CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY
FLORENCE ITALY
FALL 2019
Travel diaries
endicott! FUA Florence University of the Arts & Endicott College
endicott
college August December 2019
Fall 2019 CITI Pre-Semester Field Learning Week I had the great pleasure of participating in the Fall 2019 Cultural Introduction to Italy: Field Learning Week, and it is an experience I will not forget! On paper, this course is a wonderful exploration of Italy. However, the week is so much more than sightseeing. It is a crash course in Italian history, with a peek at the “underground Italy” that exists in Rome. It is an art lesson, with frescoes, brilliant architecture and gardens that will amaze you. And yes, it is a lesson in an important topic of conversation: food. Make no mistake, by the end of this week, you too will find yourself talking about food…while eating. The faculty and staff at FUA (who are fantastic, I will add) have created a week that gives you a taste of what Italy has to offer, and once you have left your latest destination, you wish you had more time. You’ll want to know more about Rome, and hope there is another agriturismo on the schedule! I cannot say enough positive things about this week. I left Florence so happy to have participated, needing to go back, and wanting to learn Italian.
Grazie di tutto, FUA.
Nola Barricelli GRAPHIC DESIGN WITH PHOTOGRAPHY MINOR
VILLA LANTE, BOMARZO, AND ORVIETO: The architecture combined with history, nature, and philosophy was seen in the multiple gardens and towns we visited during the week, but they were all very different with their aspects. At Villa Lante, the strategical layout of this villa is what makes it so special and unique. This villa used symmetry and water as its main features. The two buildings and the garden itself was in perfect symmetry with everything down to the bushes. The Bomarzo garden was different as it focused more on the meanings behind each of the sculptures that were created for the garden so there was more to look at and to understand. POPULONIA AND BARATTI: Populonia and the Baratti coast were great examples on ancient domination in Central Italy. Populonia included an archaeological park that was the home to many different ancient Florence, Italy
ruins and tombs that were from the Etruscan and Roman times. These ruins were used for burying of the upper class during this time as they were more prioritized. We got the chance to go inside the tombs which was a very cool experience as we got to see what they had to do to get inside the actual tomb. We had to crouch down and walk in a weird way to get into the area where you were able to stand up and be in the area where they left the actual bodies. This was a cool experience to see how the upper class was treated after their life ended. VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: This annual carnival is held in a town called Viareggio in Tuscany that has been going on since 1873. This is a carnival like no other as it is basically a town-wide party that takes place in February of every year. They have a huge parade where the main focus are the floats that are created specifically for a
theme of each year. These floats are created with hard work and dedication as they are extraordinarily detailed and extravagant. We got to take a tour of their warehouses where they have their own museum with past floats and displays that represent their carnival throughout the years and how the community of this town come together to make it all happen.
Emily Boyer
GRAPHIC DESIGN WITH COMMUNICATIONS MINOR
ROME: I had never been to Italy before this year and finally getting to experience the culture in-depth for an entire week was extremely eye opening to me. Starting in Rome with the most iconic landmarks that are so commonly thought of when picturing Italy was a perfect way to lay groundwork for learning the culture of Italy. Seeing the Colosseum for the first time in person let me really understand the immense efforts that the ancient Romans put into their buildings of public places. Knowing that it was a gift for the common folk, and they still put an incredible amount of effort and skill into building the Colosseum goes to show the pride they had in their building skills. POPULONIA AND BARATTI: Populonia and Baratti was mostly what I expected from the travel week experience. Seeing the remains was unlike anything I had experienced before. I went down into one
of the Etruscan tombs and immediately had to leave. However, that short amount of time inside the tomb taught me a lot. Knowing that there were remains of important people down there was mind-blowing to me. Additionally, it surprised me that the remains of the tombs were kept so close to the Mediterranean Sea. BOLGHERI: I have always been completely fascinated with wine and the pairing with food. Being able to visit Bolgheri and learn in-depth the interconnections of wine and food in the Italian culture. A passion project of mine is to learn more about wine and how sommeliers do what they do. Going to Bolgheri and having access to the knowledge that sommeliers have was extraordinary to me. What was incredibly interesting to me was driving the countryside of Italy and seeing how many small homes had many grape and olive vineyards. It helped
me realize that even small families relayed heavily on wine, and olive oil, for their income and a healthy economy. PIESTRASANTA: I’ve always known that the culture of art in Italy was one of the strongest aspects of the personality of the country. However, when imagining art in Italy I picture more classic paintings and beautiful, intricate architecture. I did not, however, ever imagine the strong personality and pride the Italians had in their marble quarries, as well as their marble artists and subsequent sculptures. Seeing the sculptures throughout the town of Pietrasanta really proved this pride in their marble that Italy had.
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Madison Bryda NURSING
BOLGHERI: I love food and wine and coming to a culture where it means so much is a different experience. In America it is a melting pot of different types of foods and their cultures behind them. Whereas here in Italy it is all the same. The food is prepared with carefulness and love, the wine is supposed to compliment the food, bringing out the exquisite flavors, giving you a taste that is unbelievable. Here in Italy, you do not drink wine to get drunk, you drink wine to taste it. It is not normal for someone to just be drinking a glass of wine without the company of food. The wine is supposed to bring out those delicate flavors that are hidden within a dish. Each type of food dish has a wine pairing whether it be sparkling wine, red, white or rose. When you put together a perfect combination of food and wine, it is a taste like no other.
Florence, Italy
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: You would never believe me if I told you that this momentous carnival once started as a parade of decorated carriages. Each year this parade would grow, from decorated carriages to a promenade and then into a parade of larger than life papier mâché floats. The point of the carnival is to bring a light heartedness effect to the political topics that are being displayed in the parade. The parade allows people of all ages to start conversations about important issues that are going on in today’s age. In my opinion, Carnevale di Viareggio is an influencer. It brings up the harsh topics in a way that people can laugh about, accept and talk about. It starts a conversation between people without hurting feelings and without anyone feeling victimized. People from all over and all ages look forward to this event each year because not only is it fun and exciting but also liberating.
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS helped me step out of my comfort zone and feel like a global citizen because… of all the experiences we were able to partake in. I think the cultural introduction class was very helpful because we were able to see all the touristy areas while learning through an Italian perspective. We were taught the proper manners that were expected of us while studying abroad. If we did not have this course, I would feel lost and even more like an outsider than anything else. I would not know the ins and outs of the Italian culture. I feel more like a global citizen because I now know the ways of adapting to a different culture.
Marielle Cassidy INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN STUDIES
ROME: Our time in Rome was truly unbelievable. All the architecture and history we have spent years learning about came to life. From our first day seeing the Colosseum, the ruins, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain to our second day entering the Vatican to see Saint Peter’s Basilica. The use of all of these sites was intended for something that is very different than its use in modern-day times. For example, the Colosseum was intended for use as an amphitheater in 70 AD when it was built. As the Italian Republic gradually became unified, it is now an area of ruins that is mostly used as a display for tourists, and rarely is used for concerts. The Pantheon, which means “all gods” in Latin, was built as a Roman temple around 120 AD. To this day it is somewhat still a temple, but mostly just displays a ruin where people can walk in and admire.
BOLGHERI: This is something that I continue to learn each and every day I spend here in Italy. Not only does Italian culture cherish food and wine, but they make sure it is served at its best quality: no preservatives and normal sized portions- very unlike America. Meals, specifically dinner, is cherished and tends to occur later, around 8-9 o’clock p.m. while it takes a couple hours as well. Wine is something that is not to be drank in large quantities, or to get you drunk. It is an alcoholic drink that is enjoyed throughout dinner.
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: Viareggio Carnival is celebrated from January until around the beginning of Lent; late January to late March, it is celebrated through a parade filled with floats that are made from papier mâché. This process is tiresome and takes months. We were lucky enough to go to the carnival grounds and we got a tour of all the past floats and history of how they are made exactly and what they mean. It is almost something I would relate to Mardi Gras or even an extravagant Fourth of July parade back in the states. This special parade is something that locals and tourists look forward to and take lots of time off of work to go watch with their families and even participate in.
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Amelia Castelli ART THERAPY & PHOTOGRAPHY
ROME: During Travel Week, we were able to see amazing sites such as the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Roman Forum. While visiting these places, I was in awe thinking about the history and how ancient these sites really are. It’s baffling to know that the Romans were able to design and build these monumental structures lacking modern technology. I also found it interesting that as important as it was, people would use materials from the Colosseum as resources to make other things, such as other sculptures or structures. It was also interesting to learn about the Colosseum’s uses, such as gladiator fights to havens for the homeless. POPULONIA AND BARATTI: The main sights of the Archaeological Park of Populonia and Baratti are the Etruscan tombs. There are three different styles of tombs: underground ones for the lower class, above ground sarcophagi for the middle Florence, Italy
class, and above ground tombs for the upper class. It was interesting to learn about the Etruscan rituals as well as be able to see and go inside their tombs. It was also interesting to learn about how the Etruscans utilized the land; the most important resource for the economy of the Etruscans was the iron ore that was in the ground of a nearby island. Once mined, the Etruscans smelted the iron ore to extract the metal. LE CINQUE TERRE: Le Cinque Terre was absolutely beautiful. My friends and I hiked for three hours from Corniglia to Monterosso which allowed us to see many different views of the ocean and land. There were so many different elements to look at from the colorful buildings along the coast to the rows of plants growing along the mountain side. The landscapes were beautiful but pose a challenge for the livelihood of the people who live there, as the land is hilly.
It is difficult to cultivate crops without flat land, but the people who live in Cinque Terre managed to create a cultivation system along the hills/mountains, which is very different from the farming around my hometown. SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS… traveling to different areas of Tuscany. During Travel Week, we explored this region, but there were such vast differences between the countryside and the city that it felt as if we were hours away from our previous adventure. I realized that I don’t have to travel too far to explore a totally different scene of Italy.
Hannah Daigle PHOTOGRAPHY
VILLA LANTE: Villa Lante was a beautiful example of the way in which Italians spend their leisure time. The Italian Garden is man’s attempt at controlling nature. This is was the most interesting thing I learned while exploring Via Lante. The city is where man goes to engage in work and politics, while the garden is a place of leisurely enjoyment. Italians would read in the garden, it was a place to enlighten the mind spiritually, one could get lost in the hedge mazes. CARNIVAL: Seeing the different floats and pieces from the Carnival was a really good representation of what I have learned about Italian culture thus far on the trip: That when it comes to speaking their minds, there is absolutely no holding back. Lots of my peers remarked on how a parade of such blatant political satire would never get passed in the states which may or may not be true, but in Italy they wear their opinions with
unabashed pride, right on their sleeves. Each piece told a political story with no filter as to who it could possibly offend, which is something hard to come by in this day and age, so to see the tradition of political raw and realness attained to this day speaks not only to Italian’s sense of tradition, but to their forwardness and unafraid nature. PIETRASANTA: Pietrasanta was a very a very unique place to visit. Working with marble is such a fantastic way to create art, and I knew much less about the process then I though. It is customary to create a small mold of the design before carving into any stone. Aside from being a difficult medium marble is also very large. The statues we saw were sometimes twice our size and 5 times our weight. The Carrara marble quarries were large and not the easiest to obtain marble from.
CINQUE TERRE: Visiting Cinque Terre was my absolute favorite. Visiting the towns by train was exciting for me because it is one of my favorite ways to travel Being able to lookout over the water from the side of a mountain, I spent two hours hiking was the second best thing I’ve ever experienced. The first best thing was swimming in that very ocean after a two mile hike. The whole experience just made me wonder about how the residents had to do that very hike before trains were invented. I found myself wondering more and more about the people who lived in Cinque Terre year round and what their lives were like 300 years ago. How often did they hike those mountains? Was it for business or pleasure?
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Sydney Devine HOSPITALITY
ROME: In Rome, it was a bustling city but filled with visited the colosseum, which was an ancient form of entertainment, revolving around fights and bloodshed. We learned about the two twins who were the founders of Rome, Romulus, and Remus. We visited the burial place of Julius Caesar and the Vatican City, where we learned about the present and past popes of the catholic religion. My favorite part of the Vatican City was being able to touch the foot of the St. Peters statue, which is considered to bless whoever touches it. I had a fun time doing that because I am Catholic, so it was interesting to see where my religion came about. VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo and Orvieto: The parks we visited were beautiful. Villa Lante we learned how the villa has architect and garden that’s what makes it a villa. The forest of the villa is for sin, and it’s the forbidden Florence, Italy
part. The villas were used for pleasure and vacation time, mostly for popes. When you think of a garden, you would think, maybe flowers and vegetables. These gardens were filled with the amazing architect, and fountains shaped hedges, like nothing you would imagine. The Bomarzo garden was filled with outstanding rock sculptures, that are abstract, so it is open to interpretation by the viewer.
and they followed DOC regulations. These regulations are the highest set of rules they follow for how the wine is made. Learning about the history made me enjoy the wine and taste instead of just think about it as alcohol.
SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS… that I did not realize how much they take time for themselves, to eat, look presentable talk BOLGHERI: The winery was so fun we got to with each other, they aren’t always on the go try both reds and white wines and pair them and working they take time to enjoy life and with bread, assorted cheese, and meats. I the beauty of it. have never been a fan of wine, but the one we tasted was just an excellent quality and a pleasant taste. It showed me that wine could be enjoyable when paired with the right foods. The winery shares its field with three different factories because space for vineyards is limited. The wine was stored in oak barrels for a minimum of a year,
Kelly Dillon
POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH ENGLISH & HISTORY MINORS
ROME: The days we spent in Rome were truly captivating. I love how you can walk through a modernized city and then stumble upon the Colosseum. Amidst an industrialized civilization are the remnants of the historical treasures that first began that very city. Rome is a walking history book. The Colosseum was my favorite part of Rome. It was built in just eight years, incredible considering the machinery accessible at the time, or lack thereof. The edifice is a monument for both the history it represents and those killed in the arena. Of course, there is more than just the Colosseum to tour in Rome. The Roman Forum, Spanish Steps, and Fontana di Trevi are just a few other landmarks to add to your list of places to visit.
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: The Viareggio Carnival was an unconventional museum and fair grounds. The fair is open from February to March and aims to heighten tourism in an otherwise dormant season. We toured the vacant fairground and got to see this year’s floats during their construction phase as well as past floats and a collection of artifacts to Carnival. At the end of the tour, our guide demonstrated how the paper mâché floats are made. It was a mesmerizing process. On display in glass cases were models of the floats that won first place. I found that often the themes were of dark humor.
CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES & PIETRASANTA: The marble quarry was a fascinating place to visit. There is a clear passion in the art of marble. From its excavation to molding, the people that work with the marble are dedicated and talented to say the least. The woman explained how the veins in the marble are unpredictable and make it difficult to work. One wrong slip and the whole piece could slash in half. The process of excavating the marble is a dangerous task that requires precision, patience, and expertise. Michelangelo himself used the marble from the Apuan Mountains where this marble was being excavated. However, like any natural resource, there is a limited supply.
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Brigid Ford INTERIOR DESIGN
BOLGHERI: Visiting Bolgheri was one of my favorite places to visit. I really enjoyed having a hands on learning experiment. I was amazed at the different ways wine should be tested and tasted. Really breaking down each type of wine and finding ways in which to describe the taste was very interesting to me. I also enjoyed the tour of how they grow and produce their wine. I was amazed at the wine cellar and how many large barrels of wine they had ageing. I was also surprised at how much land this winery had in which they hand-picked the grapes. I enjoyed learning the importance of wine in the Italian culture and economy. As it differs in America, Wine in Italy is a large part of the culture. Almost seen as its own food group, wine is the heart of the culture and economy. The land and soil along with the temperature of the Tuscan coast all attribute to the wine. With this being said, wine is naturally and purely made here, creating a large economic Florence, Italy
benefit for Italians that keeps their economy LE CINQUE TERRE: Visiting Cinque Terre lively. was my favorite part of travel week. The beautiful, scenic views and the incredible VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: I found in visiting beaches were breathtaking. While the hike the Viareggio Carnival, very unique. itself to get to Cinque Terre was extremely Compared to a regular carnival one can hard and exhausting, it was all worth it. find in the states, this carnival is very As for the challenges that people face for different. This carnival happens once a year living there, the land is extremely steep where large floats of clowns, animals, etc. and dangerous. Growing crops for economic are paraded through the streets for the benefit is difficult due to the steep incline. entertainment of the public. These floats This obstacle may result in a strenuous way are catered to current political and societal in making profit. issues, putting a somewhat funny twist on all of the serious topics in today’s society. SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY I found it very interesting in how all of the PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS… floats are made. They are completely made the amount of history that shaped Italian from papier mâché. Recycled newspaper society. Italian culture stems from various mixed with glue water and flour then pasted centuries ago which still shapes Italy and onto a plaster molding, is how each float is its society today. Learning about places such as the Colosseum and the Vatican that have constructed. such a deep impact on Italian culture really opened my eyes
Jessica Giesing PHOTOGRAPHY WITH COMMUNICATIONS MINOR
VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo and Orvieto: Villa Lante and Bomarzo are two of the gardens that we had the opportunity to experience during travel week. Villa Lante, is a villa that had a large garden attached to the property. Many villas in Rome are noted for their pleasure gardens- places were richer residents of Rome could come to escape the busy city life and relax in the country. This garden in particular is known for its symmetry, cascades, as well as magnificent waterworks. Gardens in Rome were created to extend man’s control over nature, and this garden is a perfect example of thatby manipulating bushes into symmetrical forms, utilizing water in fountains, carrying it through pipes, and manipulating it in other ways, man exerted his precise control over the elements in the creation of this garden. Bomarzo, also known as the Park of Monsters, is home to larger than life sculptures. These enormous stone sculptures
are littered throughout the garden, hidden THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT amongst nature. OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE LE CINQUE TERRE: Cinque Terre has a A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE… I have natural beauty. With the city by the sea, the been introduced to an entirely new culture clear waters, and the beautiful mountains, and have had the opportunity to immerse Cinque Terre has something to offer any myself in it. Even though the thought of person who goes to visit the islands. The interacting with people of a different culture problem that this popular tourist destination where I didn’t speak the language made poses for the livelihood of the people is me nervous-- travel week made me more that the people of Cinque Terre have to comfortable with this setting. rely on tourism for their jobs. A lot of the people who work at Cinque Terre- their man SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY customers, and source of income comes PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS… from the many tourists that visit Cinque actively participating in Italian customs, Terre yearly- so when it is not tourist season it made me be able to see from their the livelihood of the people of Cinque Terre perspective and understand why their is threatened wince their income is far less live their lives in a different manner than Americans do. than during tourism season.
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Brianna Gillam INTERIOR DESIGN
ROME: The days spent in Rome were some of my favorite. It is full of history and art that I have been learning about for the last two years in my art history courses. The opportunity to step into the Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican City, and explore the many highlights and ancient ruins the city has to offer, is something I’ll never forget. Visiting each of these historic locations, has allowed me to really understand more about the Romans culture and history than I ever had before. VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo and Orvieto: Villa Lante, Bomarzo, and Orvieto are all filled with history and philosophy while still being connected to nature. After walking through the properties and the grounds, every detail had been carefully planned and laid out by its owners. Each of the properties were a clear reflection as to what was most important to the families who used to wander there. It Florence, Italy
was interesting to see both the similarities and differences between the properties, and the personal touches added to each, such as their family’s symbols or crests. VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: While in Viareggio, we had the opportunity to explore the museums and warehouse’s where they prepare for their countries carnival each year. Italian artists in particular take great pride in preparing for this event and anticipate their countries excitement to see what they have designed. Over time, their carnivals have evolved and have become larger and larger. The designs are massive and depict political leaders, animals, objects, and even abstract ideas that are both funny, as well as offensive at times. However, this is to be expected and is part of the tradition.
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE… it has helped me step out of my comfort zone and feel like a global citizen because I’m doing something, I didn’t think I was capable of. It’s hard to be away from home, my family, and everything that I know, but by putting myself in a situation I wasn’t entirely comfortable with, has allowed me to grow as a person and create memories and experiences I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
Kaylee Glidden INTERIOR DESIGN
VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo and Orvieto: Architecture combined with history, philosophy, and nature. Villa Lante, Bomarzo, and Orvieto were all places that I really relished. Learning about the philosophy and meaning of these locations gave me a better understanding of Italy’s historic time period. Exploring the gardens was very interesting and provided a different perspective for me. The scale of the gardens and the monuments within them was something I wasn’t expecting. We often learn about the architecture of Italy but forget the gardens that surround It. I got a greater appreciation for these fascinating gardens by visiting them. POPULONIA AND BARATTI: This location was full of ancient Etruscan history. We had a guided tour through the necropolis and got to observe the different tombs. We learned about the way they used to live and the memorials they received once they died. It
was interesting seeing the different-sized tombs according to social class. Stepping into the original tombs of the Etruscans was very eye-opening because we got to see how architecture and materials have developed and progressed over time. CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: Carrara marble quarries was a local place that extracts marble and makes sculptures in collaboration with artists. This is a very big part of the history and culture of the locals within this region. Their studios are located right alongside the mountains where they extract the marble from. It was eye-opening to see how their jobs were a huge part of how and where they live. The marble sculptures were very large, and the artistry needed to complete the sculptures was amazing. I’m glad I got to discover and learn about something so important to the history of Italy.
LE CINQUE TERRE: Reflect on the landscape’s beauty and the challenges it poses for the livelihood of the people. Le Cinque Terre was my favorite place to visit and experience. It is made up of five points Cinque Terre Riomaggiore, Manorola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso al Mare and they can be reached by train, car, or trail. I did the hike along the coast and it held some of the most beautiful views that told a story. These views showed the history of the land and town. The terrain was very extreme on the sides of us and they held grape vines that are cultivated to make wine. They are placed on shelves of the mountains or hills that are steep and at a high-altitude. This in return produces wines that are unique to the area.
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Lillian Hakkila INTERIOR DESIGN
BOLGHERI: In Italy wine is eaten with practically every meal excluding breakfast. Breakfast usually just consists of a pastry and cappuccino. While lunch and dinner include larger meals served in courses. Italians have a sense of pride in their food because it’s recognized all over the world as being some of the best around. Meanwhile wine is an important part of their culture. As mentioned, it’s eaten with every meal, but they do it because it’s a social drink. They never drink to get drunk unlike in other countries. The main grapes that are used in Bolgheri wine are Vermentino, which are the only white grape variety that they have to do dry white, for red there are Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and a small bit of Petit Verdot.
the views can be absolutely stunning as it takes your eye all across the ocean. The beaches are stunning, but the towns too are plastered in bright, fun colors that make the towns seem extremely lively. Though with all the tourism the area gets they really are lively. However, the hilly terrain has forced locals to adapt through viticulture. The viticulture is defined as “heroic” because the seaside villages all have vineyards on the side of the mountain above the ocean. As such these vineyards grow in extreme conditions because of the terrain. The entire idea of heroic viticulture revolves around vineyards on steep slopes of high-altitude mountains or hills. And in Cinque Terre these terraces perched above the sea cannot be found anywhere else in the world. People rely on these vineyards for income and it can LE CINQUE TERRE: Le Cinque Terre is a very be dangerous because one wrong step and mountainous and hilly region. There are a lot they have a dangerous fall. of ups and there are a lot of downs. Although Florence, Italy
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE… I was forced to interact with a culture that I had never experienced before. I have never been abroad before in my life, so all I had to go on was the internet or people that have been before. But hearing other people talk about it and experiencing it are two very different things. I have done things that I wouldn’t do at home. In general, I am an introvert, so I have a tendency to stay indoors. But I really explored a good portion of Italy with my guide and on my own. I have a newfound love for nature because of all the areas that we visited, and I wish there were more places like that back in the United States.
Michele Kaufman INTERIOR DESIGN
POPULONIA AND BARATTI: Populonia and Baratti are important sites to see Etruscan remains. Throughout these two towns, the ancient city can still be seen through the Etruscan walls and the ruins of some Roman buildings. These remains are heavily preserved and add character to these ancient cities. The location of these cities is beautiful as it is found at the top of a hill surrounded by the water. The areas of Populonia and Baratti are known as sites that were productive centers of ancient Etruscan and Roman times. VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: The Carnival of Viareggio is a tradition that is celebrated annually in the Tuscan City. This has been a tradition for almost 150 years and is still one of the most prominent events that occurs in Italy. Seeing all of the history of the carnival and the behind the scenes of the making of the characters was amazing to
see. The amount of time that is spent on the making of each character really shows how important this is to the history of the carnival and Italy. It was impressive to see the growth from the first carnival to where it is now. The carnival continues to become bigger and so do the size of the characters. CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: Visiting the Carrara marble quarries gave everyone an insight to the history of marble in Italian culture. I thought it was impressive that it was all started as a family business that has now grown into a huge industry that artists all over the world travel to have pieces made for them. Pietrasanta is an extremely artistic city because of all the artist tributes throughout the city. It is a hub for contemporary artists who had decided to live there due to the amount of marble quarries that surround the area.
LE CINQUE TERRE: Le Cinque Terre is a beautiful area that consists of huge mountains surrounded completely by water. The area is stunning and unlike any place I have ever been to. Although it is beautiful, the landscape does pose an obstacle for those who live there. When hiking through the area, we saw a couple houses in the mountains. There they have to adapt to the landscape, do things a little different from those in different areas, and make a living with what they have, and it was clear that they do that.
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Emily Lanza INTERIOR DESIGN
ROME: Experiencing such beautiful and historical architectural sights that I’ve learned so much about in my life was such a surreal experience. The grandeur of both the Colosseum and the Pantheon was absolutely stunning. Knowing the past of all of these places made me in awe of just how much was able to occur here and just how long ago it all happened. The Roman Forum especially was a part where I realized just how expansive the entirety of the historical area was and how much of an impact it had so many years ago.
interior. Inside each tomb, people would be buried with some of their most treasured belongings so that they could have them in the afterlife.
BOLGHERI: Being able to experience my first wine tasting in Italy was incredible. The food and wine were both delicious and the atmosphere of the winery was so unique. It helped me to see just how important Italian cuisine and drink are to the Italian people. By seeing the vineyards and getting to walk through the space, it also made me realize just how much labor goes into the entire POPULONIA AND BARATTI: The ancient process of actually picking the grapes to areas carry so much history and it was such making the wine and then getting it into a great opportunity to get the chance to see the bottle. the different Etruscan tombs, which were often for the more wealthy families. The size of the manmade hills was much larger than I had anticipated, however, when getting to explore the inside, it was a much smaller Florence, Italy
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: Celebrating Carnival has been such a long-standing tradition and seeing how the designs progressed throughout the years allowed me to understand how historical events helped aid in the process of creating the floats. Seeing just how long the paper mâché process takes, it is crazy to think that such large pieces of art are able to get finished in the amount of time that they have. It is such a lively and energetic experience that I would love to experience one day.
Bridgette Layden INTERIOR DESIGN
POPULONIA AND BARATTI: The tombs of Populonia and Baratti were in a beautiful scenery along the coast of Italy. We had the opportunity to walk around the various ancient tombs and even go inside of them. I found the Etruscan culture fascinating, especially how they buried their families together. Inside the burial tombs were separate chambers for different objects for the afterlife. The tradition of these tombs was only for the wealthy. Some items represented wealth, like money or jewelry while other objects were useful for protection. BOLGHERI: In Bolgheri we experienced the real culture of food and wine in Italy. We were given an amazing tour of a Tuscan winery with a wonderful food and wine tasting. We learned what wines are best paired with certain foods and the process of how wine is made. I love how much Italians
enjoy their food and wine, they make eating an entire experience and drink wine for enjoyment rather than abusing it for the alcohol, they slowly enjoy their meals and savor them. CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: Visiting the Carrara marble quarries was such a great experience, especially as an Interior Design major. Seeing where Michelangelo used to get his marble felt surreal. Learning about how marble is extracted from the mountains I found extremely fascinating. I loved seeing so many different examples of Carrera marble sculptures on display and all the different things you can do with the marble. Pietrasanta truly celebrated old and new art mixed in with contemporary pieces.
SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS‌ how laid back the Italian lifestyle is. I love how Italians take their time doing everything, you never feel like you’re in a rush, you just enjoy life.
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Laura Martin ART THERAPY WITH EDUCATION MINOR
CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: Pietrasanta is considered an artistic city because of its deep roots of art and sculpture. It became an artistic city after Pope Leo had Michelangelo construct a road from the coast of Pietrasanta to Monte Altissima (known for its rich white marble). Today artists from around the world flock to Pietrasanta to use the marble studios. The marble rich mountains where Michelangelo would come to choose the material for his creations. This is an area famous worldwide for this artistic connection and the town of Pietrasanta keeps reinventing itself thanks to its passion for sculpture. I particularly enjoyed learning about how the marble was cultivated from the mountains, as well as how it is manipulated by the artists. Looking at the big blocks of marble and comparing them to the smooth sculpted creations was thought provoking - I wondered how the artists would go about creating their pieces? Florence, Italy
How does the process start?
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE… it allowed me to immerse myself in Italian culture in a unique way that I have never experienced before. Not only did we travel along with Italian natives, but we were able to see off the beaten path sites all around italy that perhaps I would have never seen if I didn’t take part in this course.
LE CINQUE TERRE: Cinque Terre is located on the coast in the region of Liguria and is made up of five lands-Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Moterosso al Mare. The landscape is full of beautiful colorful houses along the coastal mountains. In the last half a century Cinque Terre has abandoned farming, and as a result the terraced slopes have been greatly affected by crumbling of the dry stone walls and SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY mass movements. PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS… the much slower paced lifestyle than America. Italians love to enjoy their company and spend quality time with each other- for example a dinner at a restaurant with an Italian would probably last for two and a half hours, whereas in America if you go out to eat it’s usually no longer than an hour.
Sarah Mirisola GRAPHIC DESIGN
VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo and Orvieto: The villas we explored as a group were unlike anything I have ever seen in America. The gardens and nature around the villas gave a sense of royalty and richness that the owner of the villas must have held. The gardens were different than gardens in America. They were full of trees and greenery instead of flowers and plants. The fountains were symbolic of the two major rivers within Italy, Arno and Tiber. The Villas were huge building filled with art and history of their owners.
that they pick the grapes they use in their in a sea that clear and clean in my life. The wine by hand. They do everything by hand buildings that contained the sea were also at their wine production plant. very beautiful because they all had their own identity through the use of color. The IAREGGIO CARNIVAL: It was very whole area was very unique, and I have interesting going to the place where they never seen a sight like it in my whole life. build the parade floats for the carnival. I liked seeing the steps it took to make one of the floats from the carnival. My favorite thing about that place we visited was seeing the old floats that were in past carnivals and how the themes and creativity developed over time. My favorite float was the tall her BOLGHERI: While at the wine tasting event, in the middle of the exhibit that was African we learned about how to pair different inspired. wines with different meals. Also, we learned about when to drink certain wines at what LE CINQUE TERRE: Le Cinque Terre was time. For example, you are supposed to only my favorite place that we visited out of the drink red wine while you are eating a meal whole travel week trips. The beauty of that with meat in it. We also learned the process area was impossible to capture within an of how to make wine from the grape to the image. The beaches were full of soft sand final product. The wine tasting villa told us and see through water. I have never been Fa l l 2 01 9
Elisabeth Moffett INTERIOR DESIGN
ROME: Rome was our first stop during travel week, and it was clear that architecture is a huge part of the city’s history. The most impressive part of their historical architecture (in my opinion) was the Roman Forum and its grandeur. The forum was a plaza in its glory days, with government buildings and marketplaces. It took up so much space and the classical architecture was amazing, with different columns and buildings at various scales. As for Rome’s art, the Trevi Fountain was my favorite because of its intricacy and placement as part of a building.
1925 and five years later Umberto Bermarco painted them an official poster. From that year on they used a poster to promote the event and some subsequent years the poster would be the same, but for the most part it would change annually. The Viareggio Carnival is still very popular and prominent in the culture, they even had a special float for their 100th anniversary. The 100th anniversary float looked like a missed and then it opened up to reveal 5 circles of the Olympic Games and the two clocks on the sides would open up to blast confetti.
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: Carnival is 146 years old and it began when a group of boys decided to move a show to the outdoors. They made some chariots for the first time and threw chalk pieces out instead of confetti. The first floats were made out of wood and chalk, not paper mâché. Paper mâché was first used on a Carnival float in
CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: Michelangelo used marble from the Carrara quarries and this marble is used globally by artists. Marble from Carrara is expensive and is what every international artist would love to use as their medium. This wasn’t always the case though. Back in the day marble was connected to sacred
Florence, Italy
art and during the fascist age it was used for propaganda in massive buildings and for colonialism. The use of the beautiful marble during the fascist age created a negative connotation that wasn’t changed for years. The way marble was seen changed when the fascist dictatorship ended, and artists decided to take back the meaning of marble.
Emily O’Donnell INTERIOR DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE
POPULONIA AND BARATTI: Going to the coat and visiting some of the old burial grounds of the Etruscans was an interesting experience. We were able to walk around and see how the different tombs were symbolic of class and time period, and we were able to enter some of the tombs. Going into the tombs was very different than anything I have ever done and was also the most claustrophobic I have ever felt!
BOLGHERI: In Italy, food and wine is a way of bringing people together. This portion of the Italian culture has nothing to do with class, where or how you live, or what your family history is. People come together to eat and have a conversation about what they are eating. Tourists are also known for coming to Italy to try the authentic wine and food, especially the pasta. Food and wine is one thing in Italy that brings everyone together.
mountains. I’m sure that although it is hard living, they wouldn’t change their location and proximity to the ocean for anything else. THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE… of how many different places we were able to visit. Each location was in a different part of the country, and we were able to embrace and recognize the differences of each culture.
LE CINQUE TERRE: Cinque Terre consists of five beautiful towns along Italy’s coast. These towns are built into the side of some very steep mountains. These mountains make agricultural life and transportation by car difficult. The fields are made on very steep, high altitude hills and mountains which make it more difficult to grow and harvest. Even so, people have planted and maintained vineyards on the sides of these Fa l l 2 01 9
Yumika Onuma INTERIOR DESIGN
ROME: We visited many famous places in Rome, but Colosseum was the most impressive and historical place. Colosseum was built in 70-80 AD by Vespasian and Titus. Even though it was built many years ago, Colosseum still remain the original shape, that is why it could become a symbol of Rome. The Colosseum was a place to fight, and audiences enjoyed watching the games. Depending on the time, there are different players, such as animals, people and slaves. It was amazing because there is an elevator system in the basement of the Colosseum at the time to carry up animals on the stage on the ground level. POPULONIA AND BARATTI: Populonia is the only Etruscan city by the sea. From 8 to 9 B.C., people made large hole to find iron which will be the center of economic of Etruscan city. For Baratti, the Graves were divided by different classes of people. High Florence, Italy
class people’s grave are a circle house and made by part of horizontal stones and soil. and several bed. People put dead body on the bed at the time. For middle class people were in the stone boxes. CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: Carrara marble is used for rich people. Rich people usually order sculpture with Carrara marble for their hobbies. We visited the company where creates sculptures with the marble and runs for 46 years. The company said artist is one of their families, so the people work for the company try their best for clients’ requests. For example, one of the clients wanted a horse sculpture but it was really heavy, so the company made a hole inside of the sculpture in order to reduce the weight. In the city of Pietrasanta has so many artist’s exhibitions. Whole city is like a museum.
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE... Italy has many historical buildings in the city. In Florence, walking 1 min away from my apartment, there is Piazza di Santa Croce. It is really unusual compared to around Endicott. It will encourage me to have motivation to study historical architecture.
Elvira Osmanovic EDUCATION
ROME: I have noticed that since arriving in Italy, art is a major component of its history and everyday life. Even with just walking around the streets of Rome, I noticed how much design and detail went into buildings like the Colosseum and St. Peters Basilica Church. I remember thinking to myself when visiting these destinations about the immense detail and precision one had to partake in when creating these beautiful artifacts. It blows my mind that societies in that time era were so determined and used these pieces of art to exploit wealth and position in society. CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: We visited the home of an Italian marble sculptor, which in itself was amazing. We were able to see the workshop in which he created these marble statues. The pieces this man created was exploited in a mini museum in the basement of the
building. It was impressive to see how one’s hands could create such beautiful and detailed pieces. Pietrasanta was a very small town but a very wealthy one. I felt very high class walking through this area with my gelato. Much like the rest of Italy, it was beautiful. Locals were walking around almost showing off their small dogs and nifty handbags and shoes. It was for sure a place to go and display one’s wealth.
in itself helped me step out of my comfort zone. I had to rely on myself and our professors guiding us throughout the week. Lucia and Caroletta were also an immense help. I felt very close to Lucia and created a good relationship with her. This also helped me feel like an Italian citizen because she is from here and knows more about this place than anybody else. Creating this relationship with her and learning Italian with both of them throughout the week contributed to THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO this change and drop into a new culture. ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE… I felt included in the culture. With the many destinations we visited throughout Italy, the interactions I had with locals and other individuals allowed me to feel safe and comfortable in this new and unique area. I was on my own in a completely new and different country without my parents which Fa l l 2 01 9
Elisa Palumbo
LIBERAL STUDIES WITH ARTS ADMINISTRATION MINOR
VILLA LANTE, BOMARZO AND ORVIETO: When visiting these renaissance gardens the sights were breathe taking. It made me think about the ways in which the Italians had to have dreamt up these ideas and visions to create what they did. When arriving at Bomarzo I was skeptical walking into what they call “The Garden of Monsters”, but as we walked through the larger than life statues and how every everyone enveloped its own allegory. This garden was unlike Villa Lante, because Bomarzo was a statue garden and free flowing, Lante was filled with greenery and fountains and levels with a clear literal vision. BOLGHERI: Wine is more than a hobby here. It is a lifestyle. Italians drink to enjoy their wine and assess the beauty and complexity of every sip. Exploring the vineyards, a seeing how the grapes are farmed and harvested prepared and kept was so Florence, Italy
interesting to see. Not only was it interesting to learn about the wine making process, but the view from the top of processing building overlooking acres and acres of grapes and mountains was an incredible feeling. VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: The Carnival of Viareggio is one of the most appreciated carnivals internationally. Thousands of people gather every year, tourists and Italians combined and participate. Visiting the Carnival site was so interesting because we got to see the floats unclose and personal not only from the past years’ festivities but the beginning stages of the floats for the next celebration. We were given an in person lesson of how the floats are made. Our Tour guide explained who is involved and where the ideas come from for every float. I felt like I was walking through the hall of fame of parade floats.
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE… this has been my first traveling experience outside the United States, my first time traveling on a plane and being in a place where I did not speak the mother tongue. Our professors really made it their goal to make us feel comfortable and teach us how to live like a local.
Fallon Parmelee INTERIOR DESIGN
VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo, and Orvieto: The gardens at Villa Lante and Bomarzo were some of the most beautiful and intriguing gardens that I have ever been in. Villa Lante gave me the feeling of elegance and beauty with its winding symmetrical foliage and intricate architecture. Bomarzo was a unique experience and I enjoyed wandering through the gardens to observe the many mythical creatures and figures that were carved at such large scales into stone. These sites were very peaceful and showed me an aspect of Italian culture that I didn’t know about previously.
surreal experience. I loved getting a taste of the local culture of Tuscany and learning about how important the wine industry is to Italians across the entire country.
VIAREGGIO FESTIVAL: At our stop in Viareggio, we learned all about the traditional festival of Carnival which occurs every year in February. I had heard of Carnival before this, but never truly understood what goes into putting on such a large and well-known event. I loved seeing how the grand masks are made and seeing many of the gigantic masks from past Carnivals. It would be so fun to be able to BOLGHERI: I truly enjoyed visiting the attend this event at some point, whether it is traditional winery in Bolgheri to taste and in Viareggio or one of the other many Italian sample different wines and foods native to cities that host this event. Tuscany. Whenever a person thinks about Italy, they typically think of Tuscany and the amazing vineyards and rolling hills. Being to experience this vision in person was a
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE‌ spending my first week traveling around Italy helped me become more confident in my ability to experience new cultures in an open-minded and unbiased way. Having guides for the first week made me feel more capable to do more traveling for the semester on my own time.
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Alexandra Rose STUDIO ART
ROME: Rome is a magnificent destination in Italy, rich in history. I felt as though I had just dived into the pages of a textbook as we were immersed in a culture unlike any other, I had ever experienced before. With features such as the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Ancient Roman Forum, all so closely located in a single concentrated area, I could not help but be overwhelmed by the significance of this city and all the people who have walked the streets before. Seeing the Colosseum for the first time caused my steps to falter as I turned the corner and was confronted by a structure that is larger than life. It is incredible to think that Rome’s first ever permanent arena still stands to this day even after wars and natural disasters. Next to the Colosseum is Palatine hill which is identified as the birthplace of Rome. I loved being able to see the remains of the first emperor’s palace atop the hill, but my favorite part was being able to look out onto the Ancient Florence, Italy
Roman forum. The views of Rome from these three locations were beautiful, but the most breathtaking view I found was in the Vatican City from the top of the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Overall, the two history rich days I spent in Rome were unforgettable.
on the trails are picturesque and you will have plenty of time to enjoy them as you stop frequently to catch your breath from the drastic inclines and declines across the mountainside, which feel never-ending. As a tourist I chose to hike from the third town to the last and was completely exhausted after LE CINQUE TERRE: Le Cinque Terre offers a the three hour trek, my legs would not stop beautiful landscape that leaves every visitor shaking. I can only imagine the difficulties out of breath and weak in the knees from that the locals are required to endure. both its beauty and its intensive hiking trails with extreme inclines. The Cinque Terre is a collection of 5 towns in a row that can now be visited by train and are frequented by tourists, especially in the summer season. Towns are nestled into mountains both at sea level and close to the top, surrounded by water. The name of the five Cinque Terre in order are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. There are trails that visitors are allowed to hike which, connect each of the 5 towns. The views
Rebekah Schade COMMUNICATIONS WITH ENGLISH MINOR
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: Viareggio Carnival is a carnival with huge floats that is used as a cultural celebration and also a competition. The Viareggio carnival is a huge symbol in Italy representing history and is on live national television every year because of the size and importance of the event. During this portion of travel week, I thought it was really interesting to not only learn about something that has great historical significance in Italy but is also still very important in the Italian world today. CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: Just like the Viareggio Carnival, it was nice to go to the place where there was so much rich history (the artist Michelangelo got his marble from these quarries) and see it still has such an importance today. This marble quarry is the diamond of this particular region, and it gets a lot of attention still from modern sculptors
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE‌ coming into this week having never been to Italy let alone Europe, I was able to better grasp how LE CINQUE TERRE: The landscape was Italy has many different cultures depending absolutely beautiful. From the mountainous on the region and felt more comfortable areas with the trees to the vast ocean that living here for 3 months. could be seen from the hiking trails, Cinque Terre is definitely a beautiful place. Although beautiful, some of the aspects of the land do pose a problem for those who live there. The mountainous landscape makes it hard for anyone to move there, so the people that farm the land and live there are people whose families have lived there for generations. who are commissioned to make a statue. I enjoyed seeing all of the different artwork and learning about the multiple different sculptures that were made out of marble from this quarry all around the world.
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Kelly Shane HOSPITALITY
BOLGHERI: Bolgheri is the winery that we went to I learned so much on this portion of the trip. The view was amazing, and everything was so beautiful we got to see the wine in the barrels and learn about everything and how the wine is so different from American wine. We also got to taste the wine and pair it with cheeses and meats. I really liked this stop and I learned so much about wine.
CINQUE TERRE: I absolutely loved Cinque Terre it is absolutely beautiful. The hike was so difficult but so worth it. The towns are so pretty and so colorful. It was definitely the hardest hike I have ever done. I never realized how hard it was actually going to be. I am so happy I did it though because the view was amazing. If I didn’t like it, I would have regretted it. the beaches were so beautiful, and the water was so clear.
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: Viareggio Carnival when we got here, I wasn’t that excited about it because I am not a huge fan of carnivals, but I have to say it was really cool seeing everything in person. The museum was so cool, and we got to see everything from order of the years, and it was really interesting. I think it was really cool that we got to see it in person and up close. It really is amazing when you see it up close.
SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS... something that changed my perspective about Italy was the hidden beauty in the wineries and Cinque Terre. The drive going to all these amazing places was absolutely breathtaking. Each place was so different and so unique.
Florence, Italy
Annabella Silva STUDIO ART WITH ART THERAPY MINOR
VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo and Orvieto: Exploring aspects of architecture and nature as they come together to create art is an exhibition that I really enjoyed. Villa Lante and Bomarzo are vastly different gardens that both showcase very important aspects of the renaissance style gardens. Each garden has its own theme to bring to the name of the renaissance style; while Villa Lante was meant to be traditional, relaxing and delightful, others like Bomarzo might be more spiritual, expressive and mystical. It is intriguing to think of every garden we saw as beginning with the same idea; Renaissance. BOLGHERI: The Bolgheri wine culture is one of the richest parts of Italian culture. Italians are very proud of their wine, as it is in large part written into their history. Throughout the countryside, many vineyards blanket the land and can be seen more than many other landmarks. Because the wine
culture here is so prestigious, Italians keep their grapes up to high standards and have large warehouses where they keep their wine, allowing it to age to age to perfection. VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: Viareggio is the main city in the region and has been a tourist destination since the beginning of the twentieth century and plays a very important role in the celebration of Carnival every year between February and March. The artistic contest that is held here is one of the highest forms of pageantry and fun, with various teams working by the months to create extravagant floats to parade on the day of Carnival. Witnessing the history of this tradition was something special, and I feel that I’ve been able to examine behind the scenes of something that so many people know and love.
LE CINQUE TERRE: The five cities of Cinque Terre are Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso, and each is situated in their own little niche between the mountains and the sea. Here, travelling to one city from the others is an excursion one can take either by foot, car or train. Those travelling by foot can expect to encounter steep up and downhill climbs, but with the most rewarding views from the peaks of the hills. Because of these steep conditions, the city buildings and landmarks are placed precariously between the hills, while the slopes are used for agriculture.
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Alana Slattery EDUCATION
POPULONIA AND BARATTI: In Populonia, we learned about the Etruscans. We were able to go into one of the tombs that was on the site. From the outside it looks like a huge dome structure, but on the inside, it was really contracted. The point of having it look big from the outside was to show the family’s wealth that was buried inside. After talking about the Etruscans, we were able to go to the Bay of Baratti and enjoy some time at the beach. The water was gorgeous, and the views were breathtaking.
have a short amount of time to make them. LE CINQUE TERRE: Cinque Terre was People of the city love to come watch his absolutely stunning. It looks almost fake event every year. because that how perfect it is. The hike from one town to the next is completed on CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND a difficult hike that is made up of stairs and PIETRASANTA: Marble is a commonly steep inclines. Once you get to Monterosso al used material in all Italian structures. It was Mare, the views take your breath away. The amazing to see the talent that these artists beautiful beaches and bright blue water are have to build sculptures. Their house became unmatched to any beach that I have ever a museum that held all their creations been to. It was my favorite place of the week. on their property. In the basement of the house, it displayed beautiful pieces that the owner had created himself. The pieces really VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: The floats depicted showed the work ethic of the artists because major events that were happening in the these structures take a lot of time, effort, and world at that specific time and captures immense talent to create. it. A lot of the floats are made to spread a message about what is going on in politics all over the world. Some of the floats could be strange to look at because they involve dramatized art that can be creepy. The floats that are created are enormous and they only Florence, Italy
Cailey Snowdon GRAPHIC DESIGN
with the amount of tourism, but even with THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY the locals, they can appreciate the wine that WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A was locally grown and produced. GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE‌ I was really CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND able to immerse myself in every aspect PIETRASANTA: The marble quarries were of the culture and put my own views into incredible to see the mountain where the perspective so that I can integrate that into marble was sourced, and then to visit a my daily life. workshop where the artists got to carve the marble. I can remember them saying that artists saw the sculpture within the giant block of marble, and it was their job to bring the sculpture out of the marble and carve away the excess around it. Pietrasanta BOLGHERI: Bolgheri hosts some of the best was nice to see the city where the sculptures grapes in all of Northern Italy, and I really came to live and lived on the streets enjoyed seeing the whole process of growing decorating the city. the grapes, to harvest, to production, and holding periods in the barrels. Wine and food is such a big part of Italian culture, and many social gatherings are centered around food or wine. It is great for the economy POPULONIA AND BARATTI: Populonia and the Baratti Archeological park was an amazing site to see how the ancient Etruscans lived in their huts, as well as looking at their burial practices and traditions. It was very interesting to think about the type of modern technology and advanced thought processes went into constructing the huts, even in such an early age. Also, the fact of having their main production industry being steel and metals, I was very impressed and overwhelmed with the advancements at the time.
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Shelby Stanley COMMUNICATIONS
ROME: There was so much history we learned when in Rome, but my favorite thing we learned about with the colosseum. What I found interesting was that it was actually built as propaganda for the Roman government and used to gain the approval of the citizens. The design of the building is also interesting because it allowed for the entire city of Rome to be able to enter and exit quickly and the design is still used today in stadiums.
VILLA LANTE, BOMARZO AND ORVIETO: Italian gardens are interesting because they serve a different purpose than American gardens. Italian gardens are used more as an artistic take on nature by displaying sculptures and water features throughout. Something I found most interesting was the dinner water feature in Villa Lante. I think it’s strange how they would wash their feet while they ate, but I think it’s smart how they kept their food cold by keeping it in the water on the table.
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: Viareggio Carnival began at the end of the 19th century and has grown to be the most popular carnivals in Italy and maybe even in Europe. It’s a tradition in the carnival to have giant floats made of paper mâché than weigh many tons. The carnival floats have become a competition amongst the creators with winner’s receiving tens of thousands of dollars, but this does not compare to the money put into these floats, which is much more than the actual prize. SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS... learning about historic places within Italy from someone from the country showed me that things I had learned previously (from someone not from Italy), lack complete information or it inaccurate in some way.
Florence, Italy
Julianne Sullivan INTERIOR DESIGN
ROME: It was an incredibly surreal experience driving through Rome for the first time. One street you’re driving past tall, modern buildings covered in spray paint and the next street your passing under the ancient Roman aqueducts followed closely by the Colosseum. I have never been surrounded by so much history in my life. Learning about the history behind the Roman forum and the amazing architecture they were able to create for what little technology they had and for the time period that they lived in. Being able to walk through the streets and just be able to stumble upon the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain was a welcomed surprise and something I can’t experience anywhere else in the world.
VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo, and Orvieto: The gardens of Villa Lante, Bomarzo, and Orvieto were astonishing and so different from one another. Villa Lante was the epitome of an Italian Renaissance garden in all its beautiful greenery and gorgeous running fountains. Bomarzo was a twist that was unexpected yet wonderful to experience. The intricacies of all the rock carvings and the love story of Pierre Francesco Orsini and his wife was just as beautiful as the sculptures themselves. And what I found the most intriguing was the Tarot Garden of Orvieto. A beautifully weird, interactive sculpture garden based on the card deck of the same name. All of the gardens were so unique with one commonality shared between them all, entertainment.
POPULONIA AND BARATTI: The Etruscan Necropolis felt most connected to the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum. Being able to walk into a fully intact tomb where remains of an ancient human lay was a somber experience. It was also interesting to learn about how you could decipher which tomb belonged to which class of person based on how they were buried. For example, families of high status were buried with riches in one of the large above-ground, circular tombs. Equally as beautiful was the panoramic view of the Mediterranean ocean that could be seen from the hill that the Necropolis sat on.
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Katie Tomko INTERIOR DESIGN
VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: From historical traditions to popular culture, Viareggio Carnival is a beloved annual tradition that is highly looked forward to in Italian tradition. The parade consists of the most extravagant, colorful homemade float competition.
CINQUE TERRE: The Beauty of Le Cinque Terre, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, is absolutely breathe taking. The turquoise water surrounds the hilly terrain of the coast offering a few challenges for the livelihood of the local Italians. The Viticulture of the area CARRARA: The Carrara marble quarries and is defined heroic because of the steepness of Pietrasanta has been the natural resource the terrain. The sloping mountainside holds for artists throughout history. The exaction vineyards that can be defined as heroic. of marble from these quarried began as early as the roman times. Leonardo Di THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY Vinci’s David was carefully chiseled from WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF marble and artists, to this day, come from MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A here and far for the natural resource of the GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE…I got to travel quarry. Pietrasanta is considered an arctic with amazing people, try delicious food and city because of its amazing architecture as explore the Italian countryside. well as the quarry. Full of contemporary and historical art, the town is considered great inspiration to artists.
Florence, Italy
SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS…the pride Italians have for their homelands, food, wine and people.
Jessie Vancelette INTERIOR DESIGN
ROME: By seeing and visiting the many different ancient monuments like the colosseum and the Roman Forum, it showed me just how important art and architecture was to the ancient Romans. They created enormous and extravagant structures for government purposes. Many detailed and incredible paintings fill most buildings in Rome, from restaurants to shops. There were even paintings inside the ancient structures too. This shows how important Roman artwork was in ancient times and in today’s culture.
CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: The Carrara marble quarries were filled with amazing slabs of marble and creations made from the marble that was taken from a mountain nearby. In Pietrasanta there were numerous statues in the central city square made out of the local marble taken from multiple quarries. This shows me the sense of pride that the location has in its marble and of the incredible local Italian artists that have created many works of art throughout history.
LE CINQUE TERRE: The incredible landscapes of Le Cinque Terre were very mountainous, and the terrain of these mountains were very harsh. The conditions of this area create a lot of challenges faced by its inhabitants each and every day. The land can make it hard for the owners of the houses to reach their homes or for guest to come visit. With extremely steep mountainsides, people that are farm owners will find it very difficult to tend to their land. SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS…eating the food during the Cultural Introduction to Italy week. I didn’t realize how diverse the different cuisines were when you traveled from the different regions in Italy.
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Lauren Vickery NURSING
VILLA LANTE, Bomarzo and Orvieto: Villa Lante was a beautiful place where two Villas stood on a hill with surrounding gardens. The main focus of the garden was the water features. There was a main fountain in the front with perfectly trimmed hedges. The fountain included the family crest of the star and the mountain. Behind the Villas were even more water elements in the garden. The waterfall with the green vines behind it was my favorite. Bomarzo was very unique with its thoughtful, monster-like sculptures. Each sculpture had a deeper meaning to them, and it was exciting to analyze each one and hear other opinions. My favorite sculpture in the grove was the tilted house. It was very dizzying inside, but I loved the concept.
I learned about the different types of wine that we tried and what kinds of grapes they grew. I learned that Italians mostly drank red wine with their meals and that white wine was usually served before or after. In the Tuscany region, wine is very important to the economy, only about 30% of the bottles from the vineyard stayed in Italy and about 70% were shipped outside of the country. I also learned a lot about the wine making process which was very intriguing.
CARRARA MARBLE QUARRIES AND PIETRASANTA: The marble quarries are very important to the economy in Tuscany. There are many marble workshops and artists in the area. The marble quarries in Tuscany are said to be the best in all of Italy and Michelangelo was known for getting his BOLGHERI: The Bolgheri vineyard was so marble from them. The marble studio we gorgeous. The food they prepared for us visited had been family run for generations. was delicious and the was very good as well. The women explained how her father had Florence, Italy
purchased the plot of land for the studio against his family’s wishes. She showed us around the exhibits on the grounds around the studio and in the basement with some of their favorite pieces. THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE‌ It introduced me to Italian language and culture in a very gradual but helpful way. Marco did an amazing job answer us questions and giving us mini Italian lessons throughout the week. It made me more confident when we had to go out on our own.
Julia Vitto MARKETING
ROME: During our time in Rome we visited many historical sites dating back thousands of years, including the colosseum, the ancient ruins outside the colosseum and the Trevi fountain. Learning about all of the history and how people in ancient Rome lived their lives was very fascinating and really opened my eyes to how old and historical everything is in Rome. Even just walking down the streets of Rome there is history everywhere you look, so many things to see and I really appreciated the time we spent there. POPULONIA AND BARATTI: During our time visiting these two villages, we got to see the tombs of the Etruscans, which was extremely interesting and we actually got to go in them and learn about all the different aspects of these groups of people and how they were buried and the lifestyle of these people just based on the tomb they were
buried in. After this we were able to visit the beach which was a beautiful beach. VIAREGGIO CARNIVAL: During our time at the carnival we were able to go through all of the buildings that are dedicated to creating and storing all of the floats for the carnival. Seeing how early they start preparing and the hard work that goes into making these floats and the interesting technique they use was very interesting. She was able to show us a demonstration of how they create these floats and seeing this was very impressive.
relaxing, and we were able to get lunch and visit some of the shops that surrounded the area. Overall was a wonderful experience and I would definitely go back there.
SOMETHING THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT ITALY WAS‌ all of the insight on Italian people and their culture from my professors for this week. Hearing about the Italian culture from someone who actually lives here and have for their whole life is a whole different experience. Stereotypes are so different from the actual experience and experiencing LE CINQUE TERRE: Cinque Terre was a very traditional Italy was a real eye opening time fun experience for me. Although the tough for me and I have such a greater appreciation hike to get up there during a very hot day for Italy and the people who live here. was hard, the reward of being able to go on the beautiful beach there was too good. Although the tough hike, the views from the trail were unbeatable and so fantastic to be able to witness. The beach was very Fa l l 2 01 9
Ashlyn Young INTERIOR DESIGN
ROME: Starting travel week in Rome was a great way to start off my time abroad. It was an amazing city with rich, deep rooted history dating back almost 3000 years. Rome, being the birthplace of the Italian Republic, way older than anything you find in the US, was filled with magnificent ruins like the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, beautiful fountains like the Fountain of the Four Rivers and grand architecture seen literally all over the city. Starting off in Rome right away emerged us into the hustle and bustle of the Italian city culture. BOLGHERI: Bolgheri is a central Italian village in Tuscany. Here, we got the chance to visit a winery. We had an amazing four course meal, consisting of an antipasti (appetizer), the primi (first course), the secondi (main dish) and then the tasty dolci (dessert). With each dish that came out we got a wine paired with our meals. We sat, Florence, Italy
eating our tasty food, overlooking the entire vineyard. It was an experience unlike any other. Populonia and Baratti: in the footsteps of ancient dominations in Central Italy LE CINQUE TERRE: Le Cinque Terre was our last stop. It was an absolutely beautiful location, right on the water. The beaches there were like what you see on a postcard, it was almost too good to be true. Here we went on a hike, our group stopped at one of the towns and hiked to the 5th train stop, Le Cinque Terre, after there was free time for the beach. We rented beach chairs and laid out for the rest of the day, relaxing on a beautiful beach. The only downside to this beautiful location was how touristy it was, because of how beautiful the landscape was the more people it attracted. It was one of the more touristy stops of the trip.
THE CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO ITALY WEEK HAS HELPED ME STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FEEL LIKE A GLOBAL CITIZEN BECAUSE‌ it completely emerged me into the Italian culture and got me feeling more comfortable about studying abroad. I feel as though I was more prepared after the travel week to start school and living on my own in Italy after already spending a week there learning so much and really being a part of the culture. If I didn’t do the travel week, I feel like I would have been lost.
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CREDITS Photo Credit: Endicott Students Fall 2019 Production Coordinator: Alice Cini Text editing and picture selection: Rachael Candoni