WHERE OH
WHERE IS ROSSO?
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| Rosso's and Elsa's trip begins in Washington, D.C. |
I
started my journey on June 21st and have officially checked off
Siena Italy as a top place to visit. I had no idea how beautiful a city could
be until I was living inside the walls of such powerful history that I
understand why people don’t leave Siena very often.
I moved
into a stunning fourth floor apartment where two Italian girls, Mariangela and
Alessia, at Siena University’s are currently residing. These two girls have
made my stay in Siena that much more enjoyable. I couldn’t have asked for a
better hand on experience with the Italian language then being able to get
dinner with them at local restaurants or just hanging around the apartment watching
Italian reality TV shows. They truly are becoming lifelong friends, an
experience I wasn’t expecting to find but am thankful for.
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| Me, Katie, Mariangela, and Alessia, Piazza del Campo Siena Italy |
Our
study abroad program consisted of learning spoken Italian, Italian Sign
Language, and Italian Deaf Culture. Talk about incredible. Everyday I was encouraged
to communicate in a new and foreign way. My perspectives on the world were
constantly being changed due to the variety of languages I encountered here in
Siena on a daily basis.
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| Rosso and Elsa at the Siena School for Liberal Arts |
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| Can you find Rosso? |
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| Rosso taking a break from class and enjoying the view |
Through
our studies we were able to experience two different Italian Deaf communities.
We visited the local ENS, Ente Nationale Sordomuti, which consisted of many
older Italians who spoke more than they signed. We were fortunate enough to
meet an older Deaf gentleman who had once walked the halls of the same school
we attend today. I am still so fascinated by his stories from his time at the
Siena school and wish I was able to learn more from him.
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| Italian Deaf Gentleman, Siena School |
We were also given the
opportunity to visit Bologna, a city about two hours from Siena. We arrived and
were greeted by two Deaf Italians who were gracious enough to show us both
their city and their Deaf bar called Senza Nome. Through this experience we got
to see individuals who were communicating through sign language, even the
hearing individuals who didn’t know sign were required to order through sign
language. A difference in the generations here in Italy made me appreciate
their language that much more. I am still over the moon because of all the
experiences that I have been given and both of these experiences will leave a
place in my heart forever.
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| Bar Senza Nome, Bologna Italy |
Luckily
our program overlapped with one of Siena’s biggest events, the Palio (a horse race). This
tradition in Siena has been going on for centuries and includes much more
history and pride than I had originally anticipated. Siena is separated into 17
Contrades, individually they each are represented by mascots and proudly show
off their spirit with parading through the streets of Siena whenever they can.
(Which can mean a rude awakening to the sounds of drumming in the middle of the
night). The elephant Contrade recently won the Palio and as tradition says the
Contrade that wins is born again, meaning this Contrade has been seen with pacifiers
walking around the city. The race itself lasted about three total minutes but
the buildup to the race lasted around four hours. People are allowed into the
Piazza del Campo for free but must arrive early enough to get a good vantage
point, some individuals lined up as early as five in the morning. The greatest
moments come from finding the true spirit of what you see and luckily I was able
to experience a great Palio race.
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| Katie and me enjoying the crowds during the Palio de Siena 2015 |
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| Rosso's hideout during our time in Italy |
Although
my time here seems shorter as each day passes I have grown so much through this
experience that I am unable to think of a better way to have spent my last
three weeks.
La Dolce
Vita
Elsa
Sylvester & Rosso
Deaf Studies Summer Study Program in Siena
Italy
