Una delle mie studentesse (one of my students), la simpaticissima Lisa DeLucchi, is living her sogno (dream) by spending sette settimane (seven weeks) a Firenze (in Florence), where she has affittato un’appartamento (rented an apartment) and si è iscritta (she has enrolled) a una scuola di lingua italiana (in an Italian language school).
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I’m pretty certain Lisa’s adventure is a dream shared by many of my students and readers. Che bello allora (how nice then) that Lisa has graciously agreed to share her experiences in a series of guest blogs that I will be featuring here on my website, completo con delle fotografie (complete with photos).
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Ecco il suo primo blog (here is her first blog post). Auguri e grazie a Lisa! (Good wishes and thanks to Lisa!) E a voi, buona lettura. (And to “y’all”, happy reading.)
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- Lisa’s street in Florence, Italy – Firenze, Italia
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My dream journey has officially begun! After a 13-hour flight from LA to Rome, a 5-hour layover to take a 20-minute flight to Florence and a wild taxi ride from the Vespucci airport to my apartment by a crotch-rearranging driver, I am safely nestled in my abode :). I am both cross-eyed with exhaustion and wide-eyed with excitement.
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My 3rd-story (4th in the US) apartment is superbly located between the Duomo and Piazza Della Signoria, smack dab in the center of Firenze. It is within walking distance of every amazing sight this gorgeous city has to offer. My first short stroll was to none other than the wine shop! The owner was so friendly and we enjoyed a cheery conversation. I naturally left with 2 bottles of vino and some delectable snacks to enjoy while imbibing my first official “bicchiere di vino” in Italy!
I can already tell that I am most definitely an Italian by nature as well as by heritage. I feel alive here with all of the bustling city noises and rather loud voices resonating up through my open windows. Life really is more beautiful in Italia!
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Good night and good-bye from Firenze!
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Ecco some Italian vocabulary drawn from Lisa’s blog post:
- a 13-hour flight: un volo di tredici ore
- a 5-hour layover: uno scalo di cinque ore
- exhausted, dead tired: esausto(a), stanco(a) morto(a)
- excitement, excited: emozione, emozionato(a)
- to take a stroll: fare una passeggiata, fare due passi
- a wine shop: un’enoteca
- a snack: una merenda, uno spuntino, un boccone
- a glass of wine: un bicchiere di vino
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Do you dream of an adventure like Lisa’s? We welcome your comments below!
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Fun!
Love this already! I want to go! need to start taking beginners classes… (wish it just wasn’t on monday!)
Grazie tante. I look forward to reading more and thank you, Jodina, for sharing.
fabulous! great photo.
we spent a couple of weeks in italy last year-first time to italy-
w/our then 9 yr old. I’d love to go back with him and stay for a few months, study italian, etc. but it proved harder to arrange at that time, than I had hoped.
Anyway, we did stay in tuscany-montepulciano, rome of course for just a couple of days, and spent half of our trip in puglia: Lecce, Alberobello, Locortundo, etc. I LOVED the Trulli area, though Tuscany as we have all seen in film/pics is breathtaking. I found it a combination of montana skies with sonoma wine country geography. That is what it reminded me of, though not the same, of course.
We explored Siena, Lucca, Orvieto and a few other places….our favorite by far was montepulciano-it’s hard not to love. (:
And my personal favorite is the trulli area of puglia-the energy, wildness of spirit that I felt, etc. we loved the people everywhere in Italy-always gracious and friendly, even and sometimes especially in Rome-rare for a large city. Amazingly, my husband drove all over Italy, including Rome. Yes, he is a god. (: We covered some ground.
Thanks for sharing Lisa’s beginning journey-would love to read/see more if so inclined to share!
Buon Giorno, Lisa
I am excited for you. I have been to Florence 5 xs and the 6th is coming up.
My reasons are more personal than just seeing the city as my daughter lives there.
But I personally have walked most of Florence by myself, and found the people to be very friendly and engaging- and this was all before I even took Jodina’s class!
Have a great time and I look forward to meeting you when you return.
By the way what is the name of your street? I have a map of Florence.
Ciao,
Rosemary
Sono molto invidiosa! (I am very envious!) I can’t wait to read more about Lisa’s adventure!
Congrats on starting your dream trip. My husband and I will be in Firenze for two nights late Octobre so I will enjoy your blog. It sounds like you have the perfect apartment location. Enjoy. Ciao
It sounds absolutely wonderful…Italy is definitely infectious.
Hope you have a wonderful time Lisa!
Ciao…Varpu
Good for you. I’d say I’m jealous but I’m currently planning a study trip to Lucca for the spring. ENJOY your time, I’m sure it will go too quickly.
Caio Lisa,
Che bella florienza, a mia piace. Well so much for my italian. How wonderful and Florence is truly a beautiful city. I have a painting that I bought in florence of 4 cats looking through the window at the city of Florence, just too perfect for words as I am sure at the end of 7 weeks you will be speaking italian like a native. Lookign forward to hearing about your adventures.
Giada
Wow! Jodina
I so enjoyed yoiur blog. I can feel you are in your “home place” It would be great to share the experience. Enjoy:) Michael
Ciao, Amicca
Che bella experiencia.
besos!!
Vicky
Ciao Liza!
Sono molto contento hai trovato il vino. Dove posso trovare il lavoro guidare il taxi? Sono molto bravo con mi panteloni! Vediamo presto! Boca al lupo
Thank you for all of your wonderful comments!! I really have enjoyed reading them:). Rosemary, my apartment is on Via dei Tavolini right near Orsanmichele.
Fantastic location!
Ciao da Firenze,
Lisa
Hello! Ciao!
So happy to hear of your journey to Florence!
I will be traveling to Florence in the spring and staying for one month. I am a single middle aged woman and would love a suggestion for a great neighborhood that is centrally located-but safe.
I will also be renting an apartment. Since you are actually there-I would most respect your opinion and suggestion!
I wish you the very best dream trip ever!
Kat
Ciao Lisa!
Thank you for sharing your adventure with us. I’m looking forward to hearing about all the fun details of daily life in Florence.
Chiara
Ciao Lisa,
Sono qui adesso a vicino di Firenze. We will be in Firenze this week on Thursday and again on Saturday all day and spending the night there, leaving early Sunday a.m. If you are free (Saturday might be better) for a caffe or bichiere di vino please email me at above address or call me on my italian cell phone 349 35 96178. Spero che ti stai godendo qui.
Carol