Photos by Sydny Welcher, (George Washington University), Student Correspondent for CET Florence, Fall 2022
![People eating, shopping, and conversing at a christmas market in Santa Croce, Florence](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-1-christmas-market_700x933.jpg)
One of the best things about coming to Italy in the winter is the Christmas markets! This is a German Christmas market in Santa Croce. My friends and I have already bought so much from it.
![Ten students gathered at a table with plates of thanksgiving food and wine](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-2-friendsgiving-food_700x718.jpg)
Thanksgiving without your family can be hard but luckily a group of us got together and had our own Friendsgiving. Everyone cooked something so we had so much food and wine. We had a great time and I’m thankful for these people!
![Christmas decorations on a street in Florence](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-3-street-with-christmas-tree_700x1244-576x1024.jpg)
As December gets closer you can see so many decorations and lights on the street. Makes it feel so much like Christmas.
![A professor pouring wine into a cup in a wine class](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-4-wine-class_700x933.jpg)
In our wine studies class, our teacher took us to a wine refill store where you can bring glass bottles and get them filled with local wine for under 5 euros. We got to try some of the wine and then I went back and filled up some bottles for my apartment.
![Students and an Italian family smiling with a cat in a living room](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-5-CET-arranged-dinner-activity_800x600.jpg)
Julia and I were able to have dinner with an Italian family that lives in Florence with the help of CET. This was such a cool experience, and the family was so amazing to talk to.
![Two men smiling with a medal and silver trophy](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-6-soccer-activities-awards_700x933.jpg)
Gabri and Nico, our activities directors, presenting our medal and trophy for coming in 3rd place in the study abroad soccer tournament. Couldn’t have asked for a better goalie and coach!
![Students with medals and a trophy from a soccer tournament in the middle of a piazza,](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-7-CET-soccer-team-with-trophy_800x600.jpg)
CET soccer team after receiving our trophy at Lions Fountain.
![Four people in the Medici Chapel](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-8-class-trip-to-Medici-Chapel_700x933.jpg)
My Medici history class took a trip to the Medici Chapel where our teacher told us the history of the chapel which was so cool.
![The ceiling of the Medici Chapel](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-9-Medici-Chapel-ceiling_700x933.jpg)
The ceiling of the Medici Chapel.
![David of Michelangelo statue in Florence](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Blog_Florence_Sydny-Welcher-10-David-of-Michelangelo_700x933.jpg)
You can’t go to Florence without seeing the David, so after 3 months I finally made the time to go see it. Such a unique experience to see a work of art in person after discussing it in class.