Study Abroad in Siena

Throughout the course of my 8 weeks abroad, there was one sentence I said over and over again: “I could not have picked a better place to study abroad”. Siena is so unique and truly began to feel like a home away from home to me. It’s away from all of the hub cities and feels like such a close knit community. There isn’t a day you won’t see people catching up with one another on your way to class. Not to mention the history of Siena. It is so deep and the passion that the Sienese have for their home is something to admire. While abroad, I was lucky enough to be in Siena during the Palio, and it is an experience I will never forget. We learned about he history and meaning of the event leading up to the race itself, making watching the race and being a part of it that much more meaningful. It has given me even more appreciation for Siena. In regards to academics, there was a lot to do, but we had three day weekends most of the trip, so it made traveling to other destinations very doable. I think our class excursions to the different wineries, the Palio and getting to travel with friends (new and old) were my favorite moments of my trip. In terms of post life, I have gained a new passion for travel. I cannot wait to travel throughout the rest of my life and hope to have the opportunity to travel for work someday. There is so much to see in the world, and I don’t want to miss it. My biggest tips would be, 1) pack light! You can buy more clothes and toiletries as necessary when you’re here. 2) Get comfortable walking shoes, your feet will thank you (chacos or tevas, converse will hurt your feet). 3) bring a small bag for weekend trips, you want to haul the least amount of stuff as possible 4) bring a journal, I don’t think I would be able to remember everything I did without my journal. Plus it’ll be fun to look back at in the future and will make it easy to tell the parentals what you were up to