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It’s 9 a.m. on a Thursday in April. I awake to the gentle cooing of the pigeons that rest outside my window. This is my first time living in a city. I doubt it will be my last. My semester in Florence has been the freest I’ve ever felt in my life, and I think the pace of city life is part of it.

I get dressed, brush my teeth, and do my stretches so I can embark on my morning run. I dart through clusters of eager tourists and over a bridge crossing the Arno River. The city streets eventually open up and turn into the Piazzale Michelangelo, a massive multi-level park. I sprint up hill after hill until I reach the top, and I am rewarded with a view of all of Florence. I can see the Ponte Vecchio, massive art museums, and more beautiful churches than I can count. I use this moment of awe to catch my breath, and soon after, I am bounding back down toward my apartment.

It is 11 a.m. now. My hair is still a little wet from my morning shower, but it does not stop me from grabbing my backpack and heading down to the cafe around the corner to get some work done for my International Marketing class. I order a croissant and a cappuccino and take a seat in the corner. The barista delivers me my breakfast, and I hit her with a “Grazie mille” and a smile. I sip them at my own leisure as I work, and after I finish, I reward myself with a coconut gelato.

At 3 p.m., I sit down for my Wine Business and Marketing class. Today, we are out of the classroom and learning firsthand with a wine tasting right next to the famous Mercato Centrale. These tastings were a big reason I wanted to take the class, but I ended up falling in love with the lectures as well. This is the first time I have taken a marketing class on a specific industry and I find it fascinating. I do end up loving the wines, though, my favorite being a Pinot Nero from my professor’s winery.

It’s 5:30 p.m., and I rush back to my apartment to pack my things. The school week is over, and it’s time to travel. My roommates and I are going to Rome. I have never been, so my wishlist is massive. I want to see the iconic landmarks like the Collosseum, Vatican, and Trevi Fountain. I want to try some of the world’s best food, like Roman pizza and Carbonara. And I want to meet people from all over Italy and the world.

My roommates and I hop onto a high-speed train, and we are off to Rome. I take the time on the train to give my parents a call. Sometimes I miss them, and I miss home, but mostly, I just want to tell them how I am doing and give them updates. It’s not common to study abroad in my family, so what I am doing is a big deal. They pick up and I tell them all about my plans for Rome, and they give me updates on home. And before I know it, I am in Rome.