Postcard #1: Aloha from Italia

Aloha mai kākou! 

How are you all?

I’ve just about spent my first week in Florence, and let me say, there's rarely a dull moment here. This week has been a mix of chaos, culture shock, and moments that feel almost unreal.

Starting from arrival, after checking in with LdM, we hauled our luggage through the cobblestone streets of Florence, trying to find our apartment using a map that was somehow helpful and completely useless at the same time. I had everything with me, a large checked suitcase, a carry-on, and a personal bag that fell off my suitcase at nearly every turn. By the time we found the apartment, we still had to climb a bunch of stairs. After struggling for a bit, a kind Italian man offered help and carried our suitcases all the way up. I am truly grateful for his help, and dread the thought of moving out.

Later that night, we walked to the Duomo. We weren’t even sure how we’d know that we were close, but the second we caught a glimpse of it, we knew. The camera truly doesn't do it justice. It was breathtaking and absolutely unreal. Honestly, that moment alone made all the struggles worth it.

Since then, I have been exploring, eating sandwiches, homemade meals, and gelato (shoutout La Strega Nocciola with their bomb Pistachio and Hazelnut gelato). I bought a book from the Giunti Odeon Library, got my ear pierced, and have been wandering the city. Some of our first dinners were at McDonald's at 1 a.m thanks to jet lag, kinda sad I know, but the familiarity was somewhat comforting.

One thing I was not prepared for? The cold. Coming from Hawaiʻi, Florence nights have been no joke. If you’re studying abroad in the colder months, bring layers. Even if you think you’ll be fine, trust me, bring at least one puffer.

Moral of the story: You donʻt need to have everything figured out. You will get lost. You will struggle. You might get your umbrella stolen in a store (yes, that did happen to me). You might even eat McDonald’s in Italy at 1 a.m. and that’s okay. Just be open to help, be patient with yourself, be safe, and have fun. Until then, stay tuned for my next postcard from Alisha Abroad. 

A hui hou.