Florence, my other city!

Since I entered college I had in mind "to do Erasmus Program". Everyone told me it was a fantastic experience that I would never forget. I had only one permission: I only had one condition: "I only go if the place I choose is worthwhile for my area. For a travel I will have a lot of time!".

I had in mind to do it in the second year of the course because one of my teachers, when she talked about it, had recommended us to start and finish the course in our institution of education. However, in the academic year 2015/2016 - my 2nd year - FLUC underwent some changes at the curricular level and I decided that it would be better not to leave soon in the year of the change because even being present "the thing" took time To be perceived and regularized.

It would be then in the 3rd year! I started to prepare everything in the first semester of my 2nd year, with a teacher - whom I thank for the immense patience and dedication - who was, like me, touching the ground in this subject since it was her first year as an Erasmus mentor and without anyone To whom to question because, as I came to realize (or so it seemed), there was no one in the course who had ever participated in the program.

From what I remember, I applied to cities in Spain and Italy. I still thought of France but college had no protocol and it was too late to do so. The first option was Florence, with only a vacancy, and despite the fear of having to go alone I was hoping it was mine.

The result came out and the vacancy in Florence was mine. Then it started to look real!I started looking for a house in January, I called Italy a million times but it was all very expensive or I was not sure if the room would be available for the period I needed. Finally, near July, I got a shared room, within budget which was a 30 minute walk from the center of Florence. Fantastic!

I bought the one-way flight and the day finally arrived. I flew to Rome and by train arrived in Florence late in the afternoon with two suitcases, a backpack and a wallet. I had to start putting my Italian into practice to get to the house where I would be staying for the next few months. In this apartment were already the family who welcomed me (a mother and two daughters who played all the instruments and some more) and my Italian roommate. Unfortunately, after a week she had to leave because of personal problems. I spent a few days with the room just for me until a new roommate appeared. She was Romanian but had lived in Italy with her family for more than eight years. She was very nice and was very helpful throughout my Erasmus since, because she was studying for Tourist Guide, she helped me a lot. In return I helped her with English. Soon our conversations turned into a mixture of Italian and English.

I confess that, despite the enthusiasm, the first week was wept. Not all of the time of course, but I was a little disoriented wondering if going alone would have been the right choice. Despite this, I quickly oriented myself and began to perceive the whole dynamics of the city.

Contrary to what I have always seen in my college in Coimbra, the teachers in Florence did not give great guidance to the students of Erasmus and often would not know that we were in the room if we did not communicate them ourselves.In fact the least I liked in the whole experience was the lack of organization of the University, however, I think this made me apply even more. (Although they tell me "you are Erasmus, it will be easy for you, " I preferred not to rely on it).

Several factors contributed to making me quickly love to be there: I got involved in the parish I belonged to where I met super nice people and they welcomed me very well; I started attending the parties that a team of volunteers organized for Erasmus and I made friends that I will never forget, especially with two girls from Scotland and Armenia.

I can not describe how much I loved the experience and recommend it. In the midst of Erasmus, I was already convinced that going there alone was the best option I could have had and after coming back this idea only intensified. I do not deny that going with someone is equally fantastic and if I repeat the experience I would like to go accompanied. Maybe I can not explain it and many do not believe it, I did not believe it when others told me "to go with someone is good and fun but to go alone changes you". I thought "pfff, yes, okay... just for a trip alone... I will not change that much". But now I can not deny, there we have nobody to help?! We count on us to solve everything and at the same time the energy of all moments is just for us!

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