Florence: Medici Chapels, dance performance, Cinque Terre

On our fourth day in Florence, we began the day with a visit to the Medici Chapels.  In the afternoon, students had some free time.  Then, in the evening, we went to a dance performance!  The annual Florence Dance Festival was happening during our time in Florence, which gave us the opportunity to see some cutting-edge modern dance done by a partnership of Italian choreographers and student dancers from various other places, including the United States.  We saw Un Omaggio A Firenze Capitale, a series of dance pieces constructed as an homage to Florence.  Students had a variety of opinions on it, and engaged in lively discussion and analysis as we walked home afterward.

On our fifth day, we had a long day trip to Cinque Terre.

One optional element of the day trip was a hike through the seaside towns, along the coast.  Nila, Emila, and Chloe opted to take this option, and enjoyed the gorgeous views.

It was a good day for bonding and just enjoying one another's company.  Many smaller groups of students have grown quite close in the few weeks we've been together.  Even those who didn't go on the hike saw beautiful sights, and took some terrific photos.

On our final evening in Florence, we held a cooking contest!  The students had honed their skills during our time in Florence, and they were able to show off their cooking skills and teamwork during the competition.  It was a close race, but the group consisting of Alex, Alexis, Claire, and Cora won!  Their presentation of their pasta course echoed the fleur-de-lis symbol we saw frequently in Florence, and their bruschetta was perfectly toasted.

Although Italian cooking is delicious, what place in Europe is more known for its cuisine than France?  On arrival in Paris, we presented our cooking contest winners with their prizes--appropriately, they won aprons!  

Photos by Hannah Welch