A walk through the streets of Florence together with Dara, a Canadian student at AEF, is the perfect opportunity to discover the path that brought her to Italy and the dreams she would like to realize.
Passing by the Duomo, a brief stop to admire it is a must. "The first time I arrived in Florence - says Dara - I was amazed in front of the Duomo. I began to imagine the story that led to the creation of such a large and complex cathedral and to the life of the people who had contributed to its creation!"
Dara has lived the last 10 years in Hawaii and is now studying in Florence: "I had already been here 6 years ago" - she tells us as we walk - "but I wanted to see the city again. Today my dream is to sing in front of others without being afraid”. She has already set to work to achieve it. Dara in fact is taking a course where she studies Opera and Italian: "the thing that gave me the most satisfaction was being able to study the Italian language, but also being able to work on my voice. Two really important things for me. The teachers at the school are very good, they always give us the support and the stimulus to learn new things and fully enjoy the experiences we are having."
Studying in Florence has a huge added value: "being able to live in the heart of Tuscany is a source of inspiration for everything related to art. Here you can live the culture, understand better and deepen Italian language and Opera."
Dara loves the tranquility and human scale of Florence: "I really enjoy walking, especially by the river, it's really nice and relaxing."
Living in a new city also means discovering new habits: "one that I really enjoy is taking time to have lunch, with family or friends. Another thing I really appreciate is normalizing how often you can eat ice cream without feeling ashamed," she adds with a laugh.
Living in a new city also means discovering new habits: "one that I really enjoy is taking time to have lunch, with family or friends. Another thing I really appreciate is normalizing how often you can eat ice cream without feeling ashamed," she adds with a laugh.
"I'm learning a lot from this experience," says Dara, "I speak with more confidence, I'm not afraid to make mistakes, and I always try to express my voice in a free and authentic way, both when singing and when speaking Italian.
"The first word I learned? It was ciao!", and with a ciao we greet her and thank her for sharing with us her story and a beautiful walk in the center of Florence.
