mi dispiace

In my head as I imagined Florence I knew it would be totally different than what I’m used to, but I had no idea it would be this magical. By magical I mean everything has character, a story and some sort of history behind it. Although almost everyone speaks English (or at least some), I’m trying to speak as much Italian as I can, which is quite challenging considering I literally knew nothing before coming here. My favorite phrase is “mi dispiace” or “I’m sorry” because somehow I am always running into someone or blocking walkways (and getting cursed at by old Italian men lol). Today we had orientation and a walking tour to help us find our way around a little easier. Macarena and I also found a super cute lunch spot called La Bruschetteria that we will definitely be spending a lot of time at. And of course we ended our night with some gelato, tonight’s flavor “cookies”. Yummmmm! Xoxo Kendall

il mio apartamento

My front yard!

Wow I am feeling 100% better today! I have officially adjusted to the time change and it feels so amazing to wake up and have a full day of exploring. I left Plus Hostel today and headed over to AIFS (which is where I will be taking class), where they then showed me to my apartment. Let me say I was totally expecting something super small and old. It seriously blew me away as I walked into an awesome kitchen with a master bedroom (my room which I share with a roommate) and two single rooms. Although it is old, it is a true authentic Italian home with so much character. I will let the pictures speak for themselves but overall I am feeling so blessed and at home. Once my roommates arrived we  basically spent the day exploring together, eating food and navigating around our new area. I love my apartment, I love my roommates, I love this area and I LOVE Florence. Cannot wait for what is to come! I’ll keep you posted! Xoxo Kendall

Hat+Dress: Urban Outfitters// Sunglasses+Necklace: Forever21// Bag: Amazon// Shoes: Free People

Buongiornio!

With very little hassle on my flights, I have finally  arrived in Florence! From the airport I took the Valo in bus (bus shuttle) to Santa Maria Novella (train station) where I then walked to my hostel in the city center. After lugging my suitcases around town cluelessly walking in circles to find my hostel, and looking like a total tourist, I shamelessly found it with some help from the locals. Although I was terribly tired and jet lagged (and currently still recovering), I decided to fight the urge to curl up into my bed and instead explore the city! With my friend Kate, and her friend Kayla, as my tour guides I was able to see most of the Florentine landmarks in the span of a few hours! I am already in such awe of the beautiful architecture, culture and all the smells on the streets.  I think I’m going to settle in just fine:) Now it’s time to sleep off the jetlag and get ready to move into my apartment tomorrow! Xoxo Kendall

 

Can you spot the Eiffel Tower?

The Parisian countryside

My first gelato; Pompelmo Rosa 

Arrivederci!

Travel Essentials: Bag-Vintage// Journal+ Hat-Urban Ouftitters// Europe Book- Anthropologie// Top+Pants-H&M// Raybans// Shoes-Birkentsocks

As some of you may know I am extremely excited to be studying abroad in Florence, Italy this May! Seeing as I have never been out of the country, this is definitely out of my comfort zone. However, this has always been a dream of mine and I am so blessed to be given this opportunity. Starting today through June 5th I will be living in the heart of Florence, Italy in a historic apartment with fellow UF students. Although most of my time will be spent in Florence, I will also be traveling throughout Italy as well. If you would like to keep up with my day-to-day adventures, definitely check back here for daily posts (fingers crossed I have Wi-Fi!). I would love to share my memories and experiences with you:) 

As I sit in the airport I can't help but think about all the delicious gelato I will be eating, all the beautiful towns I will be visiting and the amazing people I will be meeting. Let the adventure of a lifetime begin! xoxo Kendall 

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

-Lao Tzu

NYC Part 3

By far my favorite part of being in NYC was exploring the city. It is absolutely stunning. On some free time we were able to check out a few places around town including Central Park (a must see) and my absolute favorite, the MOMA. Here are a few of my favorite pictures that I couldn't help but share.