IU East students are about to leave for the next study abroad trip to Florence, Italy on May 13th! It’s our first return since 2018 due to pandemic delays, so we’re really excited to go.

These students have spent the spring semester learning about the history of the arts in Florence. They’ll spend the next three weeks in Florence studying at the Florence University of the Arts, taking a course of their choice, and visiting all the great artistic and historic sites that Florence has to offer.

I asked them what they are most looking forward to about their trip, and here’s what some of them had to say:

Sara Bowling:

I am looking forward to getting out of the country and being somewhere completely new. This will be the first time that I leave the United States, so I am anticipating all new adventures and feelings. I am most excited to finally see Florence, Italy and all the beauty the city has to offer. I’m very eager to meet new people and truly emerge myself into all parts of Florence.

Serena Brown: 

I am really looking forward to experiencing a new culture and visiting historical sites! We have spent the last semester studying about Florence and these sites, so it will be surreal to see in-person what we have read about. A new culture is always exciting, especially being from a small town in Indiana. I am looking forward to familiarizing myself with Italian customs and culture!

Kady Campbell:

I’m really excited to be able to learn more about a different culture. It has been a dream of mine to be able to travel the world and I always wanted to start in Italy. Their architecture is gorgeous and I cannot wait to get lots of pictures of it. I’m also so excited to work myself into Italian customs, and feel as though I’m living there. It’ll be an amazing experience.

Martina Chomel:

The opportunity to fully immerse myself in Italian Culture will be so exhilarating. During the last 16 weeks, my classmates and I have learned about Italy’s history, arts (opera, paintings and sculptures, architecture), and culture. Now we all get to go to Italy to experience all the items we have applied our studies toward. I am also elated at the opportunity to build friendships and partake in mouthwatering cuisines. Florence here we come!

Gwen Durham:

This is such an incredible and exhilarating opportunity. I’m so excited to be able to fully immerse my self in a country so rich with history and culture. Being able to experience everything hands on instead of just reading about it or watching it through a screen will be such a valuable and memorable experience.

As an art and history lover, just being able to walk in the cities themselves is exciting for me. However, I cant wait to visit the museums and beautiful buildings such as the basilicas in Italy. And I’m even more excited to be able to spend this entire experience with such wonderful classmates that I’ve spend the last 16weeks learning all about italy with!

Anna Helmers:

I am looking forward to being able to walk around the city because I feel it is one of the best ways to really see a place and notice the little details about it. Florence is full of so much history that I have only read about and I am so excited to experience it firsthand!

Lilian Ortiz:

I am very excited at the opportunity to travel abroad and study at the University of the Arts in Florence. I want to have the experience of attending the University there and look at their campus and see and compare how they teach their classes.

I am also very excited at the opportunity to visit places and admire close up the artworks made by tremendous artists like Michelangelo, and admire the architecture of churches and city buildings that have made of the city of Florence a living museum. I am very grateful for this opportunity and experience.

Come back to the IU East blog to read about our trip over the next few weeks, and follow us with hashtag #iueinitaly!

Jessica Raposo, program director