After only a month of living in Florence, I have learned so much about my host city and the norms of studying abroad. Here are five things I have learned so far while studying abroad that have helped me adapt and immerse myself in a new culture! Attempting to speak your host country’s language goes a long way! I came into this program knowing very little Italian other than some…
My time in Florence, Italy has ended, for now after a month of learning about Parent and Child Interactions based on Cultural Influences. This particular psychology course has taught me a lot for my future. Since I know that I want to work with children in the future, this class has taught me many lessons. Not only were my academic goals accomplished with learning about this subject but also I…
I was able to visit Meyer Children’s Hospital which is a large pediatric hospital in Florence, Italy, with about 250 beds and many specialties with continuous growth. Although there are cultural differences between this hospital and a hospital in the U.S., there are also many similarities. Italy does not have certified child life specialists in their pediatric hospitals, but other professionals cover some of the services that a child life…
It has been a couple of weeks since I started living in Florence for my study abroad program. I have witnessed many cultural differences in the brief time I have been here. I have interacted with locals and attempted to go to the outskirts of the town rather than staying in the more tourist areas of Florence. After discovering new areas, I realized there is a drastic difference in central…
Arriving in Florence, Italy I was very excited to be immersed into Italian culture as quickly as I could. One of the ways that I was able to do this was by the love of food that both Italians and Americans share. I have been trying many different restaurants while in Florence, mostly being classic Italian dishes but some other cuisines. One of my favorites so far has been Trattoria…
My time in Florence has been a surreal experience so far! I am about halfway through my program now and I can’t believe how fast time has gone. The first week was a difficult adjustment being thrown into a new time zone and culture. After the jet lag wore off and the initial activities set up by my program were over, I feel like I was able to really soak…
Some of my favorite days abroad have been the weekend trips I have taken and the cooking class we did as a group. While studying in Florence I was able to make these trips to Sorrento, Italy and Bern, Switzerland as well as a couple day trips. In class one the most important things to me that I have learned is about cultural humility. To me this concept is so…
Marlee Lord Art History and Historic Preservation/ Urban Studies and Studio Art Senior API Florence Business, Art and Culture/ Lorenzo de’ Medici: The Italian International Institute I chose this program because after researching my options for a summer abroad this program sounded like my perfect fit! I am deeply passionate about history, art, and architecture so as the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence was a no-brainer to immerse myself in…
My name is Bryce Maldonado. I am a rising Senior and I major in Psychology with a minor in Medical Humanities. The program I am participating in is the faculty led CofC in Florence (Psychology). I chose this program because it was a combination of everything I was looking for. As an aspiring Child Life Specialist, the course we are taking while in Florence and in combination with the Child…
Ciao! My name is Melanie Orama, and I am a first-year graduate student at the College of Charleston. I am working towards my Master of Science in Child Life to become a certified child life specialist. Child life is a field that advocates for children during their most vulnerable times. It serves to create an environment that helps children have the most positive experiences possible as they endure hospitalization, illness,…
