What excites me most about this trip is being able to experience daily life in Florence, while still making the most of my trip. On a typical family vacation, it’s all go go go and rushing around to see all the sights. I am excited to slow down and enjoy the city. I am hoping to learn more about the Renaissance, and all of the innovation that occurred. I don’t know too much about it besides the famous works of art produced during that time. I’m excited to be able to connect such an important period in history with applicable engineering topics to today!
While I’m very excited for this opportunity, the language barrier definitely makes me nervous. I only know a few helpful phrases in Italian. It’s daunting to try and speak a language you barely know to locals! In high school I went to Germany with my German class, and even then, speaking a language I did know to locals was scary! However, one of my goals for this trip is to successfully get over this fear and attempt Italian! I hope by the end of the trip to have mastered a small conversation. I also hope to gain a new understanding and appreciation for Florence, and of course have lots of gelato!
Swanson School of Engineering 