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Post by ss on Dec 28, 2014 0:14:49 GMT
I am so excited for her, but nervous too.  she will be in Florence! It looks beautiful, and my oldest DD and I will be visiting on her spring break. If you have been in Florence, or had a college student study abroad, I would love to hear from you.  |
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mlana
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by mlana on Dec 28, 2014 0:27:24 GMT
Please post often about this, especially anything unusual you might run into.
My DD is going to China in the fall for a year, and I am very anxious. I know she is going to be fine, it's not the location I'm worried about. It's the year away from home…and me. I am really trying to lose weight, get stronger and more fit and save, save, save so I can go spend some of her off time with her exploring Asia. (She's asked me to come, I'm not just imposing myself on her.)
Are you going to see your DD?
Marcy
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lesley
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My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
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Post by lesley on Dec 28, 2014 0:28:42 GMT
Oh I'm so jealous! Florence is absolutely gorgeous she is very lucky. The best ice-cream I've ever tasted was from a gelateria near the main bus station. It is the law that you must eat ice-cream every day, so she'll have to try many different parlours!  |
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Belle
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Post by Belle on Dec 28, 2014 0:46:48 GMT
Florence is amazing!! She will have a great time as will you and your other DD over srpring break!
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scrappinghappy
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“I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. No time to say “Hello.” Goodbye. I’m late...."
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Post by scrappinghappy on Dec 28, 2014 0:48:07 GMT
My DD leaves next week as well. She will be spending a semester in Madrid and I think I have the exact same feelings as you.
My friends daughter spent a semester in Florence and loved it. She did so much traveling and had an amazing time. My DD is planning on traveling almost every weekend. Apparently you can get amazingly cheap tickets, like Madrid to Rome for $72 each way, and she plans to take full advantage. She is doing a home stay and is so excited and can't wait.
Let me know if you have questions specific to Florence and I can see if I can get answers for you. We have a message board/forum type thingy for the Madrid course with lots of active course alumni on it. Is there something similar for you?
We're going to try and visit but unfortunately spring break for the twins is the same week as hers and she wants to spend that week traveling with friends. The twins don't want to miss days from high school so DH and I are trying to figure out when to go as we'll have to ask my mom to stay here for the twins.
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scrappinghappy
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“I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. No time to say “Hello.” Goodbye. I’m late...."
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Post by scrappinghappy on Dec 28, 2014 0:55:26 GMT
Oh, and if she doesn't already know, PACK TAMPONS! Enough of them, too. They are practically impossible to find anywhere in Florence. IT is a running joke that all she wanted mama to ship was Tampax. LOL. She will easily find enormous pads though.
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Post by beachbum on Dec 28, 2014 1:21:11 GMT
Our DD did a semester in Segovia, Spain. She loved every minute. One thing I loved was she would go to different coffee houses to Skype and sit with her back to the window so we could see over her shoulder.
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Post by ss on Dec 29, 2014 0:36:36 GMT
Thank you for the replies.  Marcy, how exciting for your DD! A year will fly by and what an opportunity for her. I have been on the treadmill in preparation for our spring trip. There are some church towers with 400 plus steps that I must negotiate! I need to get in shape. We can do this! Lesley, my DD read your post and laughed. She will definitely check it out. She works as an "ice cream scooper" now! Thanks Belle, we are very excited about visiting her! Scrappinghappy, you know how I feel. I'm sure our DDs will be fine and remember this forever. It's just hard with them being so far away. My DD only has class Monday thru Thursday, so she is excited about traveling. My niece is currently working in Oxford, and DD hopes to visit her. DD attends Kent State, where is your DD? Oh and she had NO idea about the tampon issue. I surely would have gotten a plea about that! Beachbum, thanks for that idea. It's amazing that we will be able to communicate that way! |
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Post by FrozenPea on Dec 29, 2014 0:45:14 GMT
We went to Florence in May/June and loved every minute of it! Can't wait to go back. Here is a great blog to check out. I wish I had found it before we went. An American in Italy Make sure she keeps a journal. |
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Post by bc2ca on Dec 29, 2014 1:01:02 GMT
I traveled through Florence many years ago and it is on my list of places to return to.
Friends' DD did a semester abroad in Florence last year and traveled extensively through Europe. For Christmas she gave her parents a framed piece with photos of her in a variety of locations. In each photo she is holding a word, so all the photos spelled out something like "thank you mom and dad for this amazing experience". I can't remember the exact wording, but know that 2 of the photos were taken while she was traveling with her parents, They were stunned that she pulled off having the "word" with her and getting someone to take the photo for her without them noticing. Best gift ever for the parents.
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Deleted
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Apr 29, 2024 18:05:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2014 9:38:06 GMT
Honestly, Italy and Spain were about 10000000000X higher on my list of places to go than Japan. I hope they all have a wonderful experience!!!
China is very interesting and the language is hard but I did manage to do a degree in it so she will be fine. Tell her to work on speaking as hard as she can. Plus reading and writing. It is all so new and exciting but really learn the language quickly as she will have a much better time that way.
Zaijian ( means good bye or until we see each other again)
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Post by uksue on Dec 29, 2014 11:36:14 GMT
My daughter studied in Toledo, Spain for a year. She was absolutely fine- helped that she speaks fluent Spanish. She has been back twice since she came home, sat year she took her boyfriend because she wanted him to see all the places she had told him about. One thing I did ensure was that she had a very comprehensive 'first aid' kit to bet her through the first few months . Your daughter will have an absolute ball! I visited my daughter 3 times when she was out there  - is there any chance you could do that, or is it too expensive? Scrappinhappy- Madrid is a pretty short train/coach ride from Toledo, tell your DD to visit as it is the most amazing place-classed as a world heritage site and has a wonderful cathedral and museum, as well as a beautiful river area and really old shops and buildings in the old part. |
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oaksong
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Jun 27, 2014 6:24:29 GMT
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Post by oaksong on Dec 29, 2014 14:06:19 GMT
How exciting for your daughter! Florence is an incredible city.
Our DS will be leaving in February to study abroad. He will be in a more remote area of southeastern Europe. The accommodations are with home stay families. It will be a great experience for him, and he was very excited to get into the program.
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christinec68
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Post by christinec68 on Dec 29, 2014 14:07:53 GMT
How exciting for your DD!! I am sure she will have an amazing time.
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valleyview
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Jun 27, 2014 18:41:26 GMT
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Post by valleyview on Dec 29, 2014 14:27:10 GMT
My DH loved his time in Florence! Make sure she takes time to travel - those side trips are such a great way to learn more about the culture! DH said most girls his semester gained 10 pounds - even with all of the walking. So, you know she'll eat well!
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Post by gar on Dec 29, 2014 14:37:41 GMT
How exciting for your daughter! Florence is an incredible city. Our DS will be leaving in February to study abroad. He will be in a more remote area of southeastern Europe. The accommodations are with home stay families. It will be a great experience for him, and he was very excited to get into the program. What country is your son going to? OP, I'm sure your DD will have a fabulous time. Certainly a few Italian phrases would be appreciated and useful, and shows a willingness to meet them half way. It's beautiful country. |
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oaksong
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Post by oaksong on Dec 29, 2014 14:47:29 GMT
oaksong What country is your son going to? gar, it is a Peace and Conflict field study program throughout the Balkans. Hopefully the region will remain more peaceful than conflicted while he is there  |
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Post by gar on Dec 29, 2014 15:52:23 GMT
oaksong What country is your son going to? gar, it is a Peace and Conflict field study program throughout the Balkans. Hopefully the region will remain more peaceful than conflicted while he is there I hope so too. |
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Post by ljs1691 on Dec 29, 2014 16:05:08 GMT
My ds is currently in Germany for his senior year of high school. I realize it is different than college but he is having an amazing experience. He left in August this year and will return late July 2015. He has embraced the culture and is happier than I have ever seen him. I am not sure he will ever want to come home. His host parents have luckily given him lots of freedom so he has been exploring every chance he has had. His "siblings" are in their 20s so he has had someone to show him around and take him to historic spots and such. We are from a very small town so this is very eye opening for him. So far I couldn't be more pleased with his experience.
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Post by ss on Feb 1, 2015 17:07:49 GMT
Just a little update! My DD is having a wonderful experience and has adjusted well. I finally was forced to join facebook so I could see her pictures. We are talking via the viber app, and also texting. She has sent me videos and pictures thru the app also. The only thing she is missing (because it is so expensive) is peanut butter. So that will be the first thing I pack in march! Hope everyones DS and DD are enjoying their experience studying abroad! |
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Post by gar on Feb 1, 2015 17:11:20 GMT
Nice to hear your update adn glad she's having a great time |
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Post by coaliesquirrel on Feb 1, 2015 17:53:20 GMT
I'm so glad she's enjoying her time abroad! My DD isn't old enough to study abroad yet, but I'm very grateful for my semester in England and will definitely encourage her to study abroad as well. One thing to note - I remember the summer after I came back being full of conflict with my parents because I'd been so completely independent while I was gone that being home for the summer - and re-subjected to basically the same rules as my highschool-aged brother - caused a LOT of problems, and I ended up only being home a couple of weeks before I found a job a couple hours away and moved there for the summer. I was a very goody-goody kid (and student) and didn't feel the rules were necessary; my parents didn't think there was any reason to change what they'd always done before. ANYWAY, once you trust your child to be on their own across an ocean (and assuming they successfully complete their experience), be prepared to trust them more at home as well. Horizons once broadened don't shrink again easily.  |
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valincal
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Southern Alberta
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Post by valincal on Feb 1, 2015 18:01:41 GMT
She'll have a blast! My oldest DS did a semester a year ago in the south of France. He had two roommates whom he shared an apartment with and he traveled with friends to five or six other destinations while he was there. We met up with him for a week last March (with our other son) and we stayed in an adorable apartment in Lucca, Italy and did day trips all over Tuscany. It was such a great experience for him. He was homesick at the beginning but by the end he didn't want to come back! lol. Good luck to your girl and enjoy your visit to Florence. |
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julieb
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Post by julieb on Feb 1, 2015 18:03:26 GMT
My daughter studied in Toledo, Spain for a year. She was absolutely fine- helped that she speaks fluent Spanish. She has been back twice since she came home, sat year she took her boyfriend because she wanted him to see all the places she had told him about. One thing I did ensure was that she had a very comprehensive 'first aid' kit to bet her through the first few months . Your daughter will have an absolute ball! I visited my daughter 3 times when she was out there - is there any chance you could do that, or is it too expensive? Scrappinhappy- Madrid is a pretty short train/coach ride from Toledo, tell your DD to visit as it is the most amazing place-classed as a world heritage site and has a wonderful cathedral and museum, as well as a beautiful river area and really old shops and buildings in the old part.
I second a visit to Toledo. Absolutely beautiful. Train sells out quickly. Also, Segovia is also a bus ride from Madrid. Two beautiful towns we visited last year while in Madrid.
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julieb
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Post by julieb on Feb 1, 2015 18:07:42 GMT
I am so excited for her, but nervous too. she will be in Florence! It looks beautiful, and my oldest DD and I will be visiting on her spring break. If you have been in Florence, or had a college student study abroad, I would love to hear from you.
Sienna is a train ride from Florence. They have a marvelous street market (we were there during the month of June a few years ago), but I'm sure it would start up when the weather breaks. I believe it was on Wednesdays, but you can google to check.
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she will be in Florence! It looks beautiful, and my oldest DD and I will be visiting on her spring break.
- is there any chance you could do that, or is it too expensive?
