Arcadia Australia

Written by Madeleine Montz, student from Arcadia University who studied on the Arcadia Florence Program in the Spring of 2020.

Studying abroad in Florence was quite literally like a movie, a dream come true. Every street was occupied with buildings that represented Florentine history, shops with owners who were eager to share their stories and get to know me, and beauty everywhere I turned.

Among the many moments I cherish, I wanted to mention some of my favorites. I took "Sketching Florence",a class where each week we would meet in a different area of Florence and use a different tool or technique for our drawings. Not only did we discover a new place and new technique, we got to learn the stories behind each place and meet different people and interact with them. Every week I felt like I met a new friend, a new person to visit, a new piece of Florence.

I also loved my Michelangelo class, where our professor took us around the city to show us his famous works, as well as the places Michelangelo studied and did his work. It felt like we were following his footsteps every week.

Outside of class I bonded with my new famiglia, my roommates. Our last night together was spent watching the sunset over the Tuscan mountains and the city of Florence at Palazzo Michelangelo, it was something special.

I'm so grateful for everything Florence gave me, and I can't wait to return. Mi manchi Firenze!