CAPA WORLD

Words by Emily Kearns, a CAPA Florence study abroad alumna. Emily will be writing a column called "Remembering Florence" on CAPA World the first Friday of every month.

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Instagram is a social media platform that is always changing and every day I come across new accounts to follow. For my first post on this column, I shared six of my favorite Florence Instagram accounts. Since that was about two years ago, I’ve decided to round up a more current list of Florence Instagram accounts that bring back all the feels and make me want to purchase a flight to Italy ASAP…

1. @toomuchtuscany. Let’s be real. Is there such thing as too much Tuscany? I don't think so. This account features gorgeous pictures of the Tuscan landscapes, along with some classic city shots around Florence.

Rachel is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Merrimack College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this week's post, Rachel shares how she went to Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and Barcelona for spring break and how it compares to her experience in Florence.

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For spring break my friends and I decided to book a trip through a student travel company located in Florence. This trip took us to 5 different cities in Europe: Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and Barcelona. We had the option of traveling on our own, but because we wanted to see as many cities as possible in a short period of time this trip was the best option! Although we had help from a travel company, we were able to navigate through each city on our own and overcome a few challenges along the way. Follow along as I take on my European spring break… first stop is Berlin!

Berlin, Germany

As we arrived in Berlin I was amazed how modern the city was. We started our day by doing a free walking tour which took us all around the city. Although Berlin was very modern I enjoyed how much history there was within the city. Doing a walking tour gave my friends and I the chance to learn more about Berlin’s history and a new understanding and appreciation for this city.

Words by Emily Kearns, a CAPA Florence study abroad alumna. Emily will be writing a column called "Remembering Florence" on CAPA World the first Friday of every month.

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Studying abroad with CAPA was a unique and exciting experience for me. I knew going into it that CAPA was unlike other program providers. Here are some of my tips for how to make the most of your experience studying abroad with CAPA!

1. Get to know the CAPA staff

After going on the CAPA Florence program a few years ago and now working at CAPA, I can assure you that the CAPA staff in all of our centers are fantastic. Each and every staff member is friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to assist you! They will be able to help you navigate the city, share some non-touristy restaurants and attractions, and overall be a helping hand and great resource throughout the semester.

Celess is an official CAPA vlogger for fall 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Riverside City College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In her last post, Celess takes us down memory lane and looks back on her fall semester in Florence.

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Thanks Celess!

See more Celess' journey in Florence.

Rachel is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Merrimack College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this week's post, Rachel talks about where she is staying abroad this semester and introduces us to her Florence roommates.

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Ciao! I have now been in Florence for a couple weeks now and I am enjoying everything about this tiny and unique city! My apartment in Florence has quickly become my home away from home. I live in a quiet area of Florence that is about a 15-minute walk to CAPA and around a 25-minute walk to the Duomo. Living a little outside of the busy area has given my roommates and I the chance to try local places in our neighborhood and to see another side of Florence.

Living room and kitchen

When I arrived to my apartment I was a little surprised, mainly because I had no idea what to expect. There were little things within the apartment that were smaller than I anticipated. For example, the shower and washer are significantly smaller compared to the size in the U.S. Also there are no dyers so we have to air dry our clothes out on racks, which can take a while. These difference aren't terrible, but do require a slight adjustment to our everyday routine.

Celess is an official CAPA vlogger for fall 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Riverside City College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this week's post, Celess spends time with her GANZO family in Florence and shares how this cross-cultural experience has been so far.

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Thanks Celess!

Celess' journey continues weekly so stay tuned.

Words by Emily Kearns, a CAPA Florence study abroad alumna. Emily will be writing a column called "Remembering Florence" on CAPA World the first Friday of every month.

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For this month’s post, I interviewed Audrey Detmer, one of my roommates from Florence, to ask her some questions about her study abroad experience and her recent trip back to Florence!

EMILY KEARNS: Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’ve been up to post-study abroad and post-grad!
AUDREY DETMER: After leaving Florence I returned to the University of Colorado, Boulder, where I completed my studies in political science and philosophy. I was incredibly fortunate to travel to Argentina for a month after graduation with my childhood friends, and then I moved home to California to face the struggle of finding a job post-grad. A bit of good luck and hard work led me to join the team of a political campaign as an intern, and when the candidate won, I was hired as a staffer. I've been employed with the California State Assembly for a bit over a year now working for a member of the legislature.

Rachel is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Merrimack College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this week's post, Rachel tells us about her flight to Florence and lists 7 ways to remain calm upon arrival in your host city.

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Ciao!! I have finally landed in Italia and I am taken back with all the beauty I am surrounded by. This past week has been crazy and at times overwhelming, but it already has been truly amazing! Being in Florence for a week, I have learned how to adjust to unplanned circumstances and to make the best out of situations. When first arriving at the Florence Airport I found out that my luggage was unfortunately still in Amsterdam (where I connected from).

Leaving JFK airport!

At first I panicked because not having my luggage arrive was actually the one thing I was VERY nervous about. I had to file a claim at the airport and come back to receive it the next day. Although this was definitely frustrating I was reminded about how amazing it was to even have this opportunity to be in Florence. I was immediately welcomed by CAPA staff which helped me calm my initial nerves and then a group of us were put into a taxi to check out our homes for the next four months!

Rachel is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Merrimack College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this week's post, Rachel tackles overpacking, shares her packing list, and suggests 6 ways to survive a long flight.

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Tackling Overpacking

I am the queen of overpacking! As much as I want to bring ALL my shoes abroad… my suitcase just would not close. After talking to other students who went abroad, I ditched my overpacking madness and started figuring out what I actually needed. The main tip I have received when packing has been to pack basics (t-shirts, comfy shoes, a jacket, etc...) and to not stress about not having enough clothes because YOU WILL GO SHOPPING THERE. Florence in particular has a Zara, Brandy Melville, and H&M so if you do forget something you can easily pick it up there.

A smaller suitcase that'll fit on the plane's overhead bin and for weekend travels.

With this in mind, I divided my list by figuring out what items I could get in Italy and the stuff I definitely needed to bring. For the most part I followed CAPA's guidelines for packing and just added a few extra details below that helped me along the way!

Michaella is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Marketing major at University of Massachusetts Amherst, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In her first post, Michaella tells us about herself, her travel experiences, and her thoughts before studying abroad in Florence.

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Thanks Michaella!

Michaella's journey continues every Tuesday so stay tuned.