FUA’s Newest Campus Officially Sets Sail

On Friday, January 30 Florence University of the Arts (FUA) officially launched its Cinque Terre Program located in La Spezia. The official inauguration was conducted by La Spezia's mayor, Pierluigi Peracchini and FUA's Founder & President, Gabriella Ganugi. Associate Director of the program, Angela Manion, who set up the inauguration, spoke on the creation of it, "We managed all the logistics and setup required for the inauguration, and it was a great success. The event was well-received, and we were honored to host a guest appearance by the mayor, who gave a short presentation about the area."

With 23 students in this first semester, enrollment continues to grow with each session's release, allowing for the university's mission of experiential learning, community engagement, and cultural integration to spread from Tuscany to Liguria. This smaller campus allows for students to gain closer connections to their instructors as well as classmates, fostering academic and personal growth. With three interconnected classrooms, students are encouraged to collaborate frequently as well as take the walking classes and in-person lectures offered similarly to FUA’s Florence campus.

Emma Tierney, a current Cinque Terre study abroad student from Plymouth State University adds, “everyone kind of knows each other. We get really excited when we see each other in public. We all go to Orange Cafe every day.” Orange Cafe is one of two restaurants available to students to use their FUA credits for meals while studying within the Cinque Terre Program.

The campus is ideal for a year-long warm climate, and has lots of walkable shops and culture at its fingertips, just like any other abroad program. The town is home to 93,000 residents, the Naval Museum, CAMeC contemporary art center, Castello di San Giorgio Archeological Museum, and the National Museum of Transportation. In addition, students have free access to all museums within La Spezia; a note that Mayor Peracchini reminded the students of during his inaugural address.

This location has all the benefits of an urban school experience, with its small scale feel. The campus, located in La Spezia, has access to transportation to get students anywhere they need to go. Transportation options for students and staff include both a port and a train station within minutes from the campus building, encouraging exploration and additional learning opportunities. This coastal study abroad experience will give students the ability to live near mountains and the sea, all while experiencing old Mediterranean traditions of seafood, markets and a close-knit community.

Tierney explains, “I really enjoy a small class because it helps me learn and engage my brain so much more, because I'm not scared to talk in front of so many people.” This unique perspective on life and culture will allow students to grow and understand a world that came thousands of years before them.

If you are unsure choosing between the Florence or Cinque Terre Program, there is are options to spend 3 weeks, 11 weeks or all 15 weeks of your study abroad experience in either location. Like the typical Florence program, students have the option of staying in apartment-style housing or with a host family. The course work will be the same as students should expect at FUA, with both walking and in-person courses available to help understand the culture of the city around them.

University of Tampa student, Grace O’Keefe is taking a different approach to studying abroad with FUA. She is enrolled in the school’s 2-city semester program where she will spend her first 3 weeks in La Spezia, then the final 11 weeks in Florence. She mentions her experience enrolled in the Cinque Terre Program’s Food, Wine, and the City: Riviera Neighborhood Walks course as a highlight of her initial 3 weeks abroad. “We walk around to cultural sites and learn the history there, where they're from. And then some days, we're either doing wine tasting, food tasting, coffee tasting, and we're just learning the history of where it comes from, why it's here,” she explains.

One week travel experiences can still be added on to this program before or after the sessions, allowing for built-on experiences to encourage students' knowledge.

Manion states, "being in a small group gives you a good opportunity to have a good relationship with your peers and your teacher, and you know, it's a little bit more personalized in that way.” Classes can be mixed and matched in the categories of mediterranean studies, liberal and fine arts, writing and poetry, hospitality, food, and wine studies, marine and environmental sciences, engineering, business and supply management, digital media, design, and architecture, finance, marketing and trade. As with the Florence campus programs, internships are offered within Cinque Terre and are to be arranged with program directors.

Student services include a 24/7 emergency services line, on-site advisors, virtual access to the counselor in Florence, housing near the campus, two local shops that accept student meal vouchers, extracurricular activities, and even educational field learning trips on weekends.

Tierney adds, “I'll go to class, and then my group from the class will sometimes even go with the professor to the (school) cafe. We've been doing that recently to practice our Italian, and we all just hang out there.”

Students also have the options of organized student life activities similar to FUA’s Florence campus such as sport nights on Tuesdays, Wednesday city walks, and Thursday movie or yoga nights. Manion says, “For the movie night, we actually bring the students to the movie theater and we'll watch the movie there.”

Located in the northern coast of Italy, the town and port is that of the working class. O’Keefe states, “it's not very touristy in this season, even though it is more touristy in the summertime, but going to visit there, it's so fun running into people and they're like, Oh, where are you from? Why are you here? Everyone's just really welcoming, and they want to help you.”

Surrounded by the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, students get the best of both geographical features. Major cities can be found and easily accessed through the town to give students the opportunity to explore; with the famous villages of Cinque Terre being home to many famous writers such as Shelley, Montale and Byron, allowing for students to get historical visitations to these famous sites.

Along with this being the birthplace of the Italian futurist movement and holding a rich deep history, this can be your authentic study abroad experience. FUA's newly launched Cinque Terre Program can be your home for a short time or a long time depending on your wants, and is accepting enrollments for next semester and beyond.

The inauguration celebration is just one of the many small moments marking the expansion of FUA into the region of Liguria. This opportunity is one that no other university can offer, and is special, offering a unique perspective and understanding to your study abroad experience.

Interested to learn more? Click here and launch your Italian journey in Cinque Terre today!

From Fairbanks to Florence

For Sean Walklin and Mario Giragosian, their visit this past Fall semester to Florence University of the Arts (FUA) was a welcome home.

As alumni of FUA’s Apicius School of Hospitality, they toured university restaurants Fedora and Ganzo, not only to reminisce, but to also observe classroom lectures in affiliation with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Walklin, a professor at UAF, helped to forge a university partnership with FUA to provide study abroad opportunities for UAF students, specifically within the Apicius School of Hospitality. Giragosian is an adjunct professor at UAF and professional chef who assisted Walklin in the creation of the partnership between the two universities.

"I would say one of the similarities I noticed is that, when I came here from Alaska to Italy, so many things were different,” Walklin said. “I felt far from home, but Apicius felt very welcoming and very holistic in the way that they treated their students. There was a lot of great support from the staff, from the faculty, all the things that they do to make people feel welcome.”

Walklin remarked on how his tenure as a student at FUA impacted his career. With FUA being an American institution abroad, students often encounter many aspects that differ from their experiences in the United States and often may carry these experiences with them throughout their career.

“It was just such a transformative experience to live abroad, to be in Italy and to learn about the cuisine, the culture, the food, and it really changed my career,” Walklin said. “Almost everything I’ve done was from this kind of launching pad, this foundation that I got here.”

Through Walklin’s personal experiences at FUA during his time as a student, he was able to incorporate lived experience into the creation of the university partnership with FUA and UAF. Students enrolled in the program are able to gain real-world experience through FUA’s university restaurants, Ganzo and Fedora, while also learning about Italian cooking techniques and pasta making– aspects that Walklin feels greatly impacted his career as a professional chef.

"It was just such a transformative experience to live abroad. To be in Italy, to learn about the cuisine, the culture, the food and it really changed my career. Almost everything I've done was from this kind of launching pad, this foundation that I got here. So going back to Fairbanks, Alaska, which is relatively a small town, in Alaska is very separated from the rest of the United States. So to come back and have the knowledge and the things that I learned here and be able to use those in my career, I've grown as a person from studying abroad and seeing people from all over the world," Walklin expressed.

Walklin and Giragosian’s visit underlines how study-abroad programs can do more than teach technique. They reshape careers and perspectives. By pairing UAF students with FUA’s student-run restaurants, the partnership offers immersive lessons in Italian cuisine, hospitality operations, and cross-cultural collaboration that traditional classrooms can’t replicate. For alumni like Walklin, the return visit was both a reminder of how formative that time abroad was and a chance to ensure future students have the same launching pad. As the two universities continue to build on that relationship, students who choose the program can expect to leave Florence not only with new culinary skills, but with broader horizons and professional confidence forged in the kitchens of Ganzo and Fedora.

Blending Magazine Presents: The Renaissance of Material Media

With Blending's focus this Fall on material media, I wanted to write something different. In conversations with students, staff and curious readers, I often liken Blending to a giant puzzle. In a semester dedicated to The Renaissance of Material Media in Film, Photography and Beyond, puzzles fittingly fall into the Beyond category.

Growing up, my mother would bring out a 500 to 1,000 piece puzzle around the holidays. It was never finished in a day; taking days to weeks. Piece by piece we sorted: corners in one pile, colors in another. Slowly, piles shrank and sections emerged until the full picture was visible.

Over an 11-week semester, the first weeks are spent putting all the pieces on the table: defining the magazine's concept, theme and vision. The weeks that follow are dedicated to brainstorming, writing, interviewing and proofreading, preparing articles for layout. The structure becomes clear but still needs filling. Later, photography and graphic design teams analyze chosen articles and the magazine begins to take shape. What was once a skeleton or piles of ideas now matches the vision we set in week one.

There is an extra layer to this puzzle. Connected to The American University of Florence's 14th Annual Academic Conference, students kept focus on this resurgence of material media in their writing. That focus can be a challenge and the theme must not make the magazine stale. It is meant to do the opposite, by pushing students to explore and challenge themselves. Each section must breathe life into the next.

This Fall, Blending moves from academic darkrooms to Florence's film communities. Students left their comfort zones, creating human connection by asking strangers to add thoughts, advice and stories in a shared notebook. Dressing For Viewing even spotlights and questions the fashion culture surrounding concerts, opera and cinema. The magazine moves from investigative reporting and interviews to personal reflections and poetry, all circling back to the central theme.

Eleven weeks ago we dumped this theoretical puzzle onto the table and for a while could not see or even predict the finished product. By working together, those scattered pieces are in place. The picture is clear and the story is ready. Now all that is left is to read.

Read the Full Issue Now!

Eternal Impressions

From October 18 to November 15, the Mello Foundation at Borgo Pinti 22/24 was home to Cathleen Van Bergen’s collection, Eternal Impressions. This fall semester, she gave a lecture to FUA’s advanced painting course, centered around her new exhibition. Much of Van Bergen’s art explores the relationship between humans and technology, through her pieces such as Heading Home, Strut Piles and In the Beginning as in the End, respectively. Van Bergen’s work also investigates emotions and experiences encompassing the human condition, such as hope, freedom and opportunity in her work, Liberty.

Born in Buffalo New York, Van Bergen was influenced by art from a young age. As the granddaughter of German immigrants, she became more creative and imaginative playing with cookie cutters in her grandma’s house. Van Bergen notes that her experiences at her grandmother’s house and carrying around a sketchbook as a child were formative experiences that influenced her to become an artist.

“I was fascinated by all these objects that I could make into toys,” Van Bergen said. “And this was from a woman I couldn’t even speak with. I was seeing that you can make toys or you can be creative with objects that are not crayons and they’re not pencils, but I’m having fun with these objects. I learned that you can really communicate [without] even speaking and learn something from it, a lesson. I learned a great deal from my grandmother.”

Much of Van Bergen’s art is inspired by personal experiences, such as her trip to New York City Thanksgiving weekend in 2014. Van Bergen credits this weekend as the inspiration for her work, Liberty. The piece depicts a cloudy sky with autumn leaves hanging on branches near the feet of Lady Liberty. She interpreted these branches as immigrants in search of freedom, opportunity and peace. Van Bergen noted a sadness and solemnity that enveloped the atmosphere that day, and sought to depict this attitude through her artistry.

Van Bergen was also given permission to visit construction sites of the Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco, California, for her collection, Wonders of Work. Through this collection, Van Bergen explores the relationship between the human condition and the world of machinery and technology. Much of her work in this collection juxtaposes human creativity and ingenuity with technological and mechanical achievements.

“This was a terminal that was connecting hundreds of thousands of people and many trains and subways,” Van Bergen said. “It was like the heart of the city meeting, bringing people everywhere. There were parallels in life that I saw. This construction in a way, as a visual metaphor is like, ‘evolving,’ right? We’re always evolving.”

To viewers of her art, Van Bergen hopes that her work provides a glimpse into her personality and her character. She feels that as a child, she learned much about who she was and the world around her through her imagination and curiosity.

“My work is a reflection of my experiences and moments in my life that I wish to share with others,” Van Bergen said. “Oftentimes, I will choose subject matter because I want to understand and delve deeper into something I don’t understand or have experienced. My composition choices, palette, light, and surface come into play with subject matter.”

Van Bergen emphasizes the importance of carrying around a journal, sketchbook or even a napkin to record memorable moments. She credits her practice of documenting important moments with her sketchbook as a source of inspiration as an artist.

“It’s nice to be able to put that down, whether it’s in a journal or a diary that you keep every day or a sketchbook or even writing something on a napkin, about the day. I think it’s important. I really do. I think it was important to me to kind of record those events in my life and remember some of the things I’ve seen and reflect on them, and a lot of my art has to deal with that.”

Ultimately, Van Bergen’s art is inspired by a wide variety of experiences throughout her life. Van Bergen credits her experiences at her grandmother’s house with her socialization and identity as an artist. Her collection, Eternal Impressions, remains incredibly relevant to our current moment given the rise in popularity and relevancy of artificial intelligence. During an era where much of the labor force is learning to collaborate with AI, Van Bergen’s work highlights the partnership of human ingenuity and technological achievement.

Conference Proceedings Now Available | 2024 Annual Academic Conference

On behalf of The American University of Florence & Stony Brook University, Florence University of the Arts is proud to announce the publication of the official proceedings from the XIII Annual Academic Conference, “Puccini Forever! The Maestro's Centennial Legacy In The Arts.”

Held in Florence on December 6–7, 2024, the conference brought together scholars, students, and community members to reflect on the cultural legacy of Giacomo Puccini, marking the centenary of his passing. Through interdisciplinary panels, keynote speeches, and student presentations, participants ehoed the vibrant spirit of Giacomo Puccini's work, exploring the profound beauty and dramatic power of his timeless music.

THE FULL TEXT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO READ TODAY!

Community Care Across Borders

In a landmark visit this Fall semester, Florence University of the Arts (FUA) brought a delegation of nursing educators from Careggi University Hospital to Fairfield University in Connecticut to deepen the institutions’ connections to one another. The trip marked the first time a group from Careggi visited Fairfield during the institutions' multi-year collaboration.

As a part of this relationship, Fairfield allows Sophomore nursing students to study abroad at FUA while taking a full nursing course load in addition to gaining clinical hours at Careggi Hospital. This program provides Fairfield students rare exposure to foreign healthcare systems.

The trip stateside provided FUA and Careggi officials with a unique opportunity to see Fairfield's educational approach of healthcare education.

“Our main goal was to exchange pedagogical methodologies to understand how nursing is taught and embraced abroad,” Health Sciences and Nursing Program Coordinator Sofia Galli explained.

At the start of the week, FUA and Careggi officials alike had the opportunity to attend nursing classes at Fairfield, which provided firsthand experience in Fairfield's nursing pedagogy to the group.

“It's always extremely interesting to see how you teach and you deliver healthcare so that is something that we want to keep pursuing,” Galli said.

The group also had the opportunity to meet with Fairfield's Dean of Nursing, Dr. Patricia Boyce, where they discussed the importance of the universities' collaboration.

“[Boyce] truly understands the significance of cultural heritage abroad, and she's willing to work towards the creation of ever more stimulating research, academic, and exchange projects,” Galli said.

As a part of this ongoing collaboration, FUA educators and nurse practitioners from Careggi Hospital had the opportunity to sit in on a state-of-the-art medical simulation. These simulations provide future healthcare workers with realistic experience in a controlled environment, allowing them to practice without harming patients.

Additionally, during the week, the FUA and Careggi delegation had the opportunity to catch up with alumni from the Fairfield Abroad Nursing Program. Galli found meeting with the cohorts from 2024 and 2025 a meaningful opportunity to reminisce about the past while also speaking to prospective students.

This trip allowed the FUA and Careggi delegation to strengthen ties with Fairfield University while gaining valuable insight into each other's educational models of nursing education. Through classroom visits, collaborative discussions, and hands-on simulation experiences, the delegation deepened their understanding of cross-cultural approaches to healthcare training. The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment between Fairfield, Careggi and FUA in fostering global perspectives in nursing education.

Launching Spring, 2026: FUA's Cinque Terre Program

Florence University of the Arts is pleased to introduce its Cinque Terre Program in La Spezia. Applications are now open to apply for the launch semester in Spring, 2026 & beyond! Located on Italy’s northern coast, students study in a working port city surrounded by the Alps and Mediterranean. Nearby are the famous Cinque Terre villages and the “Gulf of Poets,” made famous by writers such as Shelley and Byron.

Academic Focus

Choose between a three-week term, a full semester or a two-city option that combines La Spezia and Florence. All courses are taught in English by Italian and international faculty. You can mix and match up to six classes in areas such as Mediterranean studies, marine and environmental sciences, engineering, business and supply chain, writing and fine arts, digital media and design, or hospitality and wine studies. Local internships are available to put classroom theory into practice.

Experiential Learning

• Hands on projects and internships at industry hubs or local design studios
• On-site advisors, wellness workshops and a 24 hour emergency line to support you outside the classroom

Location Highlights

La Spezia is Liguria’s regional hub, with easy train and bus connections. Florence is two hours away, Genoa 75 minutes, and Pisa’s airport is 45 minutes by train. The pedestrianized center is home to the Naval Museum, CAMeC contemporary art center, and lively piazzas. Ferries run daily to Cinque Terre and nearby islands.

Housing & Student Life

Options include shared apartments, dormitories or host-family stays. All students receive an orientation, counseling and access to FUA’s 24 hour hotline. Expect a coastal lifestyle with local markets, fresh seafood and a close-knit international community.

Ready to study where the mountains meet the sea? Visit the Cinque Terre Program or contact FUA Admissions at admissions@fua.it for details on sessions, courses and how to apply.

You Can’t Get Homesick When You Have Family In Firenze

Every semester, Florence University of the Arts (FUA) offers the Italian Family Club program where students are paired with local Italian families for cultural integration opportunities within the local community. If you are a current student at FUA, on Wednesday September 10 at 8:30 pm, an informational session will be held at Corso dei Tintori, 21. To sign up, please visit the Student Life Website, or email sld-studentservices@florencecampus.org today. The following is a personal account from Spring '25 Study Abroad & Italian Family Club alum, Emily LaMartina.

My first day in Firenze began with an orientation, almost immediately after dropping off our suitcases. Suddenly, it all felt real—this beautiful city would be home for the next four months. A wave of emotions hit: excitement dominated, but a quiet worry lingered beneath the surface. Never before had I been so far from my family. Even during college, I stayed in-state and could visit them often.

With so much information coming at once, there was barely a moment to feel homesick. But what would happen after a few weeks, when I no longer needed maps to get to class? Once settled into my apartment, would it finally sink in that this wasn’t just a two-week vacation, but real life in a new place? A tap on my shoulder from my friend snapped me back to the present. “Oh my gosh... you should do this.” Glancing up at the orientation presentation, I noticed the words “Italian Families” and tuned in.

The process was straightforward: attend an informational meeting, fill out an application, and complete an in-person interview to determine if you’d be matched with a local Italian family. Filling out the application felt surprisingly fun. As someone who came from an Italian American family, I grew up with similar values, traditions, and dinners featuring my Papa’s homemade pasta sauce. Being the oldest daughter, I’ve always looked after my siblings and babysat for as long as I can remember. Family has always been deeply important to me, and I dream of having my own one day.

Meeting the family for the first time was set for an aperitivo at the school’s restaurant, Fedora. With a carefully crafted card and a bouquet of flowers in hand, I walked there, my heart bursting with joy. A quick prayer helped calm my nerves; deep down, I trusted that the right family would find me. Thinking back on that first meeting still makes me smile. From the very beginning, it was clear this would be a wonderful experience.

Just a few days later, the family invited me to their home for dinner. The little girl ran up and jumped into my arms, and from that moment, any lingering doubts disappeared. Their home instantly felt welcoming, offering comfort and a true sense of belonging.

While there is a language barrier with the children—my Italian is limited to basic phrases for ordering food or finding the bathroom—it has never posed a real problem. At their age, language isn’t everything. If you can play, smile, and laugh together, you’re already connected.

Spending time with this family has been the most special part of my time abroad. Amid the daily chaos of life with three young kids, they always make time for me—whether through a quick text, a phone call, or inviting me over for dinner. Their warmth fills my heart with joy and love, and I truly cherish every moment with them. Homesickness hasn’t been an issue; with them, I feel safe and at peace.

Often during the semester, I would photos to my family back home. My dad once replied to a simple picture of a pasta dinner, reminiscing about his childhood. He told me that each of his siblings had a photo in their highchair, faces covered in pasta sauce, and joked, “You could not be a true LaMartina without loving that homemade sauce.” This family reminds me so much of my own. The father prepares special plates of cheese, olives, and other treats, eager for me to try them—just like my dad back in St. Louis, who often stops by The Hill, our city’s Italian neighborhood, for cheeses, meats, and olives. Both share the same excitement for introducing good food and creating memorable experiences. It’s not just the food, but their mannerisms and warmth that make me feel right at home.

It’s a powerful reminder of how human we all are. I observe how both the mom and dad eagerly start conversations with others. They are thoughtful individuals who genuinely care and strive to understand those around them. This same quality shines brightly in my own parents. When the family takes me to the kids’ school, I watch the interactions between parents and children. There’s a special glow that this family radiates—one that naturally draws others in. I see faces light up as people share stories and conversations with them because it’s clear they truly care.

In a world often clouded by apathy, anger, and uncertainty, this family chooses to be a beacon of light—the friendly faces you look forward to seeing at the grocery store or around the neighborhood. Their warmth and kindness stand out as a refreshing contrast to the negativity that can surround us.

My dad called me the other day, sharing his wise words: “Search for people and places that remind you of where you came from. That way, no matter where life takes you, you will never lose touch with home and all the love that shaped who you are.” My parents have always been my muse, inspiring me in countless ways. I feel the same admiration for this family. The patience and love they radiate toward their children is truly admirable, and I hope that one day I can be even half the parent they are.

I am incredibly grateful to FUA for this opportunity. The Italian Family Club has given me a lifelong connection, and I will cherish the memories and time spent with this family forever.

For more information, or to sign up for the informational meeting on Wednesday, September 10 at 8:30 pm please visit the Student Life Website, or email sld-studentservices@florencecampus.org today.

From Content Creation to Cultural Connection

Before I began my internship at Florence Fashion Tour through Florence University of the Arts, I knew I’d be gaining professional experience, but I didn’t expect how much personal growth would come along with it. From developing content creation skills to understanding how to adapt to the impulsive rhythm of the Florence fashion and tourism scene, this experience has developed my perspective in ways that go beyond classrooms.

Florence Fashion Tour is an exclusive company that offers a range of curated experiences, from luxury shopping tours to artisan-led workshops! My main responsibility during my semester abroad was to build and create the company’s social media presence, specifically on TikTok. The goal we set was to increase visibility and share what we have to offer with our unique experiences. The tasks usually included everything from tagging along on the tours, editing videos, finding trending audios, and researching strategies for engagement. Through this, I got firsthand looks and experiences with hidden boutiques, private fashion shows and events, and workshops.

Some of my favorite moments were at the private fashion events, such as shows or sales, paper marbling classes, and small artisan workshops. Whether I was filming a moment from a local runway show or filming guests creating traditional Florentine marble paper, I discovered I was becoming more invested in how storytelling through social media can highlight a brand’s mission and identity. Each tour extends something unique, and this semester I learned how to communicate that visually and responsively to an online audience.

Our team was made up of international interns and we communicated primarily through WhatsApp and we had weekly meetings with our supervisor, Alice. Early on, there were challenges with communication, but throughout the semester, I had gained clarity of my role within the company and built a rapport with Alice. After a quick open conversation with our team, we improved communication and structure, which in the long run helped everyone stay punctual and become more confident in our tasks. Retrospectively, these moments also taught much more than I expected; not only about the cultural differences in work, but about the significance of speaking up and collaborating with empathy.

Working in Florence has shown me that professionalism is unalike across cultures and industries. There is an artistry in the way tasks are completed here, fashion is worn as a form of identity, and meetings flow more conversationally. As a midwestern student, adjusting to that way of working felt strange at first, but over the few months I spent abroad, I see how the differences allowed me to be more creative, flexible, and mindful in my work.

This internship through FUA has not only improved my resume, but shaped my confidence. It has shown me that there is immense value in stepping outside of my comfort zone, working through obstacles with interest, and embracing new roles. My time at the Florence Fashion Tour has proven that fashion isn’t only about aesthetics; it’s about storytelling, experiences, and connecting with people from all over the world.

Six Weeks in Florence

The sun was setting over the Arno, and Chloe and I were walking home with gelato, our feet were sore from another day of wandering side streets and getting just a little bit lost. At that moment, everything felt surreal. Florence was no longer just a place on a map, we were living here for the next six weeks.

But just a year earlier, none of this was certain. I had only recently started thinking about studying abroad during my sophomore year. As I began to research programs and locations, I quickly became excited by the possibilities. One afternoon, while hanging out with Chloe, my roommate of two years, I brought it up. She told me she had always dreamed of studying abroad but had never seriously considered it. From that moment, we began imagining what it could look like to embark on the adventure together. A year later, we finally got serious and started planning our summer in Florence.

By the time we made the decision, we already had years of shared memories and plenty of experience living together. We met during our freshman year while living in the same hallway and naturally became roommates our sophomore, junior, and now senior year. We knew each other’s habits and routines like second nature. So, when we decided to take our friendship abroad, it felt like the perfect start to a new chapter we’d get to experience side by side.

It was the first time either of us had traveled outside the U.S. While we were both comfortable navigating domestic travel, we knew this would be a very different kind of challenge. Arriving in Florence felt like a dream, but it also came with a learning curve. We had to figure out the train and bus systems, translate grocery labels, and adapt to Italian culture. The first few weeks were filled with small mistakes, some of which now make us laugh, but also with little victories. Having each other during that transition made all the difference.

Living abroad together for six weeks tested our friendship in new ways. Even though we’d lived together for years, we’d never shared a room and bathroom before. That adjustment wasn’t always easy, but we quickly learned how to operate as a team. We weren’t just roommates anymore, we were travel partners, navigating unfamiliar territory and leaning on one another every step of the way. Whether we were dealing with delayed trains, ordering in Italian, or managing the stress of a lost phone, we tackled every challenge together.

We also learned new things about each other. I realized Chloe was great at not being afraid to ask for help, wave down the check, and figure things out on the fly, while I was more comfortable planning ahead and doing research. Our differences balanced us, especially while traveling. Of course, we had our off days too with moments of miscommunication or times when one of us just needed space. However, those moments taught us to communicate more clearly and to be patient with each other’s needs.

Spending nearly every day together meant we had to be intentional about maintaining space. In the mornings, Chloe had class while I took time to myself. After lunch, typically together, she’d usually nap while I ventured out. We came to appreciate the quiet in-between moments just as much as our shared adventures. That balance helped give us both the space to recharge individually, while also making many shared memories.

As we settled into our routine, our friendship grew. We supported each other through homesickness, language barriers, and the personal growth that comes from being far from home. We created new memories together. Some of my favorites are the simple ones like walking home at sunset, listening to live music in Piazzale Michelangelo, or ending the night in our room, struggling to make a free VPN work just to watch a show.

Now, as we are back home for the summer, I know this experience will stay with us. Studying abroad with Chloe is something I’ll always cherish. I don’t know exactly what the next chapter will bring as we begin our senior year and think about life after graduation. However, I do know that we’ll always have Florence. The memories we built here will continue to anchor our friendship, no matter where life takes us.