Last Friday, the AIFS team here in Florence welcomed 38 students, accompanied by 2 faculty, from Pasadena City College. Jet-lagged but visibly excited, the students settled into their accomodation, some of them unable to believe that they had actually arrived at the historic setting for their semester abroad.

A weekend of orientation, workshops in cultural differences and travelling on a budget followed, along with a tour of the city. Even for Californians, the humid heat of Florence in early fall has surprised them, and the air-conditioned classrooms have become havens even when they have free time! That said, they are beginning to explore their new home more and more, finding their own local haunts and favourite gelaterias.

The Welcome Dinner was a huge success; the students were able to sample some typically Tuscan cuisine – a four course banquet which included bruschetta topped with olive pâté, ravioli in a pesto and pamesan sauce, a meat buffet of chicken and sausage, topped off with a creamy panna cotta. We even sang Tanti auguri a te (the Italian version of Happy Birthday) to Karen Carlisi and Milton Smith!

Now, of course, everyone is settling into the rhythm of what they are here to do – that is, study….