With the end of the semester rapidly approaching and everyone here at SACI in Florence, Italy preparing for final exams and critiques, I’d like to utilize this post to reflect upon my time here. This semester has certainly been full of new experiences from classes, to travel, to even living somewhere new. I’ve had to overcome basic communication skills (which are still a little iffy) and ways to getting around the city. But, for the most part, I was able to figure everything out.

The classes I’ve taken this semester included Color Photography, Interactive Art and Design, Book Arts, and Contemporary Italian and European Art. All were absolutely outstanding and I ended up learning tons in each. If I had to choose a favorite, although difficult, I’d go with Book Arts. We made so many different kinds of books and learned the types of stitching and bindings that can be used. It was a very interesting class and it was outside of what I normally do.

This semester also encompassed the most traveling I’ve done within such a short timeframe. I was given the chance to visit places like Vinci, Rome, Paris, and Dublin. I enjoyed seeing what each place had to offer including what the people were like, what sights there were to see, and the history of the place.

Florence was certainly a prime place to live. Between the people, the art, and traveling to and from other destinations, the city proved to be sufficient in all ways. Even with four months, I feel I didn’t have the time to investigate every nook and cranny to my heart’s content. I’m thrilled to be going home, but I wish I had a little more time.

Overall, this was an amazing experience. The one thing I knew from the very beginning of this semester was that I didn’t want to have any regrets. As I look back, I believe I have achieved that. I’m content with my learning experience, travel, and everything else I’ve done here. This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I would highly recommend.