Submitted by Hoda Bazzi on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Siena, Italy…
This second week of our trip, my group made it to the main point of our trip, Siena. This is a smaller city than Rome(where I was week 1). Instead of a hotel, we are staying with real Italian families which is an entirely new experience for me. Navigating through Siena is a lot easier than Rome, however. My walk to class is a little long at 20 minutes, but the views are amazing so I don’t mind. Starting classes this week was a bit of a transition as well. The time seems to go by so fast, and then we have the rest of the day to explore, eat, and enjoy.
In Siena, my friends and I have found so many beautiful sights, churches, and shops. Even though it’s a small city, I feel like I am discovering new things everyday. We also got to meet some Students from an Italian school which was interesting and new. I feel as though I am being highly exposed to Italian culture here. Being able to take it all in is amazing.
Over the weekend, we took a trip up to Florence. Here, we saw some amazing sights including the Statue of David, the burial sights of Galileo, Rossini, and Michaleangelo, and the Ponte Vecchio. Our group only stayed a half day, but some of the group decided to use our free Sunday and spend the night in order to explore the city more. Florence was so beautiful, full of
life, art, and culture. I cannot wait to be back.
After Florence, I headed back to Siena to eat dinner that night with my Host family. Having a host family is such an interesting new experience. They make us breakfast and dinner, expose us to more language, tell us what are the best sights in town, and make being abroad feel like home. I cannot wait to see what the rest of my study abroad experience will hold here in Siena. (Submitted on January 16, 2024)