Il Palio di Siena

Siena’s city center is divided into 17 Contradas, each of which is represented by an animal or symbolic object and boasts an individual museum, motto, statue and baptismal fountain. Siena residents have a deeply rooted sense of local identity and patriotism that is rooted in the Contrada into which they were born or adopted. At the heart of the Contrada culture is the annual Palio festival and horse race, which takes place each July and August in Piazza del Campo. The winners of these two, minute-and-a-half long races around the Piazza bear the honor of their victories for the following year. Newfound residents of Siena quickly catch on to the importance of the Contrada system to local culture; please read on to hear current CET students tell you about Siena’s Contradas as they have experienced them.

As part of the natural instinct of human nature, we continually seek acceptance and belonging. The sense of belonging to something, whether it is a place, group, or spirituality, is important to each of us in order to have an identity, to feel like we matter. The seventeen contrade within the centro of Siena illustrate this universal belonging in a most conspicuous fashion, that all culminates in the Palio. After reading over the background of the different contrade, this week I began to see the passion behind each symbol. While sipping a coffee at a cafe that overlooks Piazza del Campo, I asked my Italian friend, Edoardo, about these passions of the Palio. Edoardo, although not from Siena, has a full understanding of what the deep-seated rivalry between the contrade is all about. In one word, “sleale,” he described the behavior of the contrada members during the Palio. In English, this term translates as “disloyal”or “unsportsmanlike.” In America, we would frown upon such obnoxious behavior. But in Siena, of course! Why be polite when your own identity and sense of belonging is on the line? As men of flesh, we fight most violently when our own self-interest is at risk. Thus, the Palio, although seemingly petty to outsiders, is truly a life-changing event. To the people of Siena, this competition is not just a horse race but a ninety second whirlwind that determines their state of existence for the following three hundred and sixty five days. Edoardo knows this from only being here three years. Now after just three weeks, I am starting to crack this shell of understanding.

Clare Hogan

CET Siena Student, Spring 2010

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I trudged home in the snow today after our tour of the contrada dell’Onda. As I walked through the Campo and down Via Pantaneto, I spotted two individuals wearing their contrada scarves (whose flags, yes, I am working on memorizing!), and despite the minor blizzard, took notice of the countless snails of the Chiocciola as I walked to Silvia, my host mother’s apartment in Piazza Santo Spirito. Silvia greeted me with tea, and I sat at the kitchen counter as I told her about our CET visit. I told her what I had read about the Palio, and she was so pleased to talk about her own experience and love for the Chiocciola contrada. It was then that I had one of those moments that hits me daily, where I realize just how spoiled I am to be living in a homestay: Silvia got up from the table for a moment, and returned with her childhood photo album. We went through the entire album together (in Italian), and she arrived at photographs from her baptism in the Chiocciola contrada in 1949! Alongside the photos, there was the actual baptism announcement, which she explained was carved and printed by “the best” painter in the city at the time, who happened to be a member of the contrada. The photographs are beautiful black and white prints depicting Silvia in her white baptismal gown, the residing member of the contrada dressed in traditional medieval regalia standing above her. She explained how her two sons were baptized into the contrada when they were born, and that the tradition remains the same today, as her granddaughter was baptized into it as well.

The reading I have done for the Italian Cultural History class has provided a wonderful frame about the part a contrada plays in the lives of Sienese people. The anecdotes were incredible, and the explanations extremely helpful and informative. However, it was the actual visit to the Contrada dell’Onda compounded with Silvia’s personal experience, as well as our professor’s personal love for l’Onda, that really illustrates the all-pervasive community element of contrada life. The fact that a mass text was sent out to the l’Onda contrada concerning the heavy snow that fell on the day of our visit, or the ribbons that still announce the birth of children within each contrada, the beautiful costumes in the Onda museum; these are all markers of extraordinary community pride. That there are 17 contradas in the city is even more remarkable. The rivalries and alliances and the intensity of the Palio - the poisoning of the Porcupine Contrada and the sabotaging of horses! - was also demonstrated by the film that we watched on the Palio during our class trip. My initial scepticism about the true gravity of contrada life melted away completely. There is such love for this integral part of Siena’s persona. I found it fascinating to read about and even more incredible to witness first hand. Another CET student, Tiernan, and I are putting “Returning to Siena for the Palio” on our bucket lists. At this point in time, I can’t help but think of the Piazza del Campo as a tranquil, beautiful center. Apparently I need to return in July or August to do away with this impression!

Sean O'Hanlan

CET Siena Student, Spring 2010

List of recommended places to go from friends who were already abroad – check!

Semi-light suitcase packed with practical and re-wearable clothing – check!

Homemade handbook of Italian grammar and pocket dictionary – check!

Journal – check!

Membership for international non-profit for travels and hosts – check!

Home stay with highly praised and recommended host – check!

After feeling completely prepared for my abroad experience I get off the airplane and I cannot even figure out where to go to retrieve my luggage, or who to ask. Everyone is in a hurry and no one looks like they are from around here. Later, I ask the information desk where to find the train but still cannot locate it anywhere. After lugging around my heavy suitcases (maybe I over exaggerated before with the semi-light description) I finally make it to a train. Most of the stops for the stations don’t have clear signs and I get dirty looks from passengers because my bags blockade multiple seats. After the train I need to get on a bus. But where is the stop? And how do I get to the bus from there…

Positive attitude?...

Thankfully -- check! The number one rule I made when I realized I was getting a little panicky: Getting lost is an adventure! It is another experience to add to the book and one that should be embraced and celebrated (while remaining safe of course!)

After asking several different people several times in broken Italian which stop we were at I finally managed to hop off at the one I needed. I was told the bus station would be close but after (with the help of a strong man who kindly volunteered to assist me) lugging my things down several flights of stairs to find the station, I was told I had to go upstairs and across the street—Italy sure could use some more signs! Thankfully I made it to the bus in time and all was well, after some communication confusion with several ticket offices.

Alas I was on my way to Siena. After this initial experience I no longer had any idea what to expect…

Fast forward three weeks and I’m on the same type of Sena bus (a bus that connects Siena to outside cities), no longer anxious with the excitement and nerves of heading someplace new but the relaxed eased feeling of heading home.

I spent a wonderful weekend in Padova and Venice, and experienced a marvelous feeling on the return bus at the end of my trip. I was homesick… for Siena. I missed the city’s familiar streets, the crisp cold of the air and my lovely host who already feels like family. I have travelled twice since arriving in Siena, a day trip to Florence, the city I originally desired to study in, and this past trip to Padova and Venice. Both were lovely and I very much enjoyed my travels and experiencing new places, but both also confirmed my love for the city I currently reside in. Familiarity is always yearned after time spent in a new place, but Siena has this wonderful spirit and community, a sense of security and familiarity with still much to explore and get lost in—it is a place where I don’t necessarily feel a part of the community but feel welcomed to explore it and dig into all of it’s dirty little secrets. It is a place I can return to and not know what street I’m on, but within seconds know that I am home. This is my current sentiment. It’s not something I could have originally checked off my packing list but an unexpected part of the experience that I kind of just fell in to. And I’m embracing it—La vita e’ bella!

Danielle Barnes

CET Siena Student Correspondent, Spring '10

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Danielle has chosen to publish her articles in both English and Italian; here is the Italian translation of the above text.

• Una lista di posti da vedere consigliati dagli amici che hanno già studiato all’estero;
• Una valigia leggera contenente vestiti pratici e riportabili;
• Un manuale della grammatica italiano e un dizionario tascabile;
• Un diario;
• L’iscrizione a un’ONG internazionale per viaggiatori e ospiti
• Un alloggio in famiglia con una signora gentile e accogliente!

Benché mi sentissi completamente preparata per la mia esperienza all’estero, scendo dall’aereo e non so dove andare per recuperare il bagaglio, o a chi chiedere. Tutti vanno di fretta e non sembra che nessuno sia di qui. Più tardi, chiedo allo sportello informazioni dove posso trovare il treno, ma non lo trovo da nessuna parte. Dopo aver portato la valigia pesante dappertutto (forse ho esagerato un po’ quando ho detto prima che la valigia era “leggera”) finalmente trovo il treno. La maggior parte delle fermate non è ben indicata, i passeggeri mi danno degli sguardi brutti perché i miei bagagli occupano molti posti. Dopo aver preso il treno, devo prendere un autobus. Ma dov’è la fermata? E come si va alla stazione da là...?

Un atteggiamento positivo?

Fortunatamente, ho portato anche questo! La regola più importante che continuo a ripetermi quando mi lascio un po’ prendere dal panico: Perdersi è un’avventura! È un’altra esperienza da aggiungere a questo semestre, euna che devo accogliere e festeggiare (rimanendo sempre salva, ovviamente!)

Dopo aver chiesto diverse persone in un italiano stentato in quale stazione ci troviamo, finalmente scendo dove devo essere. Varie persone mi hanno detto che la stazione degli autobus si trova vicino ma dopo aver trascinato le mie cose giù per molte scale a trovare la stazione (con l’aiuto di un uomo forte che ha offerto gentilmente di aiutarmi), poi qualcuno mi dice che invece devo tornare su e attraversare la strada per arrivare alla stazione—non guasterebbe qualche segnale stradale in Italia! Con gratitudine, trovo l’autobus in tempo e va tutto bene, dopo un po’ di confusione con i biglietti.

Finalmente, stavo andando a Siena. Dopo questa prima esperienza, non avevo nessuna idea di cosa mi aspettasse…

Tre settimane dopo e sono sullo stesso tipo di autobus, la Sena (una compagnia che collega Siena con altre città italiane), non ansiosa più per l’emozione e la frustrazione di andare in un posto nuovo, ma invece con il sentimento rilassato di tornare a casa.

Ho avuto un weekend bellissimo a Padova e Venezia, e ho avuto un sentimento meraviglioso sull’autobus ritornando a Siena alla fine del mio viaggio. Provo nostalgia...per Siena. Mi mancano le strade familiari della città, la secchezza fredda dell’aria, e la signora graziosa che mi ospita a casa sua, e che già sembra parte della mia famiglia.

Ho viaggiato due volte da quando sono arrivata a Siena, un viaggio di un giorno a Firenze, la città dove ho voluto studiare originariamente, e questo viaggio a Padova e Venezia. Tutti e due i viaggi erano belli e mi sono divertita molto perché mi piace vedere i posti nuovi, ma tutti e due hanno confermato il mio amore per la città dove risiedo attualmente. Si cerca sempre un po’ di familiarità dopo aver passato del tempo in un posto nuovo, ma Siena ha uno spirito meraviglioso e una comunità forte, mi dà un senso di sicurezza e familiarità e qui c’è molto da vedere, molti posti dove perdersi anche - è un posto dove non mi sento necessariamente una parte della comunità, ma dove mi sento libera di esplorare e capire tutti i suoi segreti. È un posto dove posso ritornare, e senza sapere neanche in quale strada mi trovo, so che sono a casa. Questo è il mio sentimento attuale. Non è qualcosa che avrei potuto elencare nella lista bagaglio, ma è una parte inaspettata della esperienza che mi è capitata, e l’abbraccio– La vita è bella!

My Home Away from Home

On December 1st, Siena became a winter wonderland. Although the sun sets early here, this only means that our medieval city turns into a twinkling Christmas paradise that much sooner. Via Montanini, where I live, is now completely covered in lights. Piazza Salimbeni somehow grew a giant Christmas tree overnight, and the streets are always filled with bustling shoppers chattering away in Italian. Even the smell of chesnuts roasting adds to the perfect ambiance of this place I get to live in.

Stella, my home-stay hostess, aka mia madre italiana, even put up a tiny Christmas tree! She now knows that I am "matta per Natale," or crazy for Christmas! However, I don't just love Siena during the holiday season. This Tuscan city has felt like a dream world since September when I arrived. However, it recently hit me that the Sienese celebrate Christmas at the same time the Americans do. Unfortunately, this means I am going to be saying goodbye to Siena much sooner than I would have hoped. I am currently having a bit of trouble juggling my emotions regarding how I feel about leaving what has become my home away from home. Although I am so excited to see my family and friends back in the States, it is going to be a hard adjustment leaving my bella italia lifestyle.

It was summer when I arrived in Italy, and as the seasons have changed, so have I. It seems like yesterday that I excitedly arrived in Siena. I couldn't wait to begin my adventure! Little did I know how much this incredible semester would impact me. Not only did I learn the Italian language, what I think is one of the most beautiful languages in the world; I also have found myself slipping into the Italian culture. I remember it took me about the first full month to understand how to order an Italian coffee. If you order a caffe', you get a teeny espresso. If you order a latte, you are handed a glass of hot milk. If you ask for a macchiato, don't expect something similar to a beverage you'd receive at Starbucks. Finally, if you request your coffee to go, be ready for a cocked eyebrow, and don't expect a Venti sized take away cup!

I think it was once I mastered the art of ordering at an Italian coffee bar (note: "bar" in Italian refers to coffee, NOT alcohol, contradictory to the American connotation of the word), that I really started to feel like I was a part of Siena. The delicious cappuccinos that I frequently treated myself to have only been the icing on the cake to a wonderful semester. I sit here today happy, well travelled and full of almost four months worth of pasta. I am going to leave Siena in a few days knowing that I will definitely return. I could never really say goodbye to this place. The Italians have become my family, and I know some of the streets like the back of my hand. Yet there is still so much about this city that I want to be a part of! Although I will never be quite Sienese enough to get into an official Contrada, I at least need to come back for the Palio (the legendary horse race that takes place in the Piazza del Campo every summer)! Although I will be clear across the world back in Nashville, TN in just a few weeks, there will always be a magical place waiting for me in Italy. A presto Siena!

Kira Burke

CET Siena Student Correspondent

A Typical Day in Siena

Every morning I wake up around 9am. I immediately throw open my shutters and gaze out the window at a backdrop of medieval buildings and Tuscan countryside. I live in a 12th century building that used to be part of a palace, inhabited by some great noble family back from the Middle Ages. It is strange to imagine who stood looking out the very same window hundreds of years ago. After one quick glance at the flowers happily growing in their boxes on my windowsill, I quickly get ready for class. Erika (my roommate), Stella (our Italian "mother"), and I always sit down to breakfast together. Our meal times are some of my favorite parts of the day. Stella is so full of life and it is always a treat to get to spend time with her. Class generally flies by pretty quickly, especially since we always have a coffee break in the middle. I am considering trying to bring back this habit to Vanderbilt. I think students and professors alike would all be a lot happier if they got their midmorning caffe', caffe' latte, or cappuccino. Usually after class, we all head to the University of Siena Mensa (aka the student cafeteria) for lunch. Most often we run into some of our other Italian or European friends that we have met over the course of the semester. Although the mensa is just a cafeteria, it isn't every day you sit at a table speaking a mix of English and Italian with people from all over the world. Some of the other students here are people that I will definitely try to keep in touch with. It is so fun making friends with the French, Swiss, Spaniards, Germans, etc. Now I forever have more places and people to visit!
After lunch it is common here to have another coffee, so we often head to our favorite spot, Meet Life Cafe'. This gem of a coffee shop also happens to be a wonderful place to socialize and study. It is conveniently near La Universita' per Stranieri (University for Foreigners) where we take our Italian classes. The rest of my afternoons are always filled with a new and exciting avventura. Sometimes I will go running around the Fortezza (Siena's upscale version of a track). Actually, now it is going to be hard for me to ever run anywhere else. I am quite accustomed to jogging along the top of an ancient medieval fortress that overlooks much of Tuscany as well as the Siena skyline. Going back to running around the neighborhood is going to be less than exciting.

If a run isn't in my agenda for the afternoon, stopping for gelato might be! There are countless gelaterias in Siena, but the best spots are worth looking for. Make sure you get your gelato fill before winter hits though, because sometimes the tastiest gelato shops close when the cold weather hits.

As the sun sets, dinner quickly consumes my thoughts. If you want to truly feel like an Italian, you've got to learn to eat like an Italian. Stella, our host mother, has fostered our Italian eating habits with exceptional expertise. Her cooking has the potential to make me crazy, and I don't know that I will be ever satisfied by an American meal again. The good wine and the delicious pasta puts Italian food in the States to shame.

It is after dinner when Siena really comes alive. Young people are always out and about. We have a lot of favorite night destnations, but the Tea Room probably ranks most highly on my list. This place is definitely a spot worth finding, and is tucked away in one of the far corners of the city. I refuse to say too much about this local gem, because those who come to Siena should discover and experience its ambiance on their own.

During my time here, I have found that Italians like to have a good time, and they like foreigners to have a good time with them. The people here are so friendly and are so eager to know you. They don't mind if you butcher their language while attempting to speak, but are happy that you are trying. Italians also never see you as an American barging in on their fun, but treat you like a special guest. They are proud of their culture and are proud of being Italian. Nothing makes them happier than showing us why they love their country so much. All in all, Siena is an easy place to love. Even the most ordinary day is an exciting, magical and authentic experience.

Kira Burke

CET Siena Student Correspondent

Throughout this semester abroad I remained baffled by the idea of traveling for 21 out of the 30 days of November. I couldn't perceive such a prolonged absence from Siena, and I knew that it would only allow time to slip away more easily and undetected. Then it actually happened. Next thing I know I am standing underneath the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and following our Imagery and Public Space professor, Peter, around the streets of Rome as a part of the CET traveling seminar. Although I loved how Peter took us into the smaller churches around the city - each revealing a distinct beauty and history, having been to Rome twice in the past eight years, I wasn't as excited initially about having to do the touristy activities all over again. However, aside from what I would like to call my maturity over the course of this semester, there was a major impression made that allowed me to see Rome with fresh eyes and an open mind during my third trip. Thinking back to the first IPS class when Peter talked about the importance of knowledge when it comes to interpretating and appreciating art, I realized how meaningful it would be to really take in Raphael's "School of Athens" and Caravaggio's "The Calling of St. Matthew" now that I understand the subject matter - the story and implications behind it - and can recognize the artist's style, rather than simply admiring a pretty canvas. Thus, I discovered that some of my favorite places were actually ones I revisited. After spending so much of my time abroad being bombarded by new things, it was refreshing to form new memories on top of past experiences. I walked through the falling autumn leaves in the Villa Borghese and unwittingly stumbled across the Roman Forum at two in the morning - each moment unfolding a new chapter in a story that could have been predictable.

Directly after the traveling seminar, I ventured outside of this beautiful country for the first time in three months to Spain. After reluctantly leaving behind my Let's Go: Italy - which was deemed the "Book of Knowledge" after it got us through La Spezia (the group's first independent weekend trip) - I boarded my AirEuropa flight a little restless, but with high spirits. However, the second I landed in Madrid I knew I was in a different world: all of our baggage came to us right away, and everything was so, well, efficient. After so much time with the Italian standards of proficiency, it seemed almost eeire how the metro system was actually connceted to the airport (almost too convenient) - and was nearly spotless. Additionally, considering the several days I had just spent on Rome's virtually useless, graffiti covered metro and my whole semester with Italy's unpredictable buses and trains, I felt a little out of place amongst Madrid's pristine arrangement. However, once we met some of our good friends who are studying there, they first directed us to our hostel and then immediately brought us out for a night of La Vida Espana, making our integration into the Spanish culture and lifestyle a bit more manageable. The Prado was a dream - I was so impressed by the extent of the art collection there - and all over Madrid for that matter. I was blown away by Picasso's "Guernica" and fell in love with the incredibly soft impressionist works in La Casa Sorolla. Everything we came across in our tour was fascinating and made the trip so worthwhile, especially the surprise awaiting us outside of the Reina Sofia: Starbucks. I am a coffee fanatic so, needless to say, I was completely overcome with joy after a three month drought. We were all thrilled actually, and the vanilla lattes and blueberry muffins gave us sanity once again to venture on through the city, exploring and soaking it all up.

Somewhere throughout the seemingly flawless day, I got to the point where I thought - if I had done it all over again - maybe I could have studied in Madrid. I mean, why not? I would still be in a home stay, could run in Retiro Park, be trendy and eat tapas, take lots of siestas - the workload wouldn't be a problem - and still have the time and energy to go out with some of my best friends every night. However, amongst all the glitter and hype I also realized that my experience in Madrid would be less authentic than the semester I am spending in Siena. Madrid is a wonderful place, but the appeal of its refreshing modernity was a little deceiving since it strongly coincided with my excited to be in a big city after such a long time. Barcelona, on the other hand, was far more chaotic than Madrid, with its outrageous nightlife and infamous pickpockets - it was all so foreign to me - and thus, I did not grow as attached to it. Although I will never forget dancing on the tabletops at Razzmatazz, a five-story discotheque, until the wee hours of the morning, in terms of growth and experience, I'm not sure I would get very much out of that lifestyle. Siena is a gem because it doesn't have to be over the top to be special. Although my semester in Siena is very different from my life back in America, it's still the place where I feel the most connection and comfort. It's the place I am dying to come back to after a stressful weekend of traveling. It's my city that I know and love, but more than anything else now, it's home, and that is always what brings me back.

CET Siena Student Correspondent
Erika Bush

Bella Toscana

After only a month in Siena, I had convinced myself that in another life I was Italian. All this time, I was meant to be Italian. I couldn't ignore the facts: my animations and expressive hand gestures while talking, my passion for the world's greatest game - calcio (or soccer for my American readers), the borderline scary caffeine intakes, my interest in fine red wine and genuine love for good food, and - with a little tweaking - my nearly obnoxious Texas pride and competitiveness could potentially translate into a steadfast devotion to a contrada of Siena. Now you can understand why it breaks my heart a little when the gelateria man flirtatiously asks, "Sei Americana?" By now I have trained myself to whip out my best Italian - which is always premeditated - and reply "Non ora" or "Not now," because right now, I truly want to believe that I'm breathing, eating, exercising (goodbye running), bargaining, dressing, and just living like an Italian. Of course, I now understand that this is a bit idealized - especially since Italy as a country is so diverse, but after three months I really do see the changes. I mean, when would I have ever found the time or courage to take a modern dance class back home? Or find a running buddy that is from Latvia (yes, I did have to ask where that was)? It's just my American upbringing that transformed me into a person who was always in a hurry or felt like I had to constantly be on a strict schedule. Here, you truly need to be ready for ANYTHING, but you don't necessarily need to be prepared for it - you just need to be flexible. Whether it's a train delay that makes you miss your next connection or shops closing in the middle of the afternoon right when you need stamps, at the end of the day, the most relevant and important thing is: I-am-in-Italy. And even though a semester seems like a long time, every moment counts.
In the beginning I spent so much of my time planning trips every weekend - some premeditation was actually necessary (you can't be spontaneous all the time when traveling in Europe) - that I forgot to really appreciate and explore the true gem of this abroad experience: Siena. Fortunately, the resources CET has provided have been so incredible, and have transformed my attachment to Siena into a genuine pride for and love of my hometown. On the one hand, PG, our Sienese Art and Architecture teacher, has opened my eyes to the history and many treasures of this medieval city - its stunning Cathedral, the legend of the She-wolf, Duccio's "Maesta" and the pivotal Francigena Road. On the other hand, Stella, my home-stay mom, is the one responsible for guiding me through present-day Siena by giving me a local perspective of the traditions and tastes of the community and keeping me up to date with current events and festitivities. So, when my parents visited me in the beginning of November, I felt that my hopes to utilize my study abroad experience were confirmed as I found myself unable to stop talking about Siena's fascinating history or how much it lit up my world when they were truly touched or in awe of the beauty of my new home. They, too, discovered what I have come to understand and love: that so much of Siena's past is its present. Time seems to stop here - possibly because so much of the city is still fueled by is fervor and prosperity from its "Golden Age" before the Black Death nearly wiped it out. Although some may think this makes the town too "medieval," I instead find that Siena's rich history is the very thing that brings it to life today. It's authentic without being archaic and magical without being overwhelming. Truthfully, I couldn't imagine myself being anywhere else right now.

Although, I'm not going to lie. There are some things I miss: my Grande Starbucks coffee or just being able to get in the car and drive somewhere. In fact, we used to spend time analyzing the differences between Italy and America. For instance, isn't it interesting how Americans take time over coffee to chat, but rush through meals, while Italian practically do shots of espresso, but spend hours preparing and eating meals? However, these differences are best kept forgotten - left in the back of my mind - because anyone who thinks they can generalize the region of Tuscany (more or less the country of Italy) is terribly mistaken. It still amazes me how incredibly unique every single town is and it really makes me thankful for this particular study abroad experience that takes me beyond the tourist venues. As Americans, I feel like we are taught to CRAM: fill in everything in all the time we have and then check it off our to-do list. That's why I was initially all about travelling constantly - and many times to several destinations in a weekend - but now I realize the importance of actually being somewhere, as opposed to just seeing it. Simply walking through the streets of Montepulciano to find a rainbow stretching across the Tuscan landscape, playing around in the autumn leaves in Arezzo's Fortezza, or merely stopping to stare at the beautifully lit up Piazza Salimbeni at night. These simple pleasures are the magical moments that I will remember, because sometimes the best way to spend your time is to actually take it.

Erika Bush

CET Siena Student Correspondent