Palio Marches and Trials (by Sarah)

SIENA (#67)

We thought we could have a little rest for a while after our trip and all our guests, but NO WAY! We are all busy seeing friends all the time. The Palio is on Friday, and this whole week is going to be busier than ever.

First, there have been the marches or giri of the contrade. Each of the contrade have their turn to march or girare through the streets of Siena and pay respects to friendly contrade, the Commune, and the Bishop. The marches started about a month ago. Mom and Dad went on the Onda giro on Sunday.

Some Guests and Packing for Home (by Sarah)

SIENA (#66)

The 14th of June, the same day we returned from our vacation to the South, we started seeing a number of families and friends from the US.

First, the Zimble family arrived. We showed them around Siena and had a great time. The next day, we met with Rick, a friend from Lexington. On Wednesday, we went to mercato and then met with the Zimbles again for a wine tour in Castellina. After, we went back to their agri-tourism hotel and swam in their pool. We all helped to prepare a fabulous dinner, and then came back to Siena. The next day, we had a dinner with the Ducci family and with Rick. On Friday, Dad drove Rick to the airport in Florence. Saturday we went to Lucca and to the beach with the Gherardi family and with the Zimble family. We stayed in Lucca for the night at a hotel called Corte Degli Angeli. The next day, we went to Cinque Terre (the second time for us) with the Gherardis and the Zimbles. We had a great time and then headed back for Siena.

Our Trip to the South (by Sarah)

SIENA (#65)

Hey. It’s been a while since we have written anything. I decided to take the initiative and update all of our loyal readers on what the hell we’ve been doing this past busy month!

Both Alex’s and my school ended on Saturday, June 5th.  On the following Sunday, early in the morning, the contrada of the Giraffa made their march around the city, so I ran outside before we left and saw my friend Simone in complete uniform and throwing a huge flag up in the air along with others in the group.

The Contrada System of Siena (by Steve)

SIENA (#64)

Donatello Giallombardo

One of the things that contributes to the distinct character of Siena today is a unique social institution called the contrada.  One way to define contrada is “neighborhood association” because each one of them is mapped to a distinct geographical area of the City. Or you could define the contrada by the horse race that takes place every year in the town square, called the Palio:  the contrada would be like the team whose horse and rider compete in the Palio.  The problem with this approach, however, is that if you don’t know what the Palio is, it can’t really help you understand the contradas (or contrade in Italian).  

The Palio is more than a race and the contrade are much more than a neighborhood or sporting club that one can simply join. They are conservative social organizations with deep historical roots. Although they have been remarkably stable for centuries and are inherently traditional, they are alive, dynamic and continue to evolve. They have broad social, economic and even psychological functions and assume a dominant role in everyday, modern life in Siena. And as far as I can tell, the contrade are quite unique in the industrialized West.

Making Cheese in Front of the Duomo (by Steve)

SIENA (#63)

We were in front of the Cathedral or davanti al Duomo of Siena.  It was 1979, perhaps the third week of our 10-week Language Study Abroad program in Siena, Italy.  I was a Sophomore, completely overwhelmed with the expectations that one could really become fluent in a foreign language in 20 weeks (10 of which were here in Italy).  I was particularly concerned with so much depending on linguistic proficiency.  I really couldn't imagine how I could get credit for College-level Art History and Italian Literature Classes conducted completely in Italian, including the oral and written exams.

Local Heroes (by Shari Zimble)

CAMBRIDGE (#61)

I am excited to read your postings and to finally (I hope!) have subscribed to your newsletter.  This has been an extraordinary week throughout Massachusetts, but certainly in Cambridge.  It's as if the whole city is aglow.  There are flowers and balloons and signs of celebration on a grand scale as the first gay and lesbian couples are married.  We were not among the hundreds of people at the courthouse when the clock struck midnight and forms for marriage licenses were distributed (how was it that we did stay up for the last Harry Potter book but missed this?  was it just that the book was released on a Sat and history changed on a Sunday night?!).  For the first time in years, it seems, I was eager to listen to and read the news.  I kept crying -- when is the last time that happiness was so palpable?

My Field Trip to Parco Regionale della Maremma (by Sarah)

SIENA (#60)

This past Tuesday, my class and I went on our long awaited field trip to the Parco Regionale della Maremma. We hiked for three hours and stayed at a beach for two hours, and then hiked the three hours back. We were all so exhausted when we got home, but we all had a very memorable time! See pictures and don't forget to read on!!! We had been talking about this field trip for the past two weeks in science class. And when I say we talk about it in science class, we only talk about the trip and that's it during class! We were going for a walk in a park in maremma to see science and biology at its best.

7:55 am

I arrived at the parking lot and found most of the rest of my class waiting for the bus. Of course, the first thing we talked about was what everyone brought to eat. "Looks like another 'food-o-centric' field trip!" I thought to myself. The other class that was coming with us on the trip started to arrive. The bus came a few minutes after almost everyone was there.

Antonio's Liberation Story (by Steve)

SIENA (#59)

Liberation Day, April 25th and the 2nd of July are National Holidays in Italy.  They celebrate the founding of the 2nd Republic of Italy, not unlike our 4th of July in the United States.  I was surprised to find so little interest, however. Political leaders and journalists spoke and wrote about the urgent need to remember something, as if there were danger of forgetting it altogether and turning this holiday into an excuse for a picnic (gasp!).

It’s no wonder: most of the demonstrations of National unity we saw seemed ritualized, isolated from daily life and rather cold. I kept thinking about how different “official stories” are from the personal accounts of individual Italians, like Antonio Ducci’s. Later that same day while visiting the old Public Hospital of Siena, I was able to relate some of the larger story and the abstract ideas of Liberation to the personal stories of Antonio Ducci through this incredible monument.

Paying for the Gita Scolastica (by Alex)

SIENA (#54)

Paying for le gite scolastiche or field trips here is much different than it is in the United States.  These differences are similar to those of the rest of the education system. Here's an example:

Italy:

The trip costs 50 euro. There are 20 kids in a class and there are five payments of 10 euro (IN CASH). One kid is chosen (a responsible one) to give the 200 euro to the selected teacher on the selected date. It is entirely up to the kids to keep track of who has payed and who needs change and all of that.  In Italian "CASINO" (the word means what it implies crazyness).  If the kid counts the money and there's 5 euro missing you hear sudden eruptions, "What the HELL are you talking about I ALREADY payed!!!"  even though the remark was directed towards no one in particular.  In general, things are left totally up to the kids to figure out (or not) for themselves.

Paying for the Field Trip (by Alex)

SIENA (#62)

Paying for field trips here in Italy is totally different than in the United States.  Here the paying process is left entirely up to the kids.  As you can imagine, things get much more complicated and also much more disorganized.

For example, let's say there is a trip that costs €200 per kid (my trip cost about that much). The kids are asked to manage their own trip money. This includes collecting and keeping track of all money collected. So they designate one responsible kid out of the class for the lofty task. If there are 20 kids in a class that means that the one kid would be handling €4,000 (or $4,400). And to add to it all, the kids pay in cash!

Packing for Verona (by Alex)

SIENA (#56)

While packing for the class trip to Verona I was thinking about how many clothes to bring.  I thought, "well, this is Europe, so the kids will probably have a little tiny backpacks with clothes, and they will wear the clothes for like 2 days in a row."  I managed to fit the full 3 days worth of clothes in by backpack, and I stepped back for a moment.  The backpack was exploding.  I thought of what the situation would look like everybody with their little backpacks and me with my huge one, but at least I didn't have two bags, right?

Happy Birthday, Alex (by Grandpa Karoll)

ST LOUIS (#58)

We can tell that time has passed by looking at your name.
Alexander, Allie, Alex, you're called, but none the same!

One formal; one - early on, perhaps childish or playful;
Your latest choice, more mature, developed, thoughtful.

As a grandparent fortunate for short exposures over time,
My thoughts about you tend to the happy and sublime.

Happy Birthday, Alex! (by Bubbie Barbi)

BLOWING ROCK (#57)

Dear Alex,

I hope the fun you are having, turning fourteen in Italy, would fill more suitcases than all the ragazzi carried on the Verona trip.  Someday when your son turns 14, you can compare his day w/ your special Italian experiences.  It is a really good present, no?