Siena - the start of a journey

In the last few years I’ve had the opportunity to travel to several places and have made so many memories. As I sit at home reflecting on my travel journey, I thought it would be a great time to share about the experience that started it all - my study abroad in Siena, Italy.

In the Spring of 2012, I came across a flyer about a new study abroad program launching that summer in Siena. It would include spending a month living in the medieval city of Siena, trips to Rome, Florence, Arezzo, and Pisa, as well as courses led by faculty at the University of Siena. This was my chance to get to see sites I’ve read about in books and learn from local experts. In my mind, it was the perfect way to spend the summer.

Since this was going to be my first trip abroad, I was full of nerves and anxious about how the trip would go. I made sure to cover all of my bases and had everything ready to go before I had to leave in June. My itinerary included 2 layovers and an early arrival in Rome, making it an extremely long day. With it being my first time flying internationally, one of my biggest fears was losing my bag during one of my layovers. Luckily, the travel gods decided to start my trip on a good note and my bag made it through each layover with me. It was a smooth trip to Italy and that set the tone for the rest of my trip. At the airport in Rome, the first order of business was to find my classmates and wait for our professor. Once we all met up with him, we were off to Siena for the next month!

The Center for the Anthropology of the Ancient World at the University of Siena welcomed us for the next four weeks and we spent 3-4 days a week there attending classes. Throughout our time in Siena, we were taken on guided visits to beautiful cities throughout Tuscany and to Rome. As a way to get to know the city we would be calling home, we were taken on two in depth guided tours which included a visit to the Duomo of Siena and to the archaeological museum within Santa Maria della Scala, a complex that allowed us to explore centuries of the city’s history. Needless to say, we were all excited for the adventure the next few weeks would bring and the knowledge we would gain.

Despite the program schedule, we had plenty of free time to explore on our own and immerse ourselves in the local culture. It was always surreal walking out of my dorm room and onto the city streets. The moment you stepped outside you felt transported to another era. The mix of modernity with medieval architecture made for a unique atmosphere. One of my favorite places to go was a candle shop owned by two sisters. I would pop in, watch the candle making process, and skim through others sitting on the shelves waiting to be purchased. I came home with many candles that I have yet to light. When I wasn’t wandering the streets of Siena, I planned day trips with friends to the beach and to other cities, including San Gimignano, Florence, and Rome. And of course, I had my fill of gelato, pasta, pizza, and so much more. I think I lost count of how many gelatos I had just in the first week. The month flew by, but I felt like I made the most of my time there.

The highlight of the trip would be witnessing Il Palio in the first week of July. Il Palio was a race consisting of three laps around Piazza del Campo in the center of the city with horses and riders representing 10 of the 17 contrade. This horse race goes back centuries and the build up to it was palpable from the moment we arrived. We were able to watch all of the preparations and the transformation of the piazza for the race. On the day of the race, we were part of the crowd crammed into the piazza, adding to the excitement of the day. We weren’t sure who would win, but we joined in with all of the cheering. It was one of the most suspenseful 90 seconds of my life! Being there for the race and having the chance to get caught up in all of the festivities afterwards was a great way to close our trip.

This trip fueled my wanderlust and was the start of many more trips. Some of the lessons I carry from this trip are to not be afraid to take a chance and be open to all possibilities. Throughout this trip, I learned to just go with the flow. I would go out and explore without the worry of getting lost. Getting lost is just part of the adventure. Another lesson I learned is that you can never set too many alarms when you have a travel day. On my last day, I somehow managed to not set my alarm to wake up and get ready to catch the bus back to Rome. I luckily had a classmate that ran back and woke me up. I have never gotten ready so quick in my life! After that, I’ve always had trouble sleeping the night before travel in fear of not getting up in time for my flights. At least now I’m never late for the airport…

As the years pass, I always look back to my time in Siena fondly. The day we are all able to safely travel internationally again, Siena will be one of the first places I go.

Enjoy these highlights from my time in Italy!