First impressions on food and culture varied among students from Santa Rosa Junior College and three other community college districts who arrived in Florence, Italy, Feb. 1 for a 90-day American Institute for Foreign Study program.
For the next three months, they will live in apartments within the city and take regular courses in addition to a mandatory Italian Life and Culture course taught by local lecturers. For many students, this program is not only their first time living in a foreign country but also their first time living away from family. Though others may be familiar with living away, or even abroad, the next three months will entail a stark transition in a new environment.
“I really like it. It’s definitely really cool to be in Europe for the first time,” said SRJC study abroad student Evan Stoeckenius. “There’s just a lot of cultural differences I appreciate. There’s less space, so walking down the streets takes some getting used to.”…