Sally Van Denover
ROME- I met a Roman college student, named Jacopo, who took a me and a few of my friends out for dinner and showed us Rome at night. We walked to the Museo del Risorgimento. While I was very impressed by the stature of the building, Jacopo expressed a distaste for it. He told me he thinks it is pompous and he does not want to be associated with the idea of "Roman greatness" that Mussolini wanted to convey. It is interesting to see that Italian youth still identify, or rather try to escape, with part of the history of their country--much more so than than most of America's youth.
Kara Damiano
FLORENCE — Florence is absolutely stunning. I could take a picture at any given moment and it would turn out beautiful. From the panoramic view of the city from a hill, to the bridges overlooking the water, and even every narrow street, I am awestruck everywhere I go. The Academia Europea di Firenze is our school for the semester. The main building is right between the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo. My roommates and I get to walk across the Ponte Vecchio every morning to get to class, which is so surreal. Now that we have finished our first two weeks of classes, Ican confidently say Florence has proven to be a city that I will have no problem making my home.