Week 3

Venice

This week was a very busy week of classes, strolling around Florence, taking a cooking class, and a day trip to Venice! Now that I am two weeks into classes, I am half way through my "semester!" Studying literature in Italy is very interesting because I get to read about and learn from grand travelers who experienced similar things as I am now. Studying abroad also provides many opportunities to visit museums, palaces, and art galleries during class. Walking around Florence has gotten easier and easier since moving here and I really feel like I am able to engage with the locals. Sometimes it is fun to pretend to be a local myself! The API program connected us with a local restaurant that offers cooking classes. We learned how to make homemade noodles and pesto sauce, an eggplant Parmesan appetizer, and Tiramisu. The chef was very engaging and made the experience even better than I think any of us expected. After I finished my midterms and last few classes, I got to hop on another train to Venice. I have always wanted to ride a gondola and I finally had the chance to do so. The experience was almost exactly how I expected but that didn't make it any less exhilarating. As we floated down the small streets of Venice, I couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. Traveling during Covid has definitely created a unique experience that I won't probably ever get again. Every region of Italy so far has had way less tourists than normal which has made it much easier to get to know the locals. I am so grateful to be able to travel during such a unique time and I am soaking up every minute of it. 

For more photos, visit the week 3 gallery!