Gianna, Meagan, Holly, Sheldon, and Nick started the afternoon off with a presentation on the Italian Mafia, its history, its current status, and its Hollywood-like appeal for Americans.
Next, Karla and Maria Christina educated us about Carnevale, with a special focus on the celebration in Viareggio, which they both had the good fortune of attending. Their photos were fantastic!
We then learned about Tuscan cuisine from the presentation group made up of Julie, Geoff, and Jack. (Unfortunately, Robert was unable to be there, but I know he had a lot to do with the research.)
Next on the agenda were Frank, Zoe, Gillian, Alice, and Stephanie, who gave a wonderful presentation about the Boboli Gardens, strongly encouraging all of us to visit this beautiful Florentine oasis.
And then it was shoes! Yes, Italian shoes! Ellen, Katie, Lindsay, Mallory, and Stephanie gave a well-researched presentation on the history of shoes in general, including photos of some very painful-looking ones!
Charlie, Victoria, Marina, Richard, and Meaghan presented next, this time on Italian wines. They had all attended wine-tasting classes, and some had even taken a tour in the Tuscan wine country, and it was clear that they had paid attention. They even brought a bottle of wine as a visual aid and poured glasses for Toni and me. Sorry, guys, that won’t earn you a better grade!
Next was shopping, presented by a group of students who have become quite expert at shopping while in Florence: Milli, Raychel, Lindsay, Natalie, and Andrew. Although their closets are bulging as a result of their shopping excursions, they chose to focus on shopping for food in Florence, sharing many useful tips.
And how can you have presentations about Italy without one on the national pastime, soccer? And that’s exactly what Drew, Esteban, Joel, and Jonathan gave their presentation on, complete with a soccer ball as a visual aid. Let’s just hope that they’re able to see a game before they leave!
And then, I love the nightlife! Kim, Kristina, Maria, and Lauren gave a presentation about some of the nightlife options in Florence for American students, making it clear that they had thoroughly enjoyed their research for this assignment. But they also gave a strong message: that we are representing America when we’re out there in the bars and discos; therefore, it’s important to be well-behaved and aware. Hear that, everyone?
The next topic on the agenda was a little more serious: Italian politics. Ben and John focused on two eras of Italian politics: Fascism during the Mussolini reign and current-day politics, which students are experiencing first-hand. I mean, whoever would have thought that Prime Minister Romano Prodi would resign shortly after we arrived? (His resignation, by the way, has since been declined, so he’s still in office.)
And the last topic for the day was presented by Justin and Kevin, who gave us a brief history of the Roman Catholic church and its beliefs, definitely giving us much to ponder.And then, well those students shot for the door to catch planes, trains, and buses to all parts of the world. Although a few are staying in Florence for spring break, most are bound for great adventures elsewhere. Many are joining the AIFS staff for a trip to Sicily. And where are the others going? The real question is, where aren’t they going? I’ve talked to students who are going to the following: Paris, London, Ireland, Belgium, Prague, Amsterdam, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Greece, Egypt, Tunisia, Switzerland, and many others I’m sure I’ve forgotten. One student is even going all the way back to San Francisco to visit her boyfriend.
Wherever you’re headed, the Study Abroad faculty wishes you an exciting, memorable, and safe journey!
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