My Italy · Tuscany

Florence,
lived slowly.

Two months learning the language, sharing a local home and discovering the city through classmates, neighbourhood routines and food.

Explore the story ↓

01 · IMMERSION

Not simply visiting.
Learning how to belong.

Florence was never meant to be a checklist of monuments. I came to study Italian at the Machiavelli School and stayed with a local host family, allowing the city to become part of my everyday life.

The classroom gave me the language. My classmates, shared tables and slow afternoons beside the Arno gave it meaning.

Italian study notes and textbooks
The daily work behind finding my voice in Italian

02 · THE LANGUAGE

Finding my voice
in Italian.

Lessons went beyond grammar. Every phrase became useful the moment class ended—at a café, around a dinner table or while finding my way through the streets.

Italian lesson at the Machiavelli School
Machiavelli School · Learning Italian together

03 · EVERYDAY LIFE

A home in Florence

Living with a host family turned ordinary moments into the most authentic part of the experience.

Steven's room at his Florence homestay
A local homeMy room and my base in Florence
Moka pot on a stove
Daily ritualsCoffee made the Italian way
A relaxed guitar evening at home
Evenings togetherMusic, conversation and a shared home
A meal shared with a local host
At the tableHospitality expressed through food

04 · CONNECTION

Classmates became
part of the journey.

Studying together quickly grew into meals, laughter and time spent beyond the classroom. These friendships made Florence feel personal rather than temporary.

Steven with classmates at the Machiavelli School A lively classroom selfie with classmates Dinner with classmates in Florence

05 · TASTE OF FLORENCE

The city, remembered
through its food.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina
01Bistecca alla FiorentinaA Florentine ritual, generous and unapologetic
Seafood pasta
02Seafood pastaMeals that became shared memories
Risotto in Florence
03Seasonal risottoItalian cooking built around the market
Florentine panino
04A street-side paninoSimple, immediate and unmistakably Italian
Lunch with a classmate
05Food shared togetherThe table was another kind of classroom

06 · PHOTO JOURNAL

Florence in passing

The moments between lessons and meals—the city as it appeared in everyday life.

Piazza della Signoria Calcio Storico at Santa Croce A busy Florence street A wide view across the Arno The David monument at Piazzale Michelangelo Relaxing beside the Arno The Arno in daylight A spontaneous moment after class Steven beside the Arno

CONTINUE THE JOURNEY

My Italy

Florence is one chapter in a seven-month immersion through Italian culture, cooking and travel.