Reflections, on this next-to-last day of my month in Italy One of the things my well-traveled manpanion told me last year before I went to Austria and Germany was to interact with locals. Last year, our Salzburg Global Seminar schedule allowed for only minimal interaction with the residents of Salzburg and Munich, but this year has … More Oh, The Places We’ve Gone!
Anywhere in the world, if someone is being harassed or abused, a bystander should do something about it. A bystander who is trained in the Green Dot violence prevention strategy absolutely must step forward, be the one person who speaks up, and do the right thing. Tonight in Florence, Italy, my students and I were standing … More Green Dots in Italy
Back in the last century, I loved camping; I loved the economy of it. Being a minimalist is a welcome lifestyle, even if only temporary. I never went camping for a full month until I came to Italy. Picking a Site “Let’s go camping!” a friend would say, and I’d be ready. Once we’d picked … More Band-Aids, Baby Wipes, and Bug Spray
For the past three weeks, my students and I have heard accents and languages from all over the world. We’ve also felt fortunate when multilingual service industry employees help us when our own stammering, unconjugated attempt at Italian fails us. We haven’t received any mistreatment or disrespect from the people whose country we’ve chosen as … More Incident in Old Italy
If Emily Dickinson had written in Italian, she might have said: L’anima sceglie i suoi compagni e poi chiude la porta; la sua divina maggioranza estranei non sopporta. Impassible, sente il cocchio che si ferma presso il cancello esterno. Impassible, guarda un re prostrarsi sul suo tappeto. So che da tutto il mondo puo scegliare … More The Soul selects her own Society, even in Italy
Last week when Lauren, Stacey, and I were meandering around town before going to our respective temporary homes, we spent a lot of time in the Piazza della Signoria, where magnificent sculptures stand in their passionate and furious Renaissance poses, exposed to weather and tourists. Although we’d visited the Piazza before, we were newly enthralled … More Joy
As amazing as Florence has been for two weeks, I quite frequently realize my privilege of advanced ability, and if I were differently able, my joy would also be different. My student Sierra White and I discussed this subject, and she helped me with the content of this blog entry. First, the physical concerns Taxis, … More Differently Able in Florence
I’m having the time of my life in Italy, and apparently, my face is showing it. Facebook friends have commented on my joy, and the AEF faculty and staff are getting used to hearing me say, “Benissimo!” when they ask a simple “How are you?” The exquisite food, the beauty from all angles, dogs EVERYWHERE!, … More How Deep Is Your Love…for Italy
In my first week of classes at the Accademia Europea di Firenze (AEF), I’m learning way more than I’m teaching—typical for me in any class, anywhere, but in Florence the learning is exponentially curvier. My colleagues who have taught for the Education Abroad program in Florence told me they have taken classes alongside the students, … More Back to Class
A long time ago someone told me (or maybe I told myself) that the best way to learn a place is to get lost in it. The lessons in such an education are stacking up. After too many hours of no sleep and extreme congestion from the contained air of the plane, I found my … More The Scenic Route
