Submitted by Sarah Meding on the 2014 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Honors Program…
So the program is finally winding down. We have two days left here in Italy, not including our travel day today. Since I last checked in, we have moved on to Venice. We finished out our final week in Florence by visiting the Boboli Gardens on Saturday. The views from the gardens were absolutely stunning; they looked like “Italy” in my mind did before we left. We were also able to visit what was called the best pizza in Florence. It was incredibly delicious! During the rest of the weekend, we traveled to Siena, an interesting town about an hour and a half away from Florence. My favorite part about this town was their annual horse races. Twice a year, each of the 17 districts of Siena blesses a horse and hires a jockey to compete in a horse race. The district that wins gets some presents and bragging rights around the city. Our tour guide said she knew that the tradition was crazy, but it has been happening for thousands of years… yes, I said thousands, so they cannot break tradition. On our final day in Florence, many people finished up some last minute shopping and we had class to wrap up all that we have learned about cultural and religious pluralism, as well as discuss some ideas for our final papers.
For the remainder of the week, we were in Venice. After a short bus ride and rickety water taxi, we hiked with our luggage to our hotel in Venice. The hotel has been wonderful, but I am pretty sure it is older that the United States itself. While in Venice, we received a tour of Venice’s governmental buildings, Jewish Ghetto, and many rivers. I find it incredibly interesting that despite the knowledge that the city is sinking and daily flooding from rising tides, that people still choose to live in this town; probably because it is beautiful. For some of the day, we were able to go shopping. I think everyone either bought blown glass or a carnival mask which are sold everywhere. During our last day, we had to postpone our departure due to the flooded streets; however, we will soon be heading out for our final two days in Milan, the fashion capital of Italy.
Once in Milan, we plan to see a soccer game, do some shopping, receive a short tour of the city, and have a final farewell dinner together as a group. I am shocked that we are finally winding down. Everyone is preparing their final papers, packing, and doing last minute shopping before we must head home. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to be able to visit this beautiful and cultural country. I was able to see a different lifestyle and learn about cultural and religious pluralism while emerging myself in the culture itself. I am looking forward to not only the last few days here in Italy, but also returning home to share my experiences with friends and family. I want to show everyone how much I have grown as a person and become involved in service projects at home. As we wind down, I am happy to say that this has been an once in a lifetime experience for me that has enhanced my self-identity and life overall.