Living Like a Local: My Home Abroad in Florence

Studying abroad is an incredible adventure, and one of the most exciting aspects is selecting your housing! Some students dive into the local culture by living with a host family, while others opt for sharing an apartment with friends. I chose the apartment-style housing offered by LdM, where I share a space with my friend Savannah and two other girls. These apartments are located throughout the city center and all vary in styles and layouts. This is a tour of my home for the next four weeks, where I hope to clear up any uncertainties about living in another country!

Most of the apartments in this area are quite old, and although they've been updated with modern creature comforts, the doors often require several keys and can be tricky to open. However, after a few attempts, they become quite manageable! This is the main area once stepping through the front door. The whole building has nice tiled floors, which are easy to clean, along with wifi and drying racks for our clothes (as dryers are not commonly found in Italy or much of Europe). As you continue down the hallway, our kitchen is found on the right.

The kitchen might look small, but it's got everything you need! There's a gas stove with an oven, and they’ve given us plates, bowls, silverware, cooking tools, Tupperware, and pots and pans. We share the fridge among the four of us, and it holds our groceries just fine. Above the sink, there’s a super handy drying rack for dishes, plus they’ve thrown in some cleaning supplies! The only bummer is having to buy little things like spices, trash bags, and paper towels. Luckily, there's a huge grocery store just a 2-minute walk from where we are! Further down the hall are the bathroom, the living room, and our bedrooms.

It might sound a bit strange, but having the washer in the bathroom is pretty normal in most European countries! It also provides some counter space for toiletries; however, the washer sizes are much smaller than in the U.S., so plan on doing a small load every few days, otherwise it will take forever! The shower is a stand-up one, and the bathroom is actually quite roomy. Plus, the window opens up so you can enjoy the cool breeze and check out the lovely view of the courtyard surrounded by the apartments. Right down from the bathroom is our living room.

The living room's got a working TV, a comfy couch, and a small desk! We don't hang out here a lot, but it's a nice break from studying in our rooms or just chilling and chatting. There are small weights provided, so this would be a great area for morning stretches or yoga! The hallway leads back to our rooms. Each of the two bedrooms has two twin beds, and if you're traveling with a buddy, LdM will sort it out so you can share a room together!

This is the room I share with my friend Savannah. It's pretty spacious with tons of storage. We've both got stand-up closets for hanging our clothes and dresser drawers for folded stuff. LdM gave us lots of space for books and anything else we want to put on a shelf, plus two desks. There's no central A/C in the apartment, just in our rooms, and it can be a bit tricky. Our first week here was during a heatwave, so our A/C had a tough time. They're small, portable units with a hose that blows hot air outside and brings in cool air. This means you have to leave the window slightly open for the hose. So, during the hottest parts of the day, the rooms can get stuffy, and the house feels warmer than usual. But all the windows open, so I suggest keeping them open at night into the morning and in the evenings to catch a nice breeze!

All in all, the apartment's got plenty of space for four people, so you can definitely find some alone time. The desks are great for studying or jotting down notes. Plus, the kitchen's all set up for cooking whatever meals you want at home! Being away from our usual routine can be tough, but LdM offers a super clean and comfy home-away-from-home. With a grocery store just a few steps away, tons of restaurants and cafes nearby, and awesome shopping everywhere you look, getting into city life is much easier than I ever imagined!