Hi Andy
It was great to receive your letter , and what exciting news !
You're going to spend the summer in Europe working on our
painting Good for you for trying it I think
it's a fantastic idea , although I have mixed
feelings about whether or not I would recommend that you choose
FlorenceOn the one hand , I think that it
would definitely ie o . Florence is a truly exceptiona historiccity . both
in general and in terms of art . And of
course , there are enough museums to keep you busy forat least a month ,
and many iconic works of r o pay
homage to Not to mention beautiful old buildings andthe scenic river going
through the city .On the other
hand , it's ridiculously expensive there . All of the shops and restaurants seem
intent on squeez -ing as much
cash as possible from the tourists . But I know you speak fluent Italian , so you
may be able toget a job and be
fine . I would say the job would be a necessityWell , if you decide to go , dont
stay in the old city centre . Its so
expensive and packed with tourists . Youshould look for a place on the other
side of the river where it is less
crowded and far more authentic .And don't worry . youll have no trouble meeting
young people . There are
friendly travellers and studentsfrom all over the world .
Just join a sports centre like I did , and youll be fine .