CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Florence, Italy

Here's a story I wrote in my journal while I was abroad:

A Day In The Life...

First of all, it is starting to warm up here in Flo and I'm all sorts of happy about it. Sunny skies and warmer temperatures make everything better, wouldn't you agree? Anyways, I met up with my friends Morgan and Alexa after class and we stopped at the cutest cafe and each got a sweet treat, mine being a delectable waffle that I thoroughly enjoyed. Then, after stopping at the art supplies store for some things I needed, we made our way to the chocolate festival, going on in a Piazza near the river just in time for Valentines day weekend. There was an entire row of chocolate stands, each one showing off their own chocolate creations from bark to truffles to chocolate covered strawberries and waffles. As we ate our way through, and purchased some of our own, we decided it was a good idea to avoid studying for a little longer and take in the sunset from the River Arno. We went to a bridge, plopped down on it, and soaked in the last bit of sunshine before it set into a beautiful pink and purple sunset.

Then, we decided we were hungry (and didn't want to study) so we made a plan to eat at Gusta Pizza - a famous pizzeria on the other side of the river. Sadly it was closed, but we did stop in a couple shops and purchased a few goodies. I got the ring I wanted, which was very exciting!

Finally, we came to the conclusion that it was time to go home and face reality, so we made our way back. But not before we stopped at Mr. Pizza where we received heart shaped pizzas. So cute.

It's crazy to think it's been a month and I've only talked about places other than the absolutely AMAZING city that I live in. Everything about it makes me smile every day, from my walk to class to the Italian's dogs to the wine - this city definitely has been a perfect place to call home for the past month.

My favorite part about living abroad in Florence was exploring the city itself. The staff and faculty in my program made this especially possible through sharing their favorite sights, restaurants, and museums of Florence. The city itself is highly populated with study abroad students, but I still was able to explore the city on my own. Experiences like speaking Italian at my local bakery or taking trains to less famous cities like medieval Prato helped shape my experience. I wanted to study abroad for lots of reasons, but in the end I miss Florence because of the incredible and unique people I met both through my school and outside of it.

My study abroad experience with CAPA was nothing short of amazing. The staff was extremely accommodating, my flat was gorgeous and right in the city center, and my classes were interesting. I was happy to arrive in Florence, ready for a new adventure, and CAPA provided me with just that. I made countless new friends, who became family. I would never take back my decision to study abroad with CAPA.

Florence is the perfect location to see all the beauties of the Renaissance while being in a good location to explore the rest of Europe. CAPA was a great program and the staff could not have been nicer. I learned WAY more than I thought I would and always felt a good work-play balance.

My experience is Florence was fantastic. I woke up every morning to the sound of people bustling about an open-air produce market. I would walk downstairs and head a whole 200 feet for a cappuccino and pastry. Another three blocks and I was entering CAPA's campus in Florence's historic city center. Classes involved small lectures in the school followed by visits to the museums and churches to experience subjects in-person.

Studying abroad in Florence was the best decision I ever made. I was pushed out of my comfort zone and given the chance to learn more about myself in 4 months than I thought was ever possible. I would do it all over again if I could!

My semester in Florence was the best time of my life. Everyday was a new adventure exploring the city. The teachers were very nice, helpful, and knowledgable of their subject area. The CAPA staff were just as nice. They were there for you no matter what whether if you were sick or just needed a good recommendation for dinner. They became my second family. CAPA has the MyEducation program which are different events that the students can take part in. The different events in the program allow the students to learn more about the culture and the community. CAPA also many activities and trips that were included.

There was never a moment where I felt unsafe. CAPA and the apartments are all in safe areas and close to the center. I recommend studying abroad with CAPA if you want the true Florence experience!

Every day held immense opportunity for discovery. I quickly realized how little I knew about Italy, Florence, and its people before arriving. Stereotypes were broken down, social dynamics were brought to the light, and I realized how much cultural diversity exists. Every person I met and every experience I encountered contributed to me feeling like a more conscious individual.