First week in Florence - I'm finding my feet

I live in the moment, maybe to such an extent that I rarely think ideas through, and the decisions I make catch up with me and kind of hit me in the face.
So here I am in Florence, Italy. Alone. Not knowing the language, and not really knowing why I’m here if I’m perfectly honest.

I’m sat in my apartment I’m renting for 3 months. It’s huge and I guess pretty modern as far as Florence goes (it’s only missing aircon and a kettle!) but its so dark. The windows let in no light (the buildings are tightly packed in here), the lights aren't so powerful and everything is pretty dark and dingy. It’s hot and stuffy and opening the windows doesn't help, I don't want to put the fans on to save money, and everyone is warning me how cold it’s going to get in a few months time, and God forbid I should turn on the heating - that’s a luxury I just won’t be able to afford.

I’ve signed up for beginners Italian in the morning, and Art History in the afternoons through the wonderful British Institute. The afternoon lectures are seeming like some kind of reward after the morning lessons - it’s been a while since I’ve sat in a classroom knowing absolutely nothing about a subject…

The mornings are tough, our teacher speaks in Italian, cool as a cucumber and with the patience of a Saint. I’m there a bag of nerves, concentrating of every word that comes out of Massimos’ mouth - loose concentration for even 5 seconds and I’m gone, and continuously hoping that he won’t ask me any questions. I’m being swept down the current of a scary foreign language river, completely out of my depth.

But I absolutely love it. I’m completely out of my comfort zone, but things are going so well. Ok maybe only a few words go in every day but I can feel myself improving, gaining confidence, and starting to relax! This is absolutely great!
I’ve started going into shops, cafes, restaurants and talking Italian, even if it is a few words - determined not to be a cop out and talk English (even when they reply in English, but I’m pretty sure its my blonde hair).

I’m ordering panini and schiacciata at my local, the guy has even started to accept that I will only speak in Italian - I’m collecting the stamps to my 15th free lunch.

My local supermarket still scares the life out of me. It’s always so busy, and I spend the whole time worrying that the cashier won’t say anything I won’t understand to me, with the massive queue watching on… I still go back day after day determined to fit in there.

I can manage to order an Aperol Spritz at a bar down the road, go into a restaurant and order a tasty meal with a great glass of wine. Directions, the bill, a bag, to take away, an ice-cream the list will get longer!

But the main thing? I happily go into a different bar every morning, order an espresso at the counter and feel pretty Italian amongst everyone else on their way to work, whilst they chat nosily to one another before they rush off..probably to their next espresso stop.

So really this is the best decision of my life. Ok I’m missing London like crazy, the weird English people and our bizarre awkward ways, our food, TV, transport, the language and of course my beautiful home…But I’ve met some great people here, despite it being only a few days; from the characters on my course, from friends of friends, strangers on the street I fit in here, I really feel like I belong. It’s a city full of beauty round every corner, so many stories, so much history to delve into, the food, the wine…I’m home.

CV written. The next chapter of my life is to follow….