Through my last week abroad, I traveled through France and Italy. One major adjustment I experienced in France came to the stores and restaurants closing early. During my free time which was towards the end of the day, most stores and restaurants were closed. The French tend to end their days early around 7pm. There were a limited amount of restaurants open after 7pm. Before coming to Europe, I was a bit frightened not knowing how to speak their native language. Fortunately, the most places I visited, everyone knew and understood English. After spending 6 days in France, the most fascinating part came as exploring through the rural and urban areas of France. Traveling through smaller cities such as Arles, N?mes, and Aix-en-Provence, I got to observe more of the rural lifestyle such as seeing vineyards from the bus window and visiting small villages such as Gordes and Eze. Many people within these villages own the local restaurants and souvenir stores. They rely heavily on tourists to earn income for their families. Visiting the city of Nice, I was exposed to the urban lifestyle of France. Unlike the rural areas, Nice held more people who spoke and understood English. Residents in Nice relied heavily on public transportation such as the train and bus. Visiting the beach in Nice became the highlight of the city. One difference I found within the beach came as the shore is made up of rocks instead of sand. The airport is located alongside the beach which was fascinating to watch the planes fly across the water. Visiting Cinque Terre during my first day in Italy became the most memorable. It was an amazing experience traveling on a boat visiting multiple villages such as Vernazza and Monterosso alongside the Ligurian Sea. Each village held something unique whether it?s their architecture or their sightseeing. My last stop for my trip was staying in Florence for 2 days. Through my 2 week trip, visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was my favorite place I visited. I was fortunate to tour the Duomo Dome where I climbed 463 steps to reach the top of the dome. Being on top of the dome gave me the opportunity to see the entire city of Florence. The dome of the cathedral happens to be the tallest structure in the city. As my trip came to an end, the biggest thing I learned is there is so many things around the world to see. Everything has a story to tell and holds an important piece of history.
