Walk to the tram, from school. I got to see some of suburban Florence!

This spring semester I had the privilege of being able to study abroad in Florence, Italy. It is here that I have expanded both my mind and soul. I have had to be more resourceful, more quick witted and more observant than ever before. Having never been to Europe, coming to Italy was very daunting. However, I adapted quickly and jumped right into the local culture. One way I was able to acclimate was through my community engagement. SAI gave me the opportunity to volunteer at an Italian elementary school every week for an hour. This experience taught me a multitude of things. I am currently studying Elementary Education at my home university, making this the perfect volunteer opportunity for me. Furthermore, my dream has always been to teach English abroad once I graduate. Through this volunteer opportunity with SAI I was able to get a taste of what I have always dreamed of doing. I also became well acquainted with the public transportation system. Prior to this volunteer experience I had never used the tram system in Florence or much public transportation in the States. Although this was daunting at first, I quickly got the hang of it.

Tram to the school.

By the end of my volunteer experience I had figured out that if I simply tap my card when I get on the tram I don’t have to buy a physical ticket. Also, the best seats to sit in (if there are any available). As well as what tram to switch to that would bring me closer to my apartment. Furthermore, by the end of my experience I no longer paid attention to every stop, afraid I would miss mine. It had become intuitive and I knew exactly where to get off. More impactful than learning the tram system was my time spent with the children I helped teach. I will admit, I have worked with kids for over 5 years but this experience was my hardest. The kids themselves were great but the language barrier and time constraint made it so I was not able to form meaningful connections with them. This is something I deeply value. Therefore, it was frustrating when it was hard to accomplish. However, the experience opened my eyes in many ways. I was placed in a fourth grade classroom for four weeks. It was here I realized how curious the children are. All children are curious but these students were on another level. They wanted to ask me different types of questions and seemed genuinely interested. I also learned that Italian elementary students wear smocks over their regular clothing. This is something that is very different from the United States.

Pictures drawn by second graders!

When I was moved to a second grade classroom for the last three weeks I learned even more. On my first day the teacher asked me to share my likes and dislikes. The students then proceeded to draw me as well as my likes and dislikes. These were some of the best drawings I’ve ever seen! I couldn’t help but take pictures of them. Also, in this classroom I was made aware of how little support is given to teachers and students with special needs. In this classroom there were three special needs students and one gifted student with no extra support or guidance. This is very different from the United States where it is a law to provide extra support to students who require it. I was very saddened to realize this and upset that I couldn’t do more. However, it was during my time in this classroom that it was confirmed in my heart to teach second grade. When asked before, ‘what grade do you most want to teach?’ I never had a clear answer. After spending time in this classroom and observing the love and curiosity that poured from these children, I can now confidently say ‘I want to teach second grade most of all’. I am so thankful to SAI for allowing me the chance to volunteer at this elementary school and will remember the children and teachers I met for the rest of my life. Studying abroad has completely changed me and the knowledge I have acquired is invaluable. I will miss this place dearly but cannot wait to share everything I’ve learned with my friends and family back home.

Written by: Annabelle, Spring 2025 Florence student from Belmont University