Hi! My name is Maja Popovic. I was born in Ulm, Germany but have lived in Appleton, Wisconsin for most of my life. I am majoring in biology with certificates in global health and environmental studies, and hope to become a pediatrician. This semester I am studying abroad in Florence to take a break from my science courses and explore other interests such as art, culture, and food.

My family visits Europe often to see family which has exposed me to various cities, cultures, and types of food. Two summers ago we went to Venice and Verona with my aunt so I have had some experience with Italian cuisine, but we also did a lot of cooking during our trip. As for the city itself, I expected Florence to be similar to Verona. In some ways it is with the cobblestone streets and crowded buildings. Yet it has a different feel to it. The streets are quaint and small, and the city feels cozy yet big at the same time. Initially, I thought all the streets looked the same and was convinced I would never learn to find my way around. Yet only a week has passed and I have already memorized a few routes.

Back home in Appleton, Wisconsin we visited Victoria’s Italian Cuisine. They try to offer an authentic Italian experience with specialty food and “Italian” décor. The lights are bright and the walls are covered in painted arches and Venetian landscapes. Their menu is very long, consisting of multiple pages including many items I have found on menus in Florence such as bruschetta, pizza, and pasta. However, they also had many items I haven’t found in Florence such as chicken fingers, cheese curds, and mac & cheese. Here is a link to their menu: https://www.victoriasitalian.com/menu/

My first night in Italy we went to Tamero pasta bar, a small restaurant across the street from our new apartment. The interior was very different from Italian restaurants in America. The floor is concrete, walls are grey and cracked, chairs are steel, it is dimly lit, and it has a creative and charming vibe. The menu is a single page and consists of both pasta and non-pasta courses. I ordered a pesto pasta dish which was fairly generous portion compared to what I was expecting. I was told Italian servings were tiny and would not feel like complete portions, but this was more than enough. However, it was small in comparison to Victoria’s. Victoria’s served giant, overflowing bowls of pasta that were very heavy on the oil. There, once I finished eating, it looked as if I had barely dented my meal. Italian restaurants in America typically have classic Italian foods, but the dishes in Italy have all been much better than American versions of Italian dishes.