First month abroad

By Connor Z.

Feb. 28, 2020



This month has been such a cultural experience. Upon arriving in Florence, I instantly realized how different everything was. I went to get a pizza and to my surprise, the pizza was not sliced. I began exploring the city and noticed how all the stores are much smaller. The grocery stores are small but have everything you might need. The central market was really exciting. The produce, cheese and meat were all very fresh. I had the chance to tour the market and learned a lot about Florentine culture and how they shop for groceries. I had to get used to buying groceries for two days instead of two weeks. I had the opportunity to travel to Budapest a couple of weeks into my program, and the city was much different than what I had become accustomed to in Florence. The city streets are much wider and not as walk-able as Florence. I was used to being able to reach places in less than 40 minutes. However, in Budapest, I found myself walking for over an hour to reach different destinations. I was able to go to the thermal baths which was such an experience, and at night I explored the different bars that were around. One place I liked was what Budapest refers to as a ruin bar. It was a complex in an old stone building that had many different bars inside of it. Each one had their own unique style and I felt like I was discovering something new every minute. I hope to make many more memories in the coming future and am looking forward to recapping my next month abroad.

Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: SAI Programs: Florence University of the Arts