My First Day in Florence

This past Spring, I was so lucky to have an experience of a lifetime when I studied abroad in Italy. I participated in the Semester in Florence Program with CIS and attended the Florence University of the Arts throughout the 15-week program. There's so much I could talk about when looking back at the adventures I went on during my time away, however I've decided to make this post about a topic that may have some future abroad travelers anxious.

I want to explain how my first day went in Florence, from when I first got off the plane to when I went to sleep. Leading up to my departure date, I was so excited to begin my semester abroad but honestly had no idea how life was going to be like abroad.

Arrival & Meeting my New Roommates

I got off the plane and stepped foot in Florence after about a 12-hour travel day from Boston. I retrieved my bags and headed to the exit where I was met by my wonderful CIS onsite director. She introduced me to two of my roommates who had arrived just moments before. We all got acquainted and were guided into a cab to which we all took to our housing arrangement. It was helpful that our director introduced us and showed us our place of living on that very first day. I wouldn't have known what to do on my own.

Upon arrival to our apartment, we were all amazed by the beauty of the arrangement. Our 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom apartment was one of the newest housing additions to the program. We were so happy with what it turned out to be. Our director gave us some very helpful tips about where we were located and what was nearby us. She made sure we all got settled into our appropriate rooms and briefed us on the upcoming orientation events that would take place in the following days. 

But First - A Quick Nap

Once our director departed, us strangers were let alone. At first, I thought I would be productive and unpack, it didn’t take long at all. After chatting with my roommates, we all started to get to know one another. After a short nap we decided to explore the new city we'd call home for the next three months. We exited our apartment building after saying Ciao to our doorman and headed south to the biggest structure we could see.

Heading towards this structure, we realized that both our school and the famous statue of David were on the same street at our apartment. We were taking in all the new sites and aromas until suddenly we reached the structure. I will never forget how amazed I was when I first laid eyes on the magnificent Duomo. The massive cathedral was detailed inside and out and was a true magnificent piece of artwork. We all collectively stared at the beauty of the Duomo for well over 10-minutes.

Our First Italian Dinner

A little later after exploring more of the city we headed to a restaurant for some dinner. We indulged in our first Italian cuisine experience and couldn’t be any happier with the food that was presented to us. We continued to get to know each other and bond over our delicious meals as the night came to an end. From there, we headed home to get a solids night’s sleep for our busy days ahead.

I feel that out of all the days I spent abroad the very first day was the most impactful. It set the tone for the coming months and acquainted me to my roommates and the beautiful city of Florence. I hope this post answers some questions and relieves some tension about what your first day abroad might look like.