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