Tag Archive for: travel study

By Andrea Arredondo

If there is one thing that makes Florence unique, it is that the city is beautiful to walk though. Whether you are on one side of the Arno or the other, there is so much to see that you could easily spend a few hours taking in Florence. With little shops along the streets, one-of-a-kind museums, and restaurants that smell divine from outside—it is easy to find things to do even after you think you have seen it all. Trust me, when I say that there is always something new to do or see in Florence, there always is…

It was a Friday afternoon and I had just left my school bag in the apartment. I went outside only to embark upon the perfect afternoon walk! Image the most unreal, only happens in a movie type summer weather. Not too hot, a slight breeze, and low humidity. Aware that I had to be back in a few hours for dinner with a friend, I decided to wander Florence for around two hours.

Before going much farther, the first place I stopped at was a gelato shop near my apartment. Unlike most gelato shops, this one was special because it made freshly squeezed lemon-flavored treats every day. A lemon and gelato lover, this particular shop was my favorite in Florence.

Cone in hand, I then headed toward the Pitti Palace, where I finished my gelato and took part in some people watching. After, I headed down some smaller, ordinary streets. Intending to avoid the crowds along the river, I didn’t expect to find the art.

I have noticed a stigma against art painted on streets. Whether it’s street painting in America, or remaking signs as I saw in Florence, people love to judge street artists. Clet Abraham is a French artist who over the last few years have caught art-lover’s attention with his politically charged images. Painting over street signs, Abraham plays with lines, colors, and cultural references to make statements.

The further I walked down the tiny street (sorry guys, I didn’t take note of the street’s name), the more of the artist’s signs started to show up. Eventually, I realized why—there was a store which sold his work on that street. Impressed and amused, I went inside only to find stickers, bags, and posters of Abraham’s sign art.

Hoping to see a bit more of Florence, I eventually left and started to climb up a mountain. While it looked easy at first, the path quickly became very steep and I started to wonder, what if I just turn back now…? What at the top of this mountain can possibly be worth seeing? Half-determined to turn around, I then realized where I was heading: Piazzale Michelangelo.

Impressed that I had made it so far, I decided to finish the climb and see the view so many claimed to be the best in Florence. When I got to the top, I could see why others had fallen in love with the view—it was incredible. Arriving at sunset, the sun struck the Tuscan city with a soft glow that felt straight out of a movie (I know I keep saying that, but Florence really is so beautiful that it is the film site for many movies). Moments later, the sun sank further away and I realized it was time for me to head back.

Having an itinerary is great, but sometimes not having one can be super rewarding—especially in Florence! 

Andrea Arredondo studied abroad in Florence in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-Florence/

By Andrea Arredondo

Studying abroad may seem to be a bit counterintuitive. You are traveling to a foreign country and encouraged to see new places, yet you also have to take classes and are given assignments to complete. You are told that you should interact with locals and try to soak up as much of this culture and community you are experiencing, but that can seem challenging when you have to meet deadlines. It may seem like a lot, or impossible to try and strike a balance between the two, but keep reading to see what an average day abroad was like for me! 

7:00AM- Although I certainly did not need to wake up this early, my roommate and I regularly left the windows open overnight, forcing us to wake up earlier than either of us liked. After getting up, the weather was pretty cool so, I liked to do some of my readings. About an hour later, more girls would wake up in my hall and I would great ready for class. Depending on if I had groceries, I would either make something in one of the shared kitchens or buy breakfast at a local café.

10AM- In the morning we had a two-hour long lecture. Lectures were usually held inside the Accent Center, but at times we would visit museums or go on walks during these blocks of time. Professor Looby was really great at making lectures interactive. Often, he would ask us to read passages and state our thoughts. In class, we would expand our conversations by connecting the readings to famous paintings or statues. My favorite day in class was when we were talking about a song reference in one of our books and Professor Looby suddenly started to sing!

12PM- Lunch time! The nice thing about having such a long lunch was the ability to go across the Arno to try new places AND still make it back in time for class. Sometimes I even used this time to get ahead on work, visit a museum, or talk to family and friends back home.

2PM- After lunch we would have another two-hour lecture, discussion with our Teaching Assistant, or site visit. My favorite class trip was when we went to see the Pitti Palace. Here we were able to look at art which dated back centuries. There were also more modern exhibitions which showcased the influence of the late Renaissance period on modern fashion. 

4PM- Up to you dude! Once class was over, we were never forced to stay at the museums or churches afterward. After class, we were free to do as we liked. Of course, we could stay longer, but some days I went back to my apartment to do homework or else where to explored the city (read “Under the Tuscan Sun” to learn my favorite after class walk). Although class met every day, Professor Looby was very transparent about the work he wanted from us. As such, I was always able to plan my excursions accordingly.

The things that makes studying abroad manageable is that your professors know you want to spend time exploring the city where you are at. Of course, they will give you readings and papers, but it’s up to you to use your time efficiently. After all, studying abroad is more than just what you learn inside a classroom. 

Andrea Arredondo studied abroad in Florence in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-Florence/

By Andrea Arredondo

The first weekend of the program, Professor Looby organized a class trip to Rome. Although it might sound like a lot to take a group of 25 college students to a different city for a few days, the professor really did an outstanding job helping to create the mini-trip. It might not have been incredibly long, but the itinerary was full of things to do and places to see.

The first Friday of the program, we were instructed to meet at the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence around 7:30am to depart to Rome. As soon as we arrived in Rome, 25 college students looked around the Roma Termini train station. Early morning and bushy eyed, I was excited to see what this ancient city had in store. Would this city be anything like Florence?

Shades on and soaked in sunscreen, I hoisted my backpack over my shoulder and waited for the group’s tour guide to find us. Eventually we spotted her and she informed us that we would be taking a walking tour of the city. Walking out of the train station in Rome is a completely different experience than going through Union Station or Grand Central Station. Stores line the walls and people rush to their work, homes, or airport. Nonetheless, we eventually we made it out and started our walk.

Rome is very different from Florence. The streets are wider, there are more cars, and I could not shake the feeling that the air felt more hectic. There are street vendors everywhere and uniquely, there were Roman statues on top of pillars throughout the city. Along the way we stopped by a church and went inside. Churches in Italy are incredibly beautiful. They have ancient designs and paintings that can be traced back to centuries ago.

After our walk around the city, we decided to check into our hotel and leave our bags. After a few minutes of relaxation and freshening up, we all meet back in the lobby to go out for lunch. Lunch was a delicious three course meal with classic Italian dishes. After lunch we had free time to explore some more. I decided that I wanted to use this time to meet other students and see some ancient ruins.

Rome really has a lot to offer. Sometimes, you just need to be willing to walk… a lot. I realized this the moment when the class met up to walk to the Vatican. One hour of walking later, we arrived at the Vatican where I was happy to learn that we would not have to wait outside for hours. TIP: always make reservations when you’re crunched for time—especially for popular tourist sites. The Vatican was incredible and I was lucky to get to see the Sistine Chapel. After the four-hour long tour, I was happy to splurge on a taxi back—beware that Ubers are illegal in Rome.

While the trip was only two days, a few girls and myself decided to extend our trip by one more day. During that extra day in Rome, we mainly relaxed and ate at restaurants in the city. Of note, we were able to eat at Felice a Testaccio, the rumored birth place of cacio e pepe. Unfortunately, it rained for most of that extra day, but we had a great time anyway.

Would it rain the next time I returned to Rome? Read to find out!

Andrea Arredondo studied abroad in Florence in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-Florence/