Okay, so I’ve been in Siena, Italia for about three weeks already. Time has gone by so quickly it amazes me. It feels like I’ve been here for months considering all that we’ve done. Siena has not disappointed me in any way, shape, or form since I’ve been here. I originally thought that, since it was a smaller city unlike Florence or Rome, that Siena would be quiet and there wouldn’t be too much to do. I was so unbelievably wrong on so many levels. I’m still shocked at just how much fun Siena really is and how little people know about the incredible place I get to call home for the next three months.
I started my application for the CET in Siena program about a year ago. Yes, I am somewhat of a planner. I always knew I wanted to go abroad during college. I started taking Italian classes last autumn and absolutely fell in love with it, so Italy was my location of choice. I chose the CET program because I receive direct credit, which is great for me because I am getting some credits towards my major and I don’t have to worry about transferring everything and all that nonsense. I then proceeded to look through the itinerary and it sounded like the perfect program for me – seminars in Rome, Sicily, Florence, and a host of other small towns throughout Tuscany. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. I applied, got in, and now I’m here having the time of my life! I got here and knew not a single person, despite the fact that there are other people from my school here. It feels like home to me, and the people are amazing.
I have had so many memorable moments but by far, I will never forget the journey I had to arrive in Siena. I flew from Washington, DC to Milan. Then took a bus from the airport to the train station (which was much more expensive than I thought it would be) and a train to Florence. Next, I searched for the bus station in Florence for over an hour, back and forth multiple times, only to finally figure out that it was across the street. I took the bus to Siena, and then caught a cab to my apartment. This entire time I was hauling two huge, full suitcases, a carry on, and a purse. I stayed awake for about 36 hours and was the last person to arrive in Siena, utterly exhausted. I woke up the next day with sore arms and blistered hands. I didn’t plan that trip very well. However, I was pleased to find out that my roommates were all there waiting for me to arrive before digging into the dinner that my Italian roommate had prepared for us consisting of salami, cheeses, gnocchi and vino rosso.
The next few days were orientation, which was very exhausting but fun at the same time – we took a tour of Siena, ate a traditional, long dinner with all the students and Italian roommates at Trattoria Fonte Giusta, talked about the program, classes, and administrative things, etc. We had a picnic and a treasure hunt through the city where we had to find the different contrade fountains, act out the animal, and take a picture of it. Our classes started the next week. Going from fifty-minute Italian classes at UVA to three and a half hour long language classes was NOT at all easy. Thankfully, our professors give us a pausa for fifteen minutes or so in the middle of class to go the bar and grab a coffee (which is actually espresso, not a full cup of coffee with milk and sugar), cappuccino, pastry or panino. Last week we took a cooking class at Fonte Giusta courtesy of the head chef, Pino. I never thought I could see so much pasta at once. We made spinach ravioli, eggplant ravioli, cannelloni with béchamel, tortellini, gnocchi, and probably another one that I can't remember. The next part was my favorite – classic tiramisu. I got hold of the coffee at one point and poured it all over the cake, which I probably shouldn’t have done but I mean, hey, I couldn’t help myself. It was the best tiramisu I have ever eaten, and that says something because I eat a lot of tiramisu. After about two and a half hours of cooking, we sat down and the cute waiters served us our meal that we made! It was molto delizioso! By the end of dinner, my stomach was filled beyond capacity.
Even though everything I have mentioned already has been incredible, I have to say my favorite moments, by far, are those with the other people in this group. We’ve all known each other for a very short time, yet it feels like we’ve been best friends for years. Everyone gets along so well and we hang out every day, whether it is going to the mensa for lunch or dinner, grabbing coffee in between classes, going out on the weekends, sightseeing and taking pictures throughout Siena, going on weekend trips, cooking dinner in our apartments, having study sessions, eating gelato, or trying to figure out a way to avoid looking like American tourists. Non è possibile. My roommates and I have already decided that the culture shock will be going back to America, not coming here to a new culture, where, despite that it is still somewhat difficult, we feel at home.
Melanie Bianco
CET Siena Student Correspodent, Fall 2010
