La Mia Bella Vita
in Italia
January 28-May 15 2009
Olga Martinez
The Big Decision
As I was flying to Italy over the vast Atlantic Ocean on January 28, 2009, I
recalled the day I decided to study abroad. It was the day I received a link to a blog from
a colleague who had gone to Italy. As I was glancing through his pictures and looking at
all the wonderful and historical places he visited, I wondered, why not me? That could
be me standing next to the Tower of Pisa or the vast Coliseum in Rome. I pictured myself
walking among living history and experiencing first-hand the rich culture of Italy. That
same day, I researched more information about studying abroad and the more I became
enthusiastic about it.
I never guessed that six months later I would be flying towards Florence, one of
the most distinguished cities in Italy. Florence is known for its breath-taking beauty and
its richness in art, history, and scientific enquiry. It is the birthplace to the Italian
Renaissance and is home to renowned figures such as Leonardo de Vinci, Galileo, and
Michelangelo, among others. I couldn’t wait to become cultured through its art
museums, monumental churches, and ancient ruins.
I was even more enthusiastic about studying at one of Italy’s largest study
abroad institutions. Lorenzo de’ Medici (LdM), was the school that had caught my eye. It
has a diverse student body representing more than twenty-four different countries. I
knew it would be the perfect school for me because it would provide the opportunity to
meet individuals from all over the world and I would be able to take a number of small
and fun classes where I can learn inside and outside the classroom. They also offered a
variety of academic excursions throughout the city and country, such as Rome and the
Vatican; Venice and the Carnival; Milan and the Courts of the Renaissance; Hiking on
the Alps and the Garda Lake, and many more.
I decided to apply directly to LdM in Florence instead of going through a
program. It was much less expensive and I would still get to experience the same field
trips as other programs. I could also choose my own roommate and the kind of apartment
I wanted. I convinced my roommate from K-State to study abroad together and we both
decided to room in a two bedroom apartment instead of a dorm.
My Apartment
I still remember vividly the morning I landed at Florence’s tiny airport. I felt the
rush and the excitement of the people around me, and after a moment of disbelief of
being in a foreign country, I picked up my luggage and went outside to find a chilly and
cloudy day before me. I quickly grabbed a taxi and headed towards the apartment.
Before anything else, I learned on my first day in Italy that most people drive
precariously. I couldn’t enjoy the scenery we were passing by since our driver was
speeding down the many curved and small one-ways streets in Florence, while trying to
avoid hitting other treacherous drivers.
The apartment was about twenty minutes away from school and downtown. It
was located on a steep hill in the outskirts of the city. I was happy to know that our fully
furnished apartment was not as small as I feared. The living room was spacious, had a
high ceiling and butter-colored walls. It had one large window overlooking another
apartment about ten feet away, which wasn’t a view I was anticipating. Straight across
from the living room was the kitchen with baby blue walls. It was fully equipped with all
the kitchen accessories, a dining table, stove and a miniature refrigerator. Later I learned
that most Italians don’t buy shopping carts full of groceries like we do in the US. They
usually grocery shop two times a week.
Following the kitchen was our small bedroom with two twin beds on each side, a
widow, and a bathroom. Our apartment had wood and tile flooring and had radiators
instead of central heating, which only turned on at certain times of the day. The first
thing I did was to decorate my side of the room with pictures and memories from back
home. Looking at my loved ones particularly helped when I felt homesick.
My Experience with Italian Food
Since we didn’t have any food at our apartment we went to a small restaurant.
The Italian restaurant was small but had a welcoming atmosphere. Their menu included
antipasti (appetizers), first and second course meals, and desserts. Their menu, which
was similar to many Florentine restaurants I later visited, included some of these dishes:
Antipasti
Crositini alla fiorentina- chicken livers on toast
Fettenta con fagioli- toasted bread with carlike and Tuscan white beans
Bruschetta al pomodoro- toasted bread with fresh tomatoes
Caprese con mozzarella di bufala- sliced tomatoes with mozzarella cheeseFirst Course
Zuppa di verdure- Vegetable soup
Cappelletti in brood- Tortellini in broth
Lasagne al forno- Lasagne
Spaghetti al pomodoro- tomato and basil spaghetti
Spaghetti alla carbonara- spaghetti carbonara style with bacon and eggs
Risotto- Italian rice
Penne alla Sorrentina- small macaroni with tomato sauce and Mozzarella cheese
Ravioli
Second Courses
Bistecca alla Fiorentina- Florentine steak (tender, medium rare steak)
Dessert
Panna Cotta- cooked cream
Tiramisu- sponge cake soaked with coffee and liqueur and topped with mascarpone cheese
Tartufo al cioccolato- chocolate truffle
I ordered bruschetta al pomodoro or caprese con mozzarella di bufala as an appetizer
and spaghetti alla carbonara as the first course. I also had a delicious and mouth-watering
tartufo al ciocolato. These traditional dishes became my favorite and I certainly recommend
trying them out. A big meal like this with a small drink would cost about 20 Euros plus a two to
five euros cover charge, the same what would cost for a full week of groceries.
As we all know, Italy is famous not only for their pastas including spaghetti and lasagna,
but their pizzas as well. Throughout my stay I ate at many pizza restaurants that hand made
their own traditional variety. These tasty pizzas are very different from those of Pizza
Hut or Dominoes, and are all medium-sized, one or two toppings, and thin crust.
Nevertheless they are very scrumptious. Contrarily to what I thought, the tastiest pizzas I
ate were not at the big and fancy restaurants but at the small eateries in the downtown of
Florence.
Another place that immediately became my favorite place was the gelateria.
Gelateria, are shops you can buy ice creams of any kind of exotic flavor, ranging from
chocolate orange to pistachio and rice-flavored ice cream. My favorite ice cream place in
Florence was “Vivoli.” It is somewhat expensive but very worth the taste and a place
every tourist must visit.
Academics
Besides traveling, one of my best times in Italy was my academic experiences. I
took fifteen credit hours. Each class was effortless yet I learned a lot from each one. This
was my weekly class schedule:
Monday:
History of Jewels & their Symbolism 3- 5pm
This class was about the history of jewels and their symbolism throughout different time
periods. We visited several famous jewelry stores such as Swarovski and Tiffany Inc to
compare how their jewelry styles date back to ancient times. We had to write a ten page
paper at the end of the course.
Tuesday:
Art History 12:30-2pm
In this class we learned the different time periods of Greek, Roman, Romanesque,
Byzantine, and Gothic. This was one of my favorite classes. During every class period
we visited many of Florence’s beautifully-built palaces and buildings, including several
breathtaking churches. Out of the 60+ churches in Florence, we visited around fifteen.
My favorite ones were Santa Maria di Fiori, Santa Croce (which contains Michelangelo’s
tomb) and my favorite one of all, San Miniato, a church on a hill with an amazing view of
Florence. They all contain wonderful pieces of art by Michelangelo and other famous
artists.
Italian Class 2:30-4 pm (Thursdays at same time also)
We had a tiny and wonderful young teacher Italian who made the class very interactive.
We learned Italian by playing fun games and by learning outside the classroom. By the
end of the semester, I composed and recite a whole essay in Italian about my experiences
in Italy.
Drawing & Composition 6-8:30 pm
This was my favorite class. We learned the basics of drawing to the more difficult
concepts of art. My teacher loved each and every one my compositions. LdM nominated
me to compete in Florence’s “Art is in the Streets” an art exhibition and competition. It
was certainly one of the best experiences in Italy
Wednesdays
Italian Cuisine 8-noon.
This was a very fun and delicious class! We learned to cook and prepare many of Italy’s
popular dishes and desserts.
Fridays: No Class
Weekends
Without doubt, these were the best times in Italy. They were the moments I took
off from school to travel around. I lived history each and every day especially when I
visited the Vatican in Rome, the Cathedral in Milan, Venice, and Pompeii. I truly
enjoyed Cinque Terre and Portofino; Capri, with one of the most beautiful caves in the
ocean; Sorrento, a famous beach resort; and. Nice, Montecarlo, and the French Riviera. I
had the chance to go to Viareggio and see their annual carnival and parade. I enjoyed an
amazing and exhilarating bike tour around the Tuscany country and visiting wineries and
vineyards. Every place I visited was full of wonder and infectious enthusiasm. There
was not a single place I regretted going to.
Throughout my stay, I met many wonderful people from all backgrounds. I had
the chance to volunteer at a church where they offered food and clothing to the homeless
of Florence. I had the opportunity to run every morning around one of Florence’s most
beautiful parks. These are only a small part of the many memories I have from Italy, but
are the ones that I will never forget.
I wished I would’ve known earlier….
 To take plenty of school supplies, including notebooks, pens, and highlighters. They
are very expensive in Italy.
 To avoid taking a lot of clothes. It is stressful to carry big luggage. Most students
will buy clothes in Italy anyway.
 That I was going to walk a lot and in all kinds of weather. Good tennis shoes and rain
boots are a must.
 That I was going to have a blast in Italy. I hold each and every memory in my heart.
To see pictures of my experience visit:
olga-martinez.blogspot.com