Our time in Siena was amazing!
We started off with a cooking class! I had been waiting for this since we got to Italy. It was taught by an adorable Italian woman who of course did not speak any English (luckily we had a translator). We made crostini with chicken livers which I was definitely nervous about but they were actually pretty good, brusketta, which I loved and am very surprised that I did because I am not a fan of tomatoes but it was delicious, then we rolled our own pici noodles with a garlic sause. Last but definitely not least, there was tiramisu! There was a lot of work that went into the meal but the end result was so worth it. It reminded me of the dedication that it takes to help students find success in the classroom. It takes time and dedication and sometimes a little bit of trial and error but the end result makes the work late nights and lack of sleep worth it.
The next morning we went on a bus tour of Tuscany. It was amazing to see so much of this beautiful area but I did wish that the weather had been a tiny bit more cooperative. It was rainy and chilly for a lot of the day and that even caused us to end our last tour of the day early. Our first stop was Monteriggioni, a medieval Tuscan fortress which was a military base. We learned all about the rivalry between Florence and Siena. Within this fortress was a little town. It was so cool. Unfortunately, a TV special was being filmed during our time in Monteriggioni but it was still very interesting. Next we headed to Sa Gimignano, they were known for their various towers and we got to climb the tallest one. It was so beautiful from the top and even though I am terrified of heights I was very brave this weekend and never backed down! During our break we had the opportunity to try the Worlds Best gelato (according to our tour guide). I have discovered that I am not a fan of coffee but coffee flavored gelato is very tasty especially when it is accompanied by chocolate.
Our next stop was a Tuscan vineyard for an extended wine tasting AND lunch. The food was delicious and I had a really great time. We had soup, lasagna, olive oil, cheese, bread, salome and of course meat and potatoes. I was so stuffed but oh so happy. The truffle olive oil was delicious that I had on the lasagna and I decided it was a perfect gift for my wonderful grandpa! After that we were on our way to Volterra where they are known for alabaster and their scenery in the second Twilight movie. It was a great end to a chilly but eventful day.
Our final day in Siena began in the Basilica of San Domenic. We entered a church during a service. There was the head and finger of St. Catherine of Siena. Every time we see bodies or parts of bodies in these churches I am never quite sure how I feel about them. After the church we took a stroll through Siena. Our guide told us about all 17 of the neighborhoods that Siena is divided into. They each have their own flag, crest, colors and during the time of the horse race, the rivalry becomes very intense. I then found out that I am not a fan of cappuccino. Our whole group got powdered biscuits and cappuccinos at a pastry shop. After entering another museum and seeing some paintings we entered a tower with 509 steps, we ventured all the way to the top and it was so beautiful. I am so glad that I did not let my fear of heights get in the way of this amazing view! The way up was tiring but the way down was terrifying. I was not a fan of being able to see out into the square. After our break we met back up with the group and walked over to the Duomo di Siena. It was huge! Inside the Duomo was breathtaking and I loved the striped walls and columns inside.
There were many lessons that I learned during my time in Siena. It was interesting to hear about the great importance that the people of Siena put on community. Depending on where they live in Siena, they are part of a particular neighborhood. They are loyal to the members of their community just like the community that I hope to create in each one of my classes in the future. I also learned some things about myself during our weekend in Siena. One of my biggest fears is heights and during this trip I stood up to my fear and after doing that I got the opportunity to experience something amazing. I was able to see some great Tuscan scenery. There are so many things in life which may seem scary at first but if you pass on them just because they are scary you may miss out on something great. These lessons will hopefully make me a more worldly and knowledgeable teacher in the future.
We started off with a cooking class! I had been waiting for this since we got to Italy. It was taught by an adorable Italian woman who of course did not speak any English (luckily we had a translator). We made crostini with chicken livers which I was definitely nervous about but they were actually pretty good, brusketta, which I loved and am very surprised that I did because I am not a fan of tomatoes but it was delicious, then we rolled our own pici noodles with a garlic sause. Last but definitely not least, there was tiramisu! There was a lot of work that went into the meal but the end result was so worth it. It reminded me of the dedication that it takes to help students find success in the classroom. It takes time and dedication and sometimes a little bit of trial and error but the end result makes the work late nights and lack of sleep worth it.
The next morning we went on a bus tour of Tuscany. It was amazing to see so much of this beautiful area but I did wish that the weather had been a tiny bit more cooperative. It was rainy and chilly for a lot of the day and that even caused us to end our last tour of the day early. Our first stop was Monteriggioni, a medieval Tuscan fortress which was a military base. We learned all about the rivalry between Florence and Siena. Within this fortress was a little town. It was so cool. Unfortunately, a TV special was being filmed during our time in Monteriggioni but it was still very interesting. Next we headed to Sa Gimignano, they were known for their various towers and we got to climb the tallest one. It was so beautiful from the top and even though I am terrified of heights I was very brave this weekend and never backed down! During our break we had the opportunity to try the Worlds Best gelato (according to our tour guide). I have discovered that I am not a fan of coffee but coffee flavored gelato is very tasty especially when it is accompanied by chocolate.
Our next stop was a Tuscan vineyard for an extended wine tasting AND lunch. The food was delicious and I had a really great time. We had soup, lasagna, olive oil, cheese, bread, salome and of course meat and potatoes. I was so stuffed but oh so happy. The truffle olive oil was delicious that I had on the lasagna and I decided it was a perfect gift for my wonderful grandpa! After that we were on our way to Volterra where they are known for alabaster and their scenery in the second Twilight movie. It was a great end to a chilly but eventful day.
Our final day in Siena began in the Basilica of San Domenic. We entered a church during a service. There was the head and finger of St. Catherine of Siena. Every time we see bodies or parts of bodies in these churches I am never quite sure how I feel about them. After the church we took a stroll through Siena. Our guide told us about all 17 of the neighborhoods that Siena is divided into. They each have their own flag, crest, colors and during the time of the horse race, the rivalry becomes very intense. I then found out that I am not a fan of cappuccino. Our whole group got powdered biscuits and cappuccinos at a pastry shop. After entering another museum and seeing some paintings we entered a tower with 509 steps, we ventured all the way to the top and it was so beautiful. I am so glad that I did not let my fear of heights get in the way of this amazing view! The way up was tiring but the way down was terrifying. I was not a fan of being able to see out into the square. After our break we met back up with the group and walked over to the Duomo di Siena. It was huge! Inside the Duomo was breathtaking and I loved the striped walls and columns inside.
There were many lessons that I learned during my time in Siena. It was interesting to hear about the great importance that the people of Siena put on community. Depending on where they live in Siena, they are part of a particular neighborhood. They are loyal to the members of their community just like the community that I hope to create in each one of my classes in the future. I also learned some things about myself during our weekend in Siena. One of my biggest fears is heights and during this trip I stood up to my fear and after doing that I got the opportunity to experience something amazing. I was able to see some great Tuscan scenery. There are so many things in life which may seem scary at first but if you pass on them just because they are scary you may miss out on something great. These lessons will hopefully make me a more worldly and knowledgeable teacher in the future.
Cooking School
Rolling pici noodles
crostini with chicken liver and brusketta
Pici noodles with a garlic sause
tiramisu
Streets of Siena
View from Tower
View From Tower
Salome, Cheese, Salad, and Bread
Soup
Lasagna with truffle olive oil
Chicken and Potatoes
Beautiful Siena
Duomo
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