Speaker at Florida State International Program's

Welcome Event in Florence, Italy

FSU's Florence Italy program hosted Mayor Nardella of Florence, U.S. Consulate General Gupta, and President Giani of Tuscany at an event in February of 2021. The event was held to welcome FSU students to Florence. Due to COVID-19, FSU was the only study abroad program in operation at the time. The program was able to run because of FSU Florence's deep community ties that date back to 1966. I was asked by the directors of the program to give a speech about Florence and the pandemic.

My Speech: February 12, 2021

Buongiorno a tutti! It's very exciting to welcome the Mayor and the Consulate General to our big beautiful new "palazzo"!

My name is Sophia Mansbach and it is an honor for me to be back in Florence, after two years, as a Program Assistant. Beginning in 2018, I studied here in Florence for a full year. I obviously fell in love with this city, its people, architecture, food, and (most of all) its passion. I made it my mission to return to the city, no matter the circumstances. Granted, there was no way to predict our current situation. Nonetheless, I was determined to return.

The city is different. Life is different. This is obvious. However, the core beauty that I knew of Florence and its people back in 2018 has not changed at all. While the streets are emptier, things are quieter, and businesses close earlier, the Florentine heart and spirit are still alive and well. Florence has welcomed me back with open arms.

FSU Florence is one of the only American programs in the city. As I keep saying to my students, this semester is unique. It's special. Everyone you meet and everyone you pass on the street is Italian. These circumstances give FSU Florence students an exclusive opportunity to immerse themselves even deeper into the community. After just a month, we have already begun to do so as a program through local Tuscan cooking classes, fresco-making workshops, gelato-making classes, and hands-on artisanal workshops.

It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In this time I have never heard anything more true. Although the smiles of our students and staff are hidden under our masks, I can see it in their eyes. I can see the happiness, excitement, and intrigue as each student experiences a new aspect of life in Italy. I can see the joy in the eyes of local business owners when we attempt to speak our best Italian. As students take a ceramic workshop and converse with the artisans whose families have been making ceramics in Florence for over 200 years, you can see the curiosity and fascination in their eyes.

Our students took a chance. To come here to Florence, thousands of miles from home, in the middle of a pandemic. We are grateful to be here. To be the first program to study in this magnificent new study center. To be among the only Americans in the city. To have this chance to make Florence our home for the next 4 to seven months. Thank you so much for coming to welcome us to your city.

Mayor Dario Nardella Consul General Ragini Gupta

A Personal Moment with Consul General Gupta

In this moment Ms. Gupta stopped me to compliment my speech. She was impressed with my public speaking skills and said that you could feel my passion for Florence in the way I spoke. Ragini Gupta is the first female to hold her position; I told her what an honor it was to meet her and how she is an inspiration to women everywhere.