CAPA WORLD

Housed in Palazzo Galli-Tassi, a 15th century palace in the Santa Croce neighborhood, our CAPA Florence center is rich with Italian history and culture. Get to know the space where you could be studying abroad in Florence with Resident Director, Lorenzo Ciccarelli!

From your departure airport to your first day in Florence, hear from IGTV Vlogger Azalea on how to navigate getting to your study abroad location and how to get settled once you're there. 

Sarah has been looking forward to studying abroad for years, and now she's finally in Florence. She kicks off her experience abroad with a mini trek to catch the most breathtaking views of the city. Not only was she able to rack up her step count, she was also able to gain a better feel for her new home base this semester.

We’re very excited to introduce and welcome our team of official bloggers and vloggers for Fall 2019!

Each of them will receive a grant accompanied by an explorer fund while they are abroad to help them generate their stories here on CAPA World. From pre-departure thoughts through their reflection upon their return to The States, we will watch the stories of these students unfold as they learn about their host country, explore and discover the real city beyond stereotypes and expectations, interact with locals, focus on their academics and complete internships.

So who are they and where are they going?

Meet Azalea Brown, an official CAPA Instagram TV vlogger in Florence, Italy for Fall 2019:

University: Riverside Community College
Major: English
Study Abroad Location: Florence, Italy
Internship or volunteer placement:  N/A

What are you most excited for during your study abroad semester?
This isn’t just a trip to Florence, Italy, I’ll be living and going to school in a strange place with people that aren’t related to me and it’s going to be scary—but also very exciting. Out of everything I’ll be doing while I’m there, the most exciting part will probably be the traveling and the classes I’ll be taking. I’m excited to see how my professors are going to incorporate the Italian setting but also shake things up in the classroom because we won’t be working on traditional coursework. It will be interesting to see how everything is going to work out and come together in the end.

Meet Sarah Graham, an official CAPA blogger in Florence, Italy for Fall 2019:

University: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Major: English
Study abroad location: Florence, Italy
Internship or volunteer placement: N/A

What are you most excited for during your study abroad semester?
I have never left the US before, so I’m really excited to travel Europe independently. I’m excited to meet new people and get to know Florence as a city.

Brielle has had a unique study abroad experience than most students. Instead of going abroad for a semester, she went for an entire year—in two different major European cities! She writes about the reasons she pursued this path, especially during her senior year in college, and how this became a transformative moment in life. Brielle also shares why there's no one-size-fits-all answer and gives some advice on how you can make this semester your own—and one to remember.

"Thoughts on Education Abroad" is a monthly column written by CAPA The Global Education Network's Deputy President and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Michael Woolf.

---

In this month's column, Dr. Mike Woolf describes the connection and relationships between the Jewish and Black communities with music—specifically jazz music. He also shares numerous historic examples of how music represents the empathy found in each community, as well as the controversies that marginalize minorities and their shared experiences.

After her first week with her Ganzo! host family, Brielle immediately felt at home. She shares some memories of them and how they made her time abroad special. She also talks about the relationships she has formed with them and how they helped her improve her Italian language skills over time.

We have a roundup of some of the important and celebrated days in our global cities! Find out the history behind each National Day and how the locals recognize them. Some are steeped in tradition, while others are commemorated differently. Be sure to take note of the dates as well, you might just get to experience it while studying abroad!