Month: October 2018

My past two weekends have been spent going on day-trips first to Bologna and then to a tiny village in Tuscany named Buonconvento. I knew that before coming to Italy that one of my priorities would be to try and travel around the country as much as I could. Because there is such a convenient train system, it has been much easier than I expected to plan short trips.

A nagging impulse of wanderlust is somewhat of a prerequisite for a prospective study abroad student; to draw back the curtain of familiarity to reveal a wealth of new experiences. One of which is without a doubt being faced with a sharper degree of independence.

Traveling without any type of supervision has been a little strange in that there is no teacher or parent to hold your hand or to keep you on schedule. While this may involve getting lost (temporarily), it has allowed me to really take my time to explore the place that I’m in.

I didn’t have any idea how Bologna would compare to Florence before going, but after spending the day there I noticed that the energy of the city was unique unto itself. Bologna is more provincial and spread out, with its portico-ed  promenades and neighborhood streets dotted with restaurant after restaurant. It exudes a humble charm. On the other hand, the combination of Florence’s staggering architectural masterworks and narrow alleyways lends itself to a more eclectic sort of chaos.

The next weekend we exchanged our modern train for another mode of transportation prized more its form than its function: un treno a vapore. Taking a steam train from Siena to the tiny Tuscan village of Buonconvento for the day was like something out of a movie.

It’s impossible to not become swept up in the romanticism of such a place, which appeals to sensibilities that stand directly opposed to those of the modern world.  I felt like a disguised observer to a time-honored ritual as the town was filled with Italian families out for their relaxing Sunday.

We later had the chance to enjoy a traditional Tuscan feast. Eating and socializing in the Italian atmosphere par-excellence was an unforgettable time. The rhythm of lively conversation punctuated with delectable plates of food seemed both orchestrated and impromptu at the same time.

On the train ride home, I was struck by a feeling that I was starting to become more in tune with the Italian way of living. And looking out the window at the Tuscan countryside passing by, I allowed myself to melt for a moment into the fantasy of it all.

-Kate

One of the most vibrant cultural pastimes in Italy is the game of soccer, or calcio. The national obsession with what is popularly known as “the beautiful game” is a real one and is something I was hoping to see first hand during my time here. Luckily I had the chance to go to see Florence’s soccer team, La Fiorentina, play at the city stadium. Going to a soccer game is a big production so myself and the other students attending were happy to be accompanied by former Holy Cross Italian foreign language assistant extraordinaire, Rachele.

The walk to the stadium in a mass of purple-clad fans and the climb to our seats took on an almost ritualistic character. Many Florentines make the trek to the match with children in tow and there’s a palpable camaraderie in the air.   As the game begins, there’s intermittent chanting and singing from the opposing fans with the majority of the crowd joining in.

La Fiorentina dominated the field scoring three goals with each being met by standing up to cheer the name of the goal scorer and chant “Forza Viola!” The atmosphere was overwhelming, and I can see why such passions can flare in the midst of the historical rivalries and athletic skill that have come to define Italian soccer.

My feelings about where I’m at in my study abroad experience so far is that everything is becoming more familiar as the initial shock of my arrival is wearing off. I’m getting to know my host family more and have a better feel for the city. Even though this is part of the natural progression of things, it’s still hard for me to believe.

One of the things that I was the most apprehensive about before going abroad, and is a big concern for most students, was what college would be like in another country. I knew that I would be attending an Italian university alongside other Italian students my age, but it was impossible to picture what that would actually like. It’s quite the daunting task and seems even more intangible before arriving in one’s host country.

For the first part of my semester, I’ll be taking an Italian literature course and meeting with tutors weekly for that as well as for two additional religion courses that are slated to begin in early November. The University of Florence’s campus is scattered across Florence and the location of the classroom’s building depends on its respective department. My literature class happens to be a pretty quick walk from my host family’s home through a quiet part of the city.

The prospect of heading into a foreign school and into an unknown environment was definitely nerve wracking. My expectations for my first day of classes were a tad low because I didn’t want to overestimate my Italian language prowess. I walked into the classroom and a part of me was expecting that I would not be able to understand what the professor would be saying. However, after the first hour I noticed that I was able to comprehend more than I initially assumed I would be able to, although it did require a lot of concentration to keep my head from spinning.

When your class is entirely in another language it is difficult to get away with daydreaming without completely missing the points of what the teacher is saying. As a result of this, I have to shift my brain into a different gear in order to follow along and to take notes in Italian.

I think I also went into the class with the assumption that I would need to mentally translate everything into English so that I could actually get it. However, one of the things that I have noticed with learning a language is that there comes a point when one just knows what some words mean without having to complete any mental gymnastics.

This doesn’t mean that I’m in any way fluent in Italian, but I think it does mean that I’m starting to reap some of the benefits of being immersed in the culture of the language I’m trying to learn.