to the story? The question is a big one, but it is undeniably …

Italian reality

As a senior in high school, I secured a spot on a trip to Italy that the Latin Club was hosting during spring break. The ‘Italian experience' that I gained by traveling with 30 students, over half of whom were infected with the …

Getting started

Let me tell you about my first day in Florence-not because I want to share the details of my trip, but to explain the overwhelming sense of cultural ambiguity that I, and a surprising number of my fellow study abroad students at NYU, have …

Tips and tidbits

If you are just arriving in the grand old city of Firenze, I can promise you two things: you are about to fall in love, and you have much to learn! As a veteran of this crazy rollercoaster ride called study …

How do I . . .? Where is . . .?

Exploring your new city throughout the semester is, of course, an important part of the adventure of studying abroad in Florence-but there are some things you need to know now, like where to find a great place to curl up with …

How to begin the net worth game

Benvenuti a Firenze! You've landed safely, had your orientation and are adjusting to a new culture filled with new opportunities. Now let's talk about your budget! Sound like what you came to Florence to do? Certainly not! But since you've already …

Day trippin'

The best advice for an unforgettable Florentine experience is simply not to leave Italy on weekends. Traveling within the country is an excellent way to save money, practice your Italian, and experience many diverse regions and people. Luckily, Florence is well …

Supermarket smarts

Ah, September in Tuscany. Rich colours, lengthening evenings, warmth enough to watch the sunset in short sleeves. Supermarkets overrun with the new influx of international students, working out whether the unidentifiable fish in a jar is for human or feline consumption …

Imagine yourself involved

The key to a successful study abroad experience is being able to use your imagination. You have to imagine that you aren't here for just six months, four months, or five weeks. You have to arrive having convinced yourself that this …

Money matters

With the exchange rate between the dollar and euro at an all-time high and the price of oil breaking records, spending money in Florence is downright depressing. But even though the euro is strong, there are many ways to conserve your …

Forget walking like an Egyptian

When you study abroad, often the most important lessons take place outside of the classroom. You spend your first starry-eyed days roaming the city with a big map and wandering eyes, taking in the novelty of European antiquity. You walk as a tourist walks-oblivious to …

Finding yourself on Ponte Vecchio

Studying abroad is not a vacation. However, if you are heading to a holiday magnet like Florence for a year or for the summer, friends and acquaintances will most likely exclaim, ‘Oh, what fun!' Yet, with studying abroad, as with other momentous life events, …