10 Easy Steps to Becoming Italian

After three weeks of living in Italy I think my friends and I have finally figured out how to live like a true member of Siena. Just follow their basic rules:

1) Always wear a scarf (guys and girls - yes, I've seen more bright purple scarves on straight men here than on women), boots, oversized glasses, and die your hair black (I'm failing at the last one).

2) Drink at least 3 cups of coffee aka-espresso shots a day.

3) Have a croissant for breakfast at 9, pasta for lunch at 2, panino with prosciutto and cheese for a snack followed by gelato at 5, and another large helping of pasta, pizza or some sort of mystery meat around 8:30 with several large glasses of wine.

4) Close shop and go home between 12:30-4:30

5) Go to local bar/club on Tuesdays. Odds are you should be wearing some sort of costume

6) Leave 4 days to do laundry seeing as the washers are 1/2 the size as in the US and they don't have dryers.

7) Eat basically 5000 calories a day (see #3 to achieve this goal), yet still remain ungodly thin.

8) Don't smile at strangers on the street - old people and women will give you a "why are you smiling at me when you don't know me look" and young men will think it's an open invitation to stare and tell you how beautiful you are (may sound flattering, but it's just annoying).

9) Keep everything extremely clean, Italians are neat-freaks.

10) Only have one light on in the house, turn off the running water when washing your hair, scrub all dishes with soap then rinse all together (one would think they are really concerned about the environment - not at all, they just have an insanely expensive utilities bill)

Tiernan Cutler,

CET Siena, Spring 2010

Il Futurismo

Bright, bright that light of electric steel
to guide the masses from their fields and forests.

Chop, chop off my breasts and hips
so I may join my line in our ordered ranks.

TOOM TOOM TOOM
ZOOL ZOOL ZOOL

But you Fool!
Your "future" will walk on ash and breathe arsenic,
No more souls after a naive man's dream of speed.

No, a purge will not do.

Francesca Tuazon

CET Siena, Spring 2010

Italian Time

Most of my journal entries derive from conversations I have had with Italian friends.. and what better place to evoke thought on the country than a youth who lives in it? When in Milan over Spring Break, my new Italian friend was shocked to hear of all of the activities I did in high school—not only because Italian high schools do not offer the same activities, but also because she didn’t understand how I had time to do it all. Well, the truth is I didn’t: I didn’t sleep a lot and everyday I was faced with having to sacrifice one thing for another—let down one group or turn in something late to be able to accommodate another. She asked how I was able to maintain this lifestyle, how could I live a life without going home after school and relaxing for a bit. Granted the same question was asked by many of my friends in school with me at the time as well, but I write about this now because the way in which she expressed her disheartenment with my always-busy-schedule (even today) got me thinking about the differences in Italian and American (or at least my) lifestyle in regard to time.

When I came to Italy I wanted to leave behind the long, busy days, the never ending to do list without time to relax and rejuivinate without feeling guilty. I was going to be abroad and wanted a fresh slate for the semester. And lucky me! Italy is a country that does relaxation and enjoyment well. One of the great manifestations of this is meal time. An Italian proverb expresses this thought quite beautifully: “A tavola non si invecchia”—at the table, time doesn’t pass. Unfortunately the physical hours actually do, but I love the idea that meal time is a time to sit around, enjoy eating and the company of family and friends. It is not something to rush through but rather a time to relax and enjoy. I have taken more time for meals here than ever in my life. They actually take up a large part of my day, whereas in the US I would normally read or respond to emails over a bowl of cereal or plate of pasta—but I love every bit of this slow time idea.

Although I've been embracing "Italian time" - spending large chunks of my days eating meals, frequenting long hours of class and relaxing during the times in between, I nonetheless have an inescapable to-do list that I've been ignoring, which keeps piling up and only getting longer!

Danielle Barnes

CET Siena, Spring 2010

It was a rainy Easter Sunday morning and we were just finishing setting the table. I had returned home from my spring break- a wonderful trip to Madrid, Barcelona and Geneva- the night before. Most of our group had also made their way back to Siena and I thought it would be a festive and special way to celebrate the holiday by having everyone over for an Easter brunch. I love cooking, especially for friends, and so I was more than happy to spend my morning peeling potatoes and chopping onions. By one o’clock the food was on the table and we were ready to eat: two frittatas with fresh mozzarella, asparagus and tomatoes, a heaping bowel of crusty hash browns, as well as a typical Italian bread cake called a Colomba (with nuts and dried fruits-in the shape of a dove!).

As we gathered around the jammed table, we quickly began to divulge our spring break highlights- the snake charmers in Marrakesh, the beaches of Southern France, or the out of this world baklava in Greece. A particularly wonderful story came from my friend Tiernan who accidently booked a hotel in Athens, Georgia! (Sorry Tiernan, that needed to be shared). We sat there for hours laughing and telling stories of the people we had met, the places we had seen and the adventures of traveling. For me, I had decided to spend the last two nights of break traveling solo in Geneva, Switzerland. It had been an interesting experience, and it hadn’t helped that on Good Friday practically everything was closed! I was definitely glad to see some friends after my long journey home to say the least.

One of the greatest parts about being in Europe is the traveling-I hop on a plane for a few hours and I can be in Paris, London, Vienna, Berlin! However, we can honestly all agree that its always nice to come back to Siena- bending that curve on the bus from Florence, and seeing the Duomo in the distance, is quite a wonderful feeling. We all felt like we were back home, and it was nice to be with our family away from home for the holiday.

Ciao!

Alex Johnson

CET Siena Student Correspondent, Spring 2010

A Friday in Florence

The CET Siena painting class went to Florence today. The five of us took the 8:00 bus (not the 8:10, we made that mistake last week) from Piazza Gramsci, and met our professor at the SITA bus station. After a quick caffe at a bar near the station, we made our way through the cobbled streets to the Bargello Collection, where we drew from sculpture for the morning. Not too bad, right? We focused primarily on the collection of Michelangelo sculptures, and passed a couple of hours picking different vantage points from which to draw. When we needed a break from our work, we wandered through the other parts of the collection, looking at the old ivory pieces, the incredible building itself, and of course, Donatello's David.

We took a break for lunch around noon, looking forward to Italian cooking, as always. Danielle, a member of our group, led us to her favorite Florentine osteria. Each of us ordered an inappropriately large pizza. I chose the quattro stagioni, or "four seasons" pizza, with artichokes, prosciutto, olives and mushrooms. The pizza came with wine, water and a coffee. For eight Euros apiece, it may be the best deal in the entire city. We had enough time for some gelato, and then made our way to the Piazza Repubblica to meet back up with our professor.

We weren't sure where we were going, but soon realized that we were at the Uffizi. With our student cards, we were able to cut the line and get in for free. We made our way up to the main floor and continued to draw from sculptures that grabbed our attention. By 3:00, all of us were sitting on the floor in the same gallery of sculptures, each immersed in our own work. We didn't realize how much of a spectacle we were until large tour groups

began to take an interest in us. Though a bit awkward, it was quite amusing to have an audience while sketching.

It's not every day that one has the opportunity to spend hours drawing at the best museums in the world. I can add sitting on the floor of the Uffizi to my list of Italy highlights. Drawing Donatello's David in the morning, greeting Botticelli's Primavera in the afternoon. A typical day for the members of CET Siena.

All best,

Sean

Sean O'Hanlan

CET Siena Student Correspondent, Spring 2010

Traveling Seminar to Rome and Sicily, Spring 2010

It is the last morning of our traveling seminar, and I’m sitting with an arancino next to my computer. For those of you who have not been lucky enough to try an arancino, let me attempt to explain: imagine a warm, fried dough ball of rice, filled with spinach and cheese. Now multiply the size you had in mind by three, and there you have a small, slightly conical fried helping of Sicilian heaven. I should add that I have also had my fair share of cannoli on this trip. Its time to get back to Tuscany.

We began our journey in Rome, taking a seven a.m. bus from Siena on Thursday morning. CET Siena met up with the CET Florence group, and together we embarked on an IPS tour of the Coliseum and the Forum in the afternoon. When we weren’t touring, we were all able to see the Caravaggio exhibit currently in Rome. It was incredible—imagine all of Caravaggio’s greatest works in one location. We went to the Vatican on Friday (I got yelled at for sneaking a picture of the Sistine Chapel), and the Vittoriano, the national monument in Piazza Venezia, on Saturday with Kristin, our ICH professor.

We arrived in Catania, Sicily on a Saturday evening in the midst of a torrential downpour. The rain persisted for most of our trip, but it did nothing to hinder our packed schedule. On Sunday morning, we were able to sleep in a bit (sigh of relief), and went to a World War II museum explaining the Allied landing in Sicily, dubbed “Operation Husky.” Sicily was a critical battle in WWII, and served as a precursor and training ground to the much larger amphibious invasion of Normandy. It took thirty-nine days for the Allied troops to take the island. The museum had a reconstruction of a typical, Sicilian town square before the invasion, which was fascinating. Perhaps my favorite part was a room dedicated to the various uniforms of the times. It was very interesting to point out the differences between Italian, German, British, and American forces.

We then escaped the rain with a long lunch at the Café del Duomo. It was delicious, and we all took advantage of the frutti del mare (seafood) dishes. I had linguini with clams, mussels, shrimp, and a light white wine sauce. After lunch, it was time for dessert, and Anna led us to her favorite pasticceria. We tried all of the famous Sicilian dolci—marzipan, cannoli, cioccolatini…the list goes on.

Day Two in Catania: we woke up very early in order to climb Mount Etna. Unfortunately it was raining, so we met our guide, Sandro, and drove along the coastline for a bit. The seaside towns were beautiful, and he pointed out an old Norman castle atop a “pillow” of volcanic rock. We then ventured up 2000 feet to Mount Etna, and suddenly it felt like we were on the moon. The mountain was covered in snow and fog. None of us had any sense of distance, and I should mention that Tiernan, a favorite member of our group, was wearing running shorts while we all built a snowman.

Despite the rain, a wonderful trip. Back to Siena in the morning, after a cannolo and a cappuccino, of course.
Sean O'Hanlan
CET Siena Student Correspondent, Spring 2010

Thank Goodness for Siena, Dr. Suess Style

A month plus in Siena we all have been
Even with the snow, sleet, and rain, we wear nothing but a grin
For when the acceptance letter arrived via email
We all desperately hoped this trip would not be a fail
Now eleven of us are here for the long haul
Ten girls from all over, and Patrizio the Protector, who we all call
Who knew this group would mesh so well
For if we didn’t, this could have been the semester from hell
Scavenger hunts, classes and late nights out on the town
Cars, Taxis, Trains? No, in Siena walking is how we get around!
Many debated between studying here and Firenze
But thank goodness for Siena, is all I have to say
After spending 4 days and 3 nights in the big city
Each time I return to Siena, it makes me giddy
The moment I step off the bus and I breathe the fresh Tuscan air
The bustle and hustle of travel is gone, and I’m left without a care
Between the Americans, tourists and pickpocketers alike
I feel like I have to enter Florence, ready for a fight
Don’t get me wrong, I love all the museums and art
But nothing beats the hills, old ladies and frittelle cart!

Tiernan Cutler

CET Siena, Spring 2010