Author: carolinepotter

I have been seeing a trend on social media where you are able to “report” what you have been up to for friends every week or month. So I think it is only fitting to write these R.E.P.O.R.T.s once a month to recap my time in Florence!

Reading

This month, I have been taking advantage of having a pretty free schedule and reading more than I am typically able to during the school year. I just finished The Summer of Broken Rules, by K.L. Walther. I started to read it over the summer but got too busy to finish it. On a recent train ride, I decided to pick it back up and was quickly obsessed. I loved reading it and it felt like the perfect book to read as summer is coming to an end here in Florence.

Eating

This month, I have been having some of the best food of my life. I’ve taken advantage of the amazing Italian food I have access to while also being able to cook like I do at home. I have tried pizza from a local favorite—Gustapizza—twice now and both times it was INCREDIBLE. I got the margherita pizza both times (you can’t go wrong with margherita imo). The dough is crunchy and slightly charred on the outside while being soft and the perfect doughy texture on the inside. The tomato sauce made with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese are both packed with flavor. I have to admit that both times, I burnt my mouth because it was simply too good to wait for it to cool down! At our apartment, I have been making lots of different protein bowls using staples like rice, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, and beef. These are very similar to what I typically eat at home, so it is nice to have something that feels very routine.

Playing

I knew before I came abroad that I wanted to travel a lot during my time here. This month, I took full advantage of our free weekends and went on a few trips. The second weekend here, some friends and I went to Cinque Terre and the following weekend, we took a day trip to Rome (shameless plug – go read about both in my first post!). This past weekend, I went with some roommates to Nice and Monaco! We took a bus on Thursday night and then spent the weekend swimming in the Gatorade blue water, going to the cutest cafes, and being astonished by all of the gorgeous architecture. Before we knew it, our time on the Cote d’Azur had ended and we took a bus back to Florence. Although the bus ride ended up being 7 hours long with some extra stops, it proved to be incredibly entertaining with some grandmas in front of us on FaceTime with their speakers on full volume and their seats all the way reclined! Before we knew it, we were back in Florence reminiscing on the incredible weekend!

Obsessing Over

If you are my parents looking at my bank statement from the past month, you may have guessed it – I am obsessing over gelato! As a self-proclaimed ice cream connesoiur, I made it my mission to find the best gelato in Florence by the time I leave in December. So far, I have explored over 15 different gelato spots, but my two favorites are: La Sorbettiera (LOVE their caramelized peanut, but they also have the richest chocolate I’ve ever had!!) and La Strega Nocciola (pistachio, Nutella puffs, and the white chocolate cinnamon are my go-to flavors here). Both spots are super close to my apartment and make for the perfect late night sweet treat!

Reccommending

In Italy, dinner is typically very late, so many people have a light snack and apertivo around 6 P.M. My favorite apertivo is the hugo spritz. I was first introduced to this drink 2 years ago over spring break and have been recommending it to all of my friends when we go to happy hour together! It consists of hugo (elderflower liqueur), prosecco, soda water, a sprig of mint, and lemon. Hugo spritzes were first invented in the South Tyrol region of Italy as an alternative to other spritzes like Campari or Aperol, which are more bitter. I think that hugo spritzes are the perfect light, floral drink for a hot day!!

Treating

Typically, I get an iced matcha or chai latte every day when I am in the states. I knew that iced drinks wouldn’t be super popular coming abroad, but I have actually found some cafes here that have amazing iced matcha! The only downside is that they are all pretty expensive so I have been treating myself to iced matcha lattes one to two times per week. They have some amazing flavored matchas as well, like strawberry and banana bread! My favorite is either an iced strawberry latte from Ditta Artigianale or the iced matcha from La Milkeria. 

That pretty much sums up my first month abroad!!

Arrivederci,❤️

Caroline

When I looked at the date on the calendar the other day I couldn’t believe that I had already been in Florence for 3 weeks! I thought back to September 1st, when I began my journey.

My parents waved goodbye to me as I tried my hardest not to cry going through security at the airport. I am a homebody at heart, so I felt nervous leaving home alone. However, 21 hours later when I was landing in Florence (thanks to some delays and travel complications), I could not feel more excited. Luckily, I decided to go abroad with my best friend from DU, Kira. We had not seen each other since June and were about to reunite at the airport in Florence! The rest of the first day flew by with housing orientation, getting settled into our apartment, and dinner out with our roommates.

The rest of the first week here flew by. I met so many new friends – from DU, the United States and other countries. I started to learn my way from my apartment to the local grocery store (shoutout, Conad!). At a local spritz bar down the street, Kira and I met the bartender, Marcello, who quickly became our first Florentine friend! The first weekend here we stayed in Florence and took advantage of free museum day on the first Sunday of every month. Exploring the Boboli Gardens and Uffizi Museum, I began to appreciate all of the Renaissance history that Florence has.

The second week, I had all of my classes for the first time. All of my professors here are amazing and I am so excited to learn about Florentine history, cooking, and global affairs this semester! This weekend, I also went on my first trip to Cinque Terre with some new friends. We left Friday morning and took the train to Monterosso, where we had an Airbnb for the night. Friday was spent getting breakfast at a cafe in town, spending hours at the beach soaking up the sun, partaking in aperol spritz buckets on the beach, then getting pizza and playing cards the rest of the night. Saturday morning, we took the train south to Manarola, the village famous for all of the colorful houses dotting the cliffside. We wandered in the morning, becoming mesmerised by the waves crashing into the rocks and amused by people going cliff jumping. That evening, we took the train back to Florence and walked back to our apartment in the drizzling rain, already dreaming about our next outing.

By the third week, I started to find my routine. Going to class, cooking dinner, and exploring further out from the city center in my free time. We went to Rome on Friday as a quick day trip and l absolutely loved it! We started our morning off with a train ride that flew by (thanks to the entertainment of some of our fellow passengers who were en route to crash a circus). When we arrived in Rome, we first grabbed a quick bite at a cafe. Then, we walked to the Pantheon en route to the Vatican City. We entered St. Peter’s Basilica following the realization that we did not wear proper clothing to enter, but thankfully, a friendly staff member gave us disposable capes to wear inside. After that, we got pasta en route to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Having seen photos of the Colosseum my whole life, it felt surreal to see it in person. Picturing all of the people who were bustling around the Roman Forum in ancient times brought out my inner history nerd – I absolutely loved it. We took the train to Florence that night and arrived back having walked 30,000 more steps and a longing for our beds.

So far, I have been moving from one place to the next every minute, and I cannot wait to explore new places but also to find my routine, slow down, and enjoy all Florence has to offer!

Arrivederci! ❤️

Caroline