Class trip to tuscany
I will first start my discussion of the Tuscany trip by admitting the embarrassing fact that I did not know Tuscany was a region and not a city in Italy. Also, I did not know much about Tuscany (besides that Tucsonans have good wine!) before going on the trip. I am really glad that we got to explore many towns in the region, especially the small towns. In my opinion, you can get a better sense of what native life is like when you do you do this. It was also nice to have so much free time throughout the trip because this allowed us to observe locals’ habits. I found myself comparing the habits of Venetians to the Tucsonans throughout the trip. The more I visit other parts of Italy, the more I realize the uniqueness of each region. In this reflection I am going to discuss my thoughts about some of the different towns we visited, as well as the region of Tuscany itself. I will also explain how my experiences in Tuscany helped me to form my overall opinions about the Tucsonan culture.
In typical Italian fashion, our bus from S. Maria Novella to Siena was late. This was my first impression of the region, so I imagined their culture wouldn’t be quite different than the other regions in Italy I have visited. Our first stop was to visit the Museo Civico, where I was pleasantly surprised to learn so much about the history of Siena. We have learned in history class how, in general, the concept of social equality was foreign to Europeans before the French Revolution, so it was interesting to learn that Siena implemented many policies involving equality among its’ citizens. Our tour guide discussed how in the past there were different classes of people, but there was a great effort made to not show the differences between the rich and the poor. For example, you could have elegant jewels, but you were not allowed to show them off in public. The emphasis in this society was centered on protecting the city and countryside, so they had great regional pride. I would say that current residents of Siena also have a strong sense of regional pride. Our tour guide spoke highly of her region and was proud to tell us that eight Popes have been from Siena.
Later in the day we visited the University of Siena. All members of the admissions team that we met were excited to speak to us and persuaded us to continue our relations with the university. The university seems to embrace American students (as well as students from all nationalities) and even have many programs in English. They seemed much more progressive than the university here in Venice in terms of their active recruitment of foreign students as well as the vast amount of courses they offered. It appeared to me that although they are a town with a rich history, their society is changing with the times. This revolutionary way of thinking strongly contrasts the attitude of Venetians; my perception is that all of the effort appears to be put into keeping things the same instead of changing with the times. These ideals of change could also be seen in the Tucsonans’ impeccable English speaking skills; not once did I encounter a person in Siena that did not speak English. Furthermore, they did not speak “Italian English.” I could barely notice any accent when they spoke, unlike in Venice. This is a skill that is extremely beneficial for all types of jobs around the world.
One of the most memorable parts of the trip for me was witnessing the interaction of two old men in Montalcino. They were in their early 90s and were best friends. Although I could not understand what they were saying, (besides through my professor’s translation) their interaction really stuck with me. You could tell they were going back and forth with each other in a brotherly way. It was clear that they loved each other and that they were content with their lives. Before coming to Venice I had imagined similar situations, watching old people sitting on benches conversing with each other, and possibly feeding pigeons. I have yet to see this in Venice the way I imagined. In fact, I had forgotten about this daydream I had until I saw the two old men. It made me realize how sad and pessimistic the elderly population appears in Venice, especially in comparison to Tuscany. I often see older people scowling in the streets, almost always alone. Yet, here in Montalcino, my ideal image of “happy old people” was being actualized. It’s clear that the quality of life in Tuscany is much better than for the Venetians. It’s sad that the elderly population of Venice, from my observations, does not have these same experiences.
My observations of the trip lead me to a few conclusions. These may not be the typical conclusions that my other classmates may have come to, but I believe they are important. This trip allowed me to see the value in slowing down and living simply. Venice is a city overcome with mass amounts of tourism and pollution, while Tuscany is a region full of rolling hills and the sweet smell of olive trees. I believe the mass amount of tourism leads local Venetians to have a lower quality of life and pessimistic attitude. In contrast, Tucsonans are allowed to live simply because there is not an overwhelming amount of tourism in the city. As a result, they are allowed to live peacefully and enjoy the remote location in which they reside. I previously stated my perception of the elderly in both Venice and Tuscany, as well as my interpretation of their attitude and quality of life. I personally would prefer to live the lifestyle of a Tucsonan instead of a Venetian because I would not want my life overrun by tourism.
My thoughts throughout the weekend lead me to wonder several questions. I would like to talk to a Tucsonan and ask them if they would want to live anywhere else in the world as well as what Tuscany means to them. I would expect that the person I would ask would speak highly of the region and not imagine living anywhere else. I also wondered if my classmates could see themselves living in Tuscany and if the trip was what they expected. Personally, if I could live anywhere in Italy I would choose to live in Tuscany. I felt such a sense of happiness in the region and I could see myself a very simple life there.
In typical Italian fashion, our bus from S. Maria Novella to Siena was late. This was my first impression of the region, so I imagined their culture wouldn’t be quite different than the other regions in Italy I have visited. Our first stop was to visit the Museo Civico, where I was pleasantly surprised to learn so much about the history of Siena. We have learned in history class how, in general, the concept of social equality was foreign to Europeans before the French Revolution, so it was interesting to learn that Siena implemented many policies involving equality among its’ citizens. Our tour guide discussed how in the past there were different classes of people, but there was a great effort made to not show the differences between the rich and the poor. For example, you could have elegant jewels, but you were not allowed to show them off in public. The emphasis in this society was centered on protecting the city and countryside, so they had great regional pride. I would say that current residents of Siena also have a strong sense of regional pride. Our tour guide spoke highly of her region and was proud to tell us that eight Popes have been from Siena.
Later in the day we visited the University of Siena. All members of the admissions team that we met were excited to speak to us and persuaded us to continue our relations with the university. The university seems to embrace American students (as well as students from all nationalities) and even have many programs in English. They seemed much more progressive than the university here in Venice in terms of their active recruitment of foreign students as well as the vast amount of courses they offered. It appeared to me that although they are a town with a rich history, their society is changing with the times. This revolutionary way of thinking strongly contrasts the attitude of Venetians; my perception is that all of the effort appears to be put into keeping things the same instead of changing with the times. These ideals of change could also be seen in the Tucsonans’ impeccable English speaking skills; not once did I encounter a person in Siena that did not speak English. Furthermore, they did not speak “Italian English.” I could barely notice any accent when they spoke, unlike in Venice. This is a skill that is extremely beneficial for all types of jobs around the world.
One of the most memorable parts of the trip for me was witnessing the interaction of two old men in Montalcino. They were in their early 90s and were best friends. Although I could not understand what they were saying, (besides through my professor’s translation) their interaction really stuck with me. You could tell they were going back and forth with each other in a brotherly way. It was clear that they loved each other and that they were content with their lives. Before coming to Venice I had imagined similar situations, watching old people sitting on benches conversing with each other, and possibly feeding pigeons. I have yet to see this in Venice the way I imagined. In fact, I had forgotten about this daydream I had until I saw the two old men. It made me realize how sad and pessimistic the elderly population appears in Venice, especially in comparison to Tuscany. I often see older people scowling in the streets, almost always alone. Yet, here in Montalcino, my ideal image of “happy old people” was being actualized. It’s clear that the quality of life in Tuscany is much better than for the Venetians. It’s sad that the elderly population of Venice, from my observations, does not have these same experiences.
My observations of the trip lead me to a few conclusions. These may not be the typical conclusions that my other classmates may have come to, but I believe they are important. This trip allowed me to see the value in slowing down and living simply. Venice is a city overcome with mass amounts of tourism and pollution, while Tuscany is a region full of rolling hills and the sweet smell of olive trees. I believe the mass amount of tourism leads local Venetians to have a lower quality of life and pessimistic attitude. In contrast, Tucsonans are allowed to live simply because there is not an overwhelming amount of tourism in the city. As a result, they are allowed to live peacefully and enjoy the remote location in which they reside. I previously stated my perception of the elderly in both Venice and Tuscany, as well as my interpretation of their attitude and quality of life. I personally would prefer to live the lifestyle of a Tucsonan instead of a Venetian because I would not want my life overrun by tourism.
My thoughts throughout the weekend lead me to wonder several questions. I would like to talk to a Tucsonan and ask them if they would want to live anywhere else in the world as well as what Tuscany means to them. I would expect that the person I would ask would speak highly of the region and not imagine living anywhere else. I also wondered if my classmates could see themselves living in Tuscany and if the trip was what they expected. Personally, if I could live anywhere in Italy I would choose to live in Tuscany. I felt such a sense of happiness in the region and I could see myself a very simple life there.