Submitted by Christopher Pfeifer on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Philosophy…
After spending eight days in Rome, I didn’t know what to expect in Florence. I’ve seen pictures of the beautiful red roofs and the colorful streets, and I couldn’t wait to see it all in person. And right when we got there, I instantly fell in love with the city. Our hotel was right along the Arno River and the sites down and around it were spectacular. We spent the next four days exploring the city, and I was continuously amazed throughout our adventure. The city wasn’t super touristy, but it was still easy to navigate because a large amount of locals spoke English. Each meal we had continuously got better and better and I definitely had way too many cannolis, but I have no regrets. Florence looked exactly like what I expected Italy to look like and I really wish we were able to stay longer in the city.
One of my favorite sites from the week was the David statue carved by Michelangelo. The craftsmanship was incredible and after seeing it in person, I now understand why it once was, and still is, considered to be one of the most beautiful pieces of art in the world. Also, I loved the Galileo museum. As a science major, I got to see some of
the oldest scientific inventions created by Galileo and his pupils, and I could see how they relate to the instruments we use today in the field.
Our program now resides in Volterra, which is a small Tuscan town. This is definitely a huge change of pace because it’s much quieter compared to the metropolis of Rome. The city is located on the top of a hill and our campus is at the very bottom of it, which is not ideal, but the views in the surrounding area are incredible. Everywhere you look, you can see the Tuscan hills in the distance and the other night we watched the sunset over the hills and it was the most natural and majestic thing I have ever seen. We are going to be here in Volterra for the next week, so it is going to be nice to rest after the hustle and bustle of Rome and Florence. This is also where we will be primarily focusing on our academics and we will be giving group presentations to teach each other about religions around the world. I cannot wait to explore more of this area, and to see what else Italy has to offer.
