Submitted by Laura Russo on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Siena, Italy sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
On my study abroad program, we are staying with a host family rather than just staying in hotels. Because we live with the host family, we can truly learn about and partially integrate into the society. We have our classes in a school where Italian students study, so we have been able to meet them and learn about what their school system and even their daily life is like. Since Siena is a small, close-knit city, we even got to know some of the local people.
In a program where there are only hotel stays, it doesn’t allow you to really settle into a city because you are always on the move. Because we live in Siena each week, it really allows us to settle in and experience the culture of the city. Siena has a rich history and very tight-knit communities. Every year, since medieval times, the city hosts two horse races, called the “Palio” where each district of the city, or “contrada,” has a horse that competes. The citizens of Siena are very loyal to their contrada and must even be baptized into it. The race is very competitive and there are many rivalries between contradas. However, within each contrada, there is an extremely strong sense of community. Because of this system, everyone in the contrada knows each other and this creates a very unique small town feel within the city.
From living in Siena for about a month, I really have been able to experience that sense of community and pride that I don’t think I could have had if I only visited for a few days. Our host family was very involved in their contrada and we learned a lot about how important it is to the citizens of Siena. I truly believe that by being able to settle into a city, even for a month, you will be able to experience more of the culture than you could from a shorter time. I would recommend to everyone I know to live abroad and to try to settle into a country, if they ever have the chance.
