7 Routines I've Established While Studying Abroad in Florence

Ciao from Firenze! Now that I have been living in Florence as a study abroad student, I have really settled into a balance of classes and life. I enjoy having a routine to ensure that I am hitting all of my goals of self-care, academic success, and exploration of Florence. Here is a glimpse into a day in my life and my routines!

Routine #1: Wake up

I do not have a set time to wake up, and I like to sleep in for as long as my body needs. Since I often travel to other Italian towns on the weekend, I like to rest as much as I can in the morning. My classes begin at 9am on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so I usually sleep until 8:45am. It is very convenient for me to take a 3-minute walk from my apartment to the CEA CAPA Florence Center!

Today is a Monday, so I did not have class until 2:30pm. I was able to rest until 10am, which I definitely needed after spending the weekend traveling to a popular and beautiful tourist destination called Cinque Terre in Italy.

Routine #2: Grocery shopping

Grocery stores in Italy provide very nourishing options. The food is so fresh that it often goes bad after a few days. After some experimentation with my grocery shopping routine, I have found that I enjoy shopping often and buying less items during each grocery run.

At the beginning of the semester, I tried to stock up on food for meal prepping, but my food went bad more quickly than I expected. For example, my cherry tomatoes grew some mold after two days of sitting on my counter! I usually do not refrigerate cherry tomatoes in the US, so I am unsure if they went bad due to being so fresh or being at room temperature.

Now, grocery shopping is part of my daily routine-I go every day! I am definitely a frequent shopper, and others likely visit the grocery store once every few days. I live a 30-second walk from a Conad grocery store, and I enjoy buying fresh foods to cook throughout the day. Typically I buy freshly-made bread, bananas, and fruit jam to eat for breakfast. Lately I have been buying ingredients to make chicken bone broth soup and making a large pot of soup every other day! Conad has great prices, and I am typically able to get celery, carrots, onions, parsley, and chicken legs for around 5 euros.

Routine #3: Laundry

Monday tends to be a day full of chores and errands for me. This deviation from America's culture of a "Sunday reset" can be attributed to my travel on Sundays. However, Italian culture in general treats Sundays as rest days, as many Italians are Catholics.

I throw my laundry from my weekend travels into the washer, and then I hang them up to air dry. I have gotten used to air drying my clothes, which was a bit odd in the beginning of the semester.

Routine #4: Italian-language class

As the morning errands end, I prepare for my one and only Monday class: Elementary Italian 1! Usually there is a quick module on Canvas to read before class. We learn one module every week, so Mondays are always the start of a new concept.

I make time to skim the lecture and prepare my brain for the new information that the class will focus on throughout the week. This week we are learning about possessive adjectives and vocabulary of everyday surroundings such as apartments, dorms, and houses.

Routine #5: Homework and long walks

After class is over at 3:30pm, I have free time for the rest of the day. I like to study in the center because getting all of my week's work done on a Monday is ideal. Occasionally, I will take long walks throughout the city on Mondays. I like to walk to the Arno River, and usually I will hang out at the Ponte Vecchio to people-watch the tourists. Some other days, I will grab a pastry from a local Italian coffee shop with classmates.

Routine #6: Dinner

Going out to eat for dinner is pretty typical for me. After cooking breakfast and lunch, I look forward to trying authentic Italian cuisine at dinner time! I usually go with the flow with the desires of my friends, or I will ask my professors for recommendations.

I usually eat Italian cuisine, but there are many other options as well. Florence has some Asian restaurants including Japanese and Chinese food. It also has one Vietnamese restaurant, which excites me as a Vietnamese American.

At dinner, I typically go for a pasta dish because there are so many varieties. I even learned in my Interculture and Migration class that Italian children learn to distinguish all the different pasta shapes whereas American children tend to only distinguish "macaroni'' from other pasta shapes due to its pairing with cheese.

Final Routine #7: Time for bed

After dinner, I get ready for bed! I like to read my book about Florence that I bought at a museum called the Galleria dell'Accademia. The museum features Michelangelo's David, and I love having a souvenir to remember my visit.

Thank you for following along with my day of errands, schoolwork, and exploration! Ciao for now!