The other night my friend and I were casually sipping wine while perching ourselves against a window in my apartment where we sat and watched all the people below us walking by.  As we were admiring the eventful nightlife of the Italians, she asked me if I felt like my heart was exploding here in Florence.  I think this was an interesting question because it forced me to reflect on my time here and how it’s really made me feel – something I haven’t done much of.  Since we are studying in a different country I think we sometimes have an expectation that every second of every day we are supposed to have amazing things be happening to us. So while I do feel like my heart is exploding here, I think it is certain moments I have each day that make my heart explode – it is those moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.

The moment when you are out walking at night and you come across the Duomo which is entirely lit up is magnificent.  The moment when you are in Milan during the midst of Fashion Week is utterly incredible when you are a small town mountain girl studying merchandising in Colorado.  The moment you see the opulence of La Sala Bianca in the Pitti Palace – an entirely white room adorned with ornate carvings and sparkling crystal chandeliers is downright breathtaking. The moment when you are swimming in the gorgeous crystal blue water of the Mediterranean Sea is wonderful.  The moment when you bite into a freshly baked chocolate croissant at two in the morning after finding one of Florence’s treasured secret bakeries is to die for.  As I sit here writing this blog with the biggest smile on my face, I feel overwhelmed with happiness because it’s even hard for me to believe that I have actually done all of these things here in Italy thus far!

Florence is my home and I couldn’t be more thankful for the memories I am making and the experiences that I am having which I will forever cherish.

– Hannah – Colorado State University