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