The Bun Goes International

Annalise Puntorno, a Science, Letters, and Society major in the Verrazano Class of 2019, visited Florence in the summer of 2017.

The Bun Goes International

My famous bun has been my signature look from high school days to across the pond in Ireland and Scotland to finally Florence, Italy this summer. From the minute my friends and I touched down in Florence the magic of the beautiful city captured my heart.  There were kind faces and stunning architecture everywhere I looked. Music filled the air. I was fortunate enough to live close to the Duomo in the center of Florence, there was always liveliness around my street.

The food in Florence was amazing, so fresh and there was constantly a new combination to try. My favorite dish is hard to choose so my top three are: pear raviolis, spinach raviolis with avocado and pomegranate seeds and lastly tomato and basil pasta with fresh mozzarella. Each dish was better than the last. The real winner in Florence though is the gelato. It is to die for, every flavor was delicious and refreshing. My whole gelato fund was used wisely and happily spent. my daily gelato was frequently a highlight of the day, a great relief from the Tuscan sun.

Every day was a new adventure. Florence is filled with magnificent views of the city. The Piazza Michelangelo had the whole landscape of Florence filled with the famous buildings in perfect view.

The Duomo, the Bell Tower and the country side all in sight. Another spectacular view was climbing to the top of the Duomo. We climbed 465 steps to the top and I felt like I was on top on the world. So close to the tops of buildings, it was surreal. The views had to be one of my favorite adventures.

Another great gift of Florence was friendship and knowledge.  I travelled with my best friend and a new friend I met to be our roommate. But through this trip I gained a new friend that will be life long, and I rekindled old friendships with girls I haven’t spoken to in a long time. It was such a life changing experience to further our friendship and to grow closer to one another amongst a city we were dazzled by but lost in all at once. We overcame difficulties and we went on endless adventures. I learned how to be independent and free. I was able to find myself and experience that I would not be able to do at home. I also studied Italian which it greatly improved due to this trip. I learned so much about the language and culture. However, practice makes perfect and practice I must.

 

I experienced other areas of Italy like the Amalfi Coast and Capri which was one of my favorite trips. The beach was gorgeous but Capri was magical. The views, the food, and the hike up the mountain was definitely my favorite. Tuscany was a close second. The country side is stunning and makes you feel like you’re a part of nature. The wineries were intricate and the workers held so much pride in their work. It was nice to see such a united community. 

Overall my study abroad experience was a trip of a life time. It was filled with adventure, friendship and knowledge. I was able to get in touch with my culture and see how other parts of the world live. Which really isn’t that different from us. It was a beautiful experience that I would recommend to all and would definitely do again if given the opportunity.