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This is the story - my story - of a time away from home. A time where I felt more out of place than I ever had been before, and a time when I learned the most about who I was. The Florence University of the Arts became my school for four months, and Italy became my home. Travel along with me as I share my photos and memories (told through poetry) with you, and hopefully you will be inspired to take a journey of your own someday.

Memories in Florence, Italy
By: Gretchen Radtke  (Fine Art Major at Carroll University)

Scared
Away from home, away from you
Im scared of what I chose to do
New home, new bed, no one I know
I’m scared that I will have to go
To somewhere I’ve never been before
I’m scared to open this new door
But maybe something new for me
Will be exciting- will set me free
This adventure starts today
Fear will not get in the way

Excited
Italy- how grand a place!
A challenge I will have to face
Another culture, another land
Truly I believe I can
There’s so much waiting for me there
Oh to smell the Tuscan air!
I wonder what foods I will eat
I wonder who I all will meet
So much in store so now I wait
Ready at my journey’s gate

First Days

A narrow street and up the stairs

where my new home sits and waits

We plan our routes to get to class

though of course we will be late

Stop and stare, that's all we do

as we wander about

The beauty of Firenze

leaves us little doubt

that more to do and more to see

will unfold before our eyes

We were ready for it all

the lowest lows and highest highs

Duomo

Time for class

the usual walk

and past you I will go

I gaze up

to see your might

you seem to slowly grow

I stood atop

your pointed peak

and saw the city there

from your view

so high and grand

it seemed a different air

 

Street Life

The cars zoomed past

the people stared

or at least that's what I thought

Up steep hills

and dark dead ends

I frequently was caught

A compact charm

a winding wonder-

Florence is a maze

The tiny map

I held in hand-

it helped me every day

Pompeii

Sprawling streets and sturdy walls

buried under ashy falls

The city of such circumstance

never truly had a chance

But history will not forget

Pompeii- now just a silloeutte

Just to go there- how I would dream!

To see the city once supreme

To stand upon arena ground

where gladiators once were found

I walked those streets, I kept in mind

so much that was left behind

after the people fled from there

to escape that fate most rare

I was so glad to finally see

this vital part of history

 

Horses

I wanted a weekend of just being free

No tours, no classroom, no busy city

I asked a friend and she said yes

with her it really was the best

A Tuscan castle, green paradise

luckily at a decent price

We rode horses 'cross the land

It felt so good with reins in hand

My mount was chestnut, name of Fred

Straight from Ireland, his owner said

Herds of sheep upon the grass

would bleat at us as we would pass

The sun came out through puffy clouds

A quiet time, bereft of crowds

It was my favorite day by far

I learned how close of friends we are

Amy and I, we planned it out

And truly there was not a doubt

that this adventure, short but fun

surely was the greatest one

 

 

Gardens

Bardini and the Boboli

So dear and sweet you are to me

With brightest colors, tallest trees,

I walk through you happily

I forget the stress and worry

With you I never feel too hurried

I am free to take it in-

such a blessing you have been

I won't forget your beauty, dears

To my heart you will be near

Santa Croce

The holy cross of Florence

the piazza welcomes all

A place to read or people-watch

overlooked by spires tall

Artists bring their projects

and fill the open square

but this site is beautiful

even when it's bare

 

The Arno
The magic of the river
was subtle and refined
I'd walk across the bridges
to scale this water line
The rain would pour
and quickly splash into the churning blue
More and more would follow
and then the Arno grew

Art

What I've studied, what I've loved

in person it astounds
Art of Florence, such wonder there

and history surrounds

Each sculpture and each painting

tells a different tale

I tried to pick a favorite piece

but to no avail

In the presence of perfection,

I had not much to say

The awed perspective I possess

will never go away

Farewell To Florence

Goodbye to all the winding streets,

the reddish roofs

the tasty eats

Goodbye to friends that I have made

our memories

they will not fade

Goodbye gelato, sweet and cold

I will come back

you have been told

Florence I will not forget

that my joy

replaced my fret

I learned so much under your care

regret it all?

I wouldn't dare

So much of me is thanks to you

I've grown so much

this is so true

So much fun this all has been

Ciao Firenze

'til we meet again

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