Assimilation

The first week in Siena felt like a month. It was stretched out and exhausting from all of the new stimulants I was being exposed to (in the best way possible). Adapting to listening to Italian, learning to use keys on very old doors, finding my way through crooked streets that don't even remotely resemble the logic of a grid, resetting my schedule to get accustomed to long morning classes, afternoon adventures, late dinners, and nighttime escapades, not to mention meeting tons of new people at once, made for a dense week. Now it feels as if time has flown by. The past two weeks just vanished. There's so much life happening in Italy that it's nearly impossible to keep track of it all.

The first week was really the period of adjustment, which culminated in a class trip to the Terme dell’Antica Querciolaia, local Tuscan hot springs. The water is pumped from the surrounding mountains and the sulfur does wonders for one's skin. There were about 6 pools ranging from hot to hotter to extremely hot (Italians call them cold, warm, and hot). As long as you remember to apply sunscreen and drink water, it is one of the most relaxing activities to experience. It's very much a reset button. The bus ride there is through scenic, rolling hills and the ride back is behind your eyelids.

At the start of the second week, there was a shift for everyone in terms of changing habits. Grocery store visits, home cooked dinners, and evenings at Piazza del Campo started becoming frequent occurrences. The Sienese Art and Architecture class began and Professor Silvia Giorgi took our group around the city, commentating on Siena's history and development along the way. We learned to distinguish between Romanesque and gothic architecture and to identify construction during the Russian (barbaric) occupation. At Fonte Branda, Silvia explained the advanced engineering applied by the Etruscans in terms of water transportation and protection in Siena. Her city tour added another dimension to our acquaintance with Siena.

The weekend offered a chance to go to Firenze for a day. The temperamental weather gods smiled on us; it stormed on our bus ride in and the skies cleared as soon as we stepped out of the bus. It was the perfect day to go to Piazzale Michelangelo and the public gardens. En route, we found an excellent café just outside the walls at the base of the hill that lead to our destination. Our unplanned adventure lead us over a few bridges, through the gardens, nearly up a tower, around the Duomo, to the world's best gelateria, Caffé Perseo, and best panini shop, I Due Fratellini, (I say these things with absolute confidence). We walked without a plan or a map and also found ourselves in the finest stationary store I have ever had the pleasure of perusing, Il Cartiglio. Their items are handmade in Firenze and absolutely breathtaking. In the San Lorenzo market, we practiced our hands at bargaining, with various levels of success. After 8 hours, the clouds began rolling back in and we decided to roll out. 

We caught a 5:20 bus back to Siena, which offered the opportunity to power nap before heading out to watch the Italy v. England World Cup match. That evening is a story for another time. Right now, Siena awaits.

Eve Litvak, Brandeis

Summer 2014