The Piazza comes alive in Siena, especially when it’s occupied by special events. Living close to Piazza del Campo has been such a blessing, but I will say it stays pretty lively some nights. Recently, the artisan chocolate festival was in town, so lucky me–I walked past temptation every day, several times a day, for […]

Living in Italy, and particularly in Siena, is like a giant scavenger hunt for art. Whether it is jovial graffiti, pastel sidewalk portraits, or hidden frescos, it seems as though I discover something new everyday.   Within the first week of being in Siena I came across a partly worn away, beautiful, pastel portrait of a […]

Two weeks ago we had our first “free weekend” of the semester. Most weekends are packed full of things that SIS plans for us like trips to museums, churches, chocolate factories, cities in Italy, and Carnevale events. The free weekend was a long weekend which was just that, free of anything planned specifically by SIS. […]

My apartment sits right above the Piazza del Campo, the huge open-air public square that serves as the civic and social center of the city. The piazza’s been called Siena’s living room, and for good reason, since at nearly all hours, I can see in the piazza high-school kids, families, old couples, tour groups, dog […]

Some hundred years ago in the Tuscan countryside, a farmhouse was built by an Italian family. For reasons unknown to us, they have parted from the place. History has already forgotten the name of the household, but traces of their presence linger. The children’s bed frames remain, dreaming of older days. Rainwater has collected in […]