Oh, where did the time go? From the sweltering summer days and evenings where the streets were full of people enjoying the pleasures of dining alfresco and wandering late at night for gelato, to the cold and sometimes rainy days of winter, Florence has been a wealth of sights, sounds and gourmand experiences for the last four months. The changing quality of the light, the seasonal shifts of different fresh fruits and vegetables on the stands and in the markets has been a treat to watch and enjoy and believe me, we're all completely spoiled! It's been a lovely journey and life changing experience for the 10 UCONN students who decided to study abroad this past semester. They have traveled all over Italy and to other countries. They've met and made new friends along the way, and for a few it was an opportunity to meet and get in touch with their Italian roots and extended family living here.
They shopped in the leather market for shoes and back packs one of the great pleasure of being here, and in the Mercado Centrale in the wee hours to buy a turkey, and together they put together an amazing and delicious Thanksgiving pot-luck feast for visiting illustration Professor Cora Lynn Deibler, whose November visit included a critique of their work: what a great celebration- they are amazing cooks!
Now we're returning to the US and to Storrs for the spring semester. Their paintings, drawings, sketchbooks and the hundreds of digital photos are the physical remnants of their life here for those 4 short months. But the larger remnant and more important aspect of this journey they will carry for a lifetime. They were a terrific group of students and I'm so glad to have shared this adventure with them. Here are just few highlights of an amazing semester.
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