Hi! My name is Brayden, and I am currently a freshman. I have two majors: theology and psychology. I chose these majors because I think it’s important and really interesting to consider psychology through the lens of Catholic teaching. Moreover, I have lived in Annapolis, MD my whole life. For fun, I like to go to the gym, and I am trying to learn how to play guitar.

A key factor in my decision to travel to Florence was the unique opportunity it is to go to a foreign country for three months (at almost the same price I would pay for the room and board at the Mount!) I also have never been to a foreign country, so the idea of traveling has always appealed to me.

To make the most of my first trip abroad, I signed up for COMM 301 which involves making blogs, such as the one you are currently reading, every week. For my blogs, I will write about theology and tourism, as I find the intersection between culture and religion in Florence intriguing.

In some ways, Florence is similar to America in how much religion plays a part in how people live their everyday life. I’ve only been here a week, and I already notice that religion shapes how the culture views gender roles and the family. I also would like to look into how art in the city has been shaped by religion. So far, I’ve seen San Croce Basilica and the Duomo, for instance, but haven’t been able to go inside.

Overall, I have enjoyed my first week so far. I have only really settled in, visited some restaurants, and taken a walking tour; however, it’s all been a blast! I heard in orientation there are about 20 different places you can visit in the Tuscany province (this is where Florence is located), and I plan to see them all. I am especially interested in eventually visiting Rome, the Vatican, and the various historic churches around Tuscany.

Thank you for reading! Please come back next week, on Tuesday as usual, to read my next post. My other classmates will also be posting their experiences this week as well, so feel free to check it out!