When I first moved to NYC I was completely overwhelmed by ist size and I felt like I would never be able to see it all.  In order to experience as much as possible, I challenged myself to go someplace different everyday.  Be it a new café for coffee, taking a different street to class, or visiting a museum, I made a conscious effort to pay attention to where I was and to get to know where I lived.  Upon arriving in Florence , I challenged myself to do the same thing, and after three months I feel as though I have been less successful.  Maybe it’s because I’ve spent many weekends travelling, maybe it’s because it’s dangerously easy to fall into a comfortable rhythm.  Whatever the reason, I live around the corner from Palazzo Strozzi and I hardly ever pass it.  It took me almost a month to discover the market right behind my house simply because I’d never taken that street.

Though I am frustrated, I feel that I am not alone.  Many people feel that since they are in Europe they have to see it all- but in seeing it all they miss finding the market right behind their house.  Or even Florence itself is overwhelming.  If you went through every museum listed in the guidebook you would need years to see them all. There are so many famous artistic and historic points of interest in Florence that it’s not hard to get pulled into a touristic whirlwind and rush to see churches and buildings only because they are supposed to be important.  Follow your nose, let yourself get lost, see a new part of the city, and have a story to tell.

There are unavoidably buildings that I pass and streets that I cross every day, and instead of becoming numb to them, I again have to challenge myself to really look at what I see all the time.  The trash cans, the graffiti, the cigarette vending machines are all different from the , and these details within 50 meters of your house are as Italian as the David and the Medusa.  Time is always short for seeing everything Florence has to offer, so if you can’t afford to wander all the way to the other side of the Arno , walk a different way home.  Think of it as cultural multi tasking- getting from point A to point B while seeing one street more of .  Maybe I am just trying to console myself that if I don’t make it to Casa Buonarotti or the Bargello, at least I know every building on my block. 

To plan your life around the schedule of an American election year might never be a good decision, but it has never been less practical than today, in 2008. I am of voting age during a presidential election cycle for the first time in my life. This fact was on my radar, my personal calendar, since having my heart broken by the democratic process for the first time four years ago as a helpless volunteer, working to register voters but unable to do so myself. "I will study abroad in the Spring of 2008 and be back six months before the general election," I told myself, certain I'd catch the exciting part, the fireworks.

Enter Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Who could've imagined the knock-down, drag-out slugfest this inter-party primary has become? And here I am, stuck an ocean away from the speeches, the debates, the ads and the rallies. The pundits and talking heads, too, are distant memories. I can hardly remember Sean Hannity's smug grin or the piercing eyes of Anderson Cooper. Who won the daily news cycle? My answer is likely to be Silvio Berlusconi.

But I am not clueless. Far from it, in fact. In the age of endless blogs and political websites, iTunes and podcasts, Digg and perhaps most importantly, video streaming sites like YouTube, I am more well connected than I have ever been and more politically informed. I am also no stranger to the campaign's emotional highs and lows. Will.i.am's music video tribute "Yes We Can" became a viral video around NYU in Florence, with students discussing its message as well as the larger narrative of celebrity and politics. More recently and policy-oriented, to stop the bleeding caused by his pastor's incendiary comments, Obama gave a speech on race in America that will go down in history as one of the most eloquent our nation has ever heard. Not only had I seen the speech's catalyst, the Pastor Wright's offensive comments, in countless YouTube montages, but shortly after the address was completed I had read the entirety of its text on the New York Times website. Barely an hour later, I had watched a video recording of the whole speech uploaded to YouTube.

Websites like Slate, Daily Kos, Salon and the Times' blog the Caucus analyze delegate totals, the day's polls, and even every minute non-issue using video clips, soundbites, and photos, leaving every aspect of the campaign overanalyzed. Still, the result is a political interconnectedness that the world -- and especially the youth studying out of the country -- has never experienced. As a potential first time voter in a presidential election, away as the campaigns have launched, it could not be easier to stay informed. It is the internet that keeps me a franchised, knowledgeable citizen as an American abroad. For this, I am as grateful for inflammatory headlines, ranting blog posts, and bickering comment sections as I am for constructive analysis, speech and debate transcripts, and up-to-the-second news bulletins. Online, politics always hit close to home.

Deep-rooted religious tradition permeates through winding streets lined with neogothic chapels throughout the city of Florence. The air of Renaissance tradition, though, is often stifling. It sneers at progress, at stepping outside of a predefined box, and often at youth itself. Being an American student comes loaded with stigmas, of disrespect and of drunk and disorderly. Artistic expression, especially in public, is frowned upon. Tread lightly and practice tamed reverence, lest you get grouped with gypsies and druggies. Hundreds of years of history, surrounding and engulfing you, can be quite intimidating.

Of course, there is another alternative -- the Florence for the tourists. The over-glamorized, over-crowded (and expensive) underbelly of high art and culture is the hoards of people who will line up and pay top dollar to snap its picture. Take for instance the disorganized mass of field trips and families that line up daily outside of the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David, surrounded by trinkets, replicas and their vendors all hoping to capitalize on the people and the past.  

The commemoration of Pasqua, on Sunday morning, was neither. And it couldn't have been more reassuring. It was reassuring that tradition has not vanquished into an ostracizing cultural behemoth, repellent to young people. Nor has it devolved into a charade for glossy postcards and overpriced imitations.

As a fleet of white oxen moved the elaborate two-story cart to its place outside the Duomo, they carried with them over 300 years of tradition. The anticipation built until 11 am when the fireworks that had been arranged by the city's fire department finally ignited, to the delight of the crowd, into blasts of ear-shattering machine-gun fire, blasts of sparks and puffs of smoke, whirring and spinning in beautiful mayhem. The elders of the local church maintained the Christian ritual while men in medieval dress marched and threw Florentine flags, but the main attraction was the Scoppio del Carro. And though I watched from a sea of people, cameras in the air to catch a snapshot, I still felt less like a spectator and more as if I was finally a part of the lore.

What’s an American in to do? Do I try to dress like an Italian or just keep dressing the same? How do I walk the fine line between sporting the style I love and not looking like a tourist from three blocks away?

There are no easy answers to these questions.  Wearing what’s the fashion norm in the can quickly identify you as an American—which can illicit the unwelcome connotations of loud, lewd, and drunk behavior.  By no means should you relinquish the soul of your American style simply because you are living in a new country, but our clothes speak volumes about who we are.  We have the liberty of choosing how we dress, and the choices we make in how we present ourselves does reveal something about how we identify ourselves.  Choosing to make the effort to look a little more local and a little less like you just stepped off the tour bus is a sign of respect for the culture among which you are living.  Like trying cingale and choking down a few glasses of grappa, think of adapting your style to accommodate Italian norms as another challenge of integrating into a new society.

Honing your style is not an all-or-nothing endeavor; you don’t need to burn your wardrobe- just be a conscious dresser and start adding some Italian elements to your closet.  It is a fine line indeed between dressing obstinately like an American on the grounds that ‘I don’t care what they say I’m gonna wear whatever I wanna wear” and assuming Italian style just so you’ll blend in and be less harassed.  Living abroad is possibly the best opportunity you’ll have to step outside your box and try new things.  Who knows what will happen- you may fuse some Italian conventions into your look and create a style far more original and satisfactory than you ever envisioned.

Dressing a little more Italian, however, does require the willingness to make some sacrifices.  Florentines believe flip flops are for the beach and sweatshirts are for the gym.  In deciding to what degree you want to adapt your style, you have to do a little soul searching and decide which is more important to you: your favorite flip flops or participating in a new culture.  You’re abroad- take a risk and leave the Abercrombie sweatshirt in the closet for a few weeks and see where it takes you.

Wrap, shawl, kerchief- from Grandma’s knitting to Chanel silk, the scarf spectrum encompasses endless possibilities as a practical garment and as the ultimate fashion accessory.  With so many choices in size, color, and materials, selecting the right scarf can be a challenge.  It’s important to take the time to choose carefully since a scarf can turn an ordinary outfit into a truly put together look.

There is a scarf for every season, but scarves are especially useful pieces in transitional seasons when the weather changes quickly.  Small silk and merino wool scarves are a good choice fro all-day wear for consistent warmth in the winter, but for spring its more convenient to wear a loosely wrapped scarf that can easily be removed if the sun suddenly shines.  A staple in the scarf family, the Pashmina blend (70% pashmina, 30% silk) scarf is a nice weight for the spring months, as are any cotton or linen blend fabrics.  Since these materials are often not as soft as merino wool or silk, they work best when wrapped loosely around the shoulders rather than tied snugly at the neck. Avoid any scarves with a high percentage of polyester, acrylic or nylon, as these materials tend to be stiffer and not to drape as attractively.

Scarves are always a pain-free purchase since they are one-size-fits-all, but size does matter when selecting the right scarf.  For the spring, bigger is better since a scarf (which here may be more appropriately referred to as the ‘wrap’ or ‘shawl’) can serve as a jacket if it covers the shoulders.  A large cotton wrap is the perfect solution when debating between one layer and two, since it can be easily taken on and off.  Let it hang open in the sun or wrap it twice for the shade. The skinny scarf, however, also has its place in the spring wardrobe.  A very thin scarf can be purely an accessory; wear a small scarf with matching earrings and it substitutes the necklace.

The most important factor when selecting a scarf is to be sure that it complements the rest of the outfit.  With flowing skirts or an oversize blouse, choose a ‘jewelry’ scarf- with skinny jeans or a fitted dress, wrap yourself in a cotton shawl.  Avoid looking like an Easter egg with a pastel scarf on a light top; choose a bright scarf to complement a bright shirt and vise versa.  Scarves are one of fashion’s most versatile tools: a skinny Chanel scarf can add another layer of elegance to a Zara dress.  Make your favorite basics fresh and new with some new scarves for spring!

I know very little about the making of fine leather goods and even less about business management, but when James Ferragamo, grandson of the founder of Ferragamo, came to speak at my campus, I jumped at the chance to learn a little bit about both.  At the conclusion of the lecture I felt rather satisfied with myself for having accomplished just this, yet what stuck with me the most was neither about business or shoes.  I left thinking not about stilettos and emerging markets, but instead about Mr. Ferragamo’s introduction in which he told the story of his grandfather’s life.

He described his grandfather as a little boy with some scraps of leather and a look of determination. This determination and a passion for shoes (and only shoes) carried the 14 year old from Florence to Hollywood ’s movie sets where he came face to face with the feet of numerous screen legends.  (And to think that when I was 14 I was convinced that I would become a ballerina…)

This was not the first time I have been captivated by the story behind the product.  In a visit to the Pistochi chocolate factory here in Florence , the owner prefaced our cake tasting with a similar history in which he described the origin of the product and the company.  Pointing to the print on the back of the box, he said, “the story is always there, you just have to look for it.”  And he was right.  From chocolate cake to Chianti and now to leather shoes, there is always a person and his idea behind the products that we buy.  Thinking about 14 year old Ferragamo pounding out shoes in Hollywood , I started to wonder about the lives of the other founders of companies whose names we treat as brands rather than as titles corresponding to people.  Giorgio Armani and Coco Chanel were children once too.  What were they like? Did they sketch in the margins of their textbooks, what did they give up in pursuit of fashion?

I will admit- I had not heard of Salvatore Ferragamo until moving to Florence .  (This is evidence of the business concept Mr. Ferragamo discussed- investing in quality and an elite customer base rather than just pushing the brand.) I don’t often have the need to shop for fine leather or a designer dress, and I don’t feel particularly connected to high fashion window displays.  But I do remember what it was like to be 14 and to have a wild ambition, and I am more inclined to buy something if I feel like I have some connection to it.  There is a difference between beautiful shoes and beautiful shoes that bring to mind a 14 year old with scraps of leather and a look of determination.  In the midst of advertising, endorsement, and trends, I am happy look for the shoes with a story.