The closest I'll probably be getting to a horse anytime soon...

Just in case you can't tell... "Morde Bites."

-J

Ciao da Firenze!

Well it's been a full ten days since I arrived in Italy... and I still don't feel like this is actually real life yet. There's gelato, espresso, pizza and paninis available on every street next to leather shops and renaissance palaces. Almost everything that I could ever need is within walking distance and even the Stanford building is in one of the best locations in the city. Everything in the city is so exciting and different than life on campus especially since I haven't ever lived in a city before. The cultural differences have been small but noticeable (eg. wearing workout shorts outside is frowned upon even when en-route to the gym...oops) and the ability to fare bella figura (a term that generally refers to making a good first impression and something I will probably talk more about in the future) has been more difficult than it seems. Yet despite the crowds of tourists that make getting to know the real Florence a bit of a struggle, I am already beginning to feel as if I am getting to know the city better than before.

Just a short and sweet update for now but there will be more pictures and stories soon!

-J