I want to start off on a good note because I got to go on my first trip through Syracuse this weekend. It took us to the Tuscan Coast to visit Baratti and Populonia. It was my first time seeing the warmly sparkling Mediterranean Sea, and surprisingly the sand sparkled too because of the blue iron deposits! The trip was pleasantly structured so that the time slots compensated perfectly to not miss out on anything. We started the day with a guided tour of an active archeology dig which was uncovering the tombs of the Etruscans who built a civilization off mining iron on the coast of Tuscany. Then we had free time to go swimming at the beach and find lunch. In the afternoon we made our final stop in Bolgheri. The school bought us local gelato and set us free to explore the quaint town, that resides just an hour out from Florence. It was full of unique little shops and restaurants that served some of the most popular wines of the region. I highly recommend going if you get the chance. The trip was a great experience, and I can’t emphasize enough to sign up for the provided trips if you’re going to the Syracuse Florence center.

On a different note, I believe support for people with disabilities is important to talk about in relation to the Florence center. The main point of contact for disability accommodations at the Florence center requested to meet with me. (To add some personal information, I was recently diagnosed with dyslexia, and asking for accommodation can still be quite scary). I want to inform my readers that during a meeting to confirm my accommodation that semester, there was a strong lack of privacy. The room had an open plan design, so there were three other employees in the room and the disability advisor left the door open to a busy hallway of fellow students. I can only speak for myself, but I found this uncomfortable, and I wish I knew going into it that there wasn’t going to be the level of discretion Whitman provides. Furthermore, this could be a cultural difference, during our conversation they explained that the professors at the center are great because normally Italian school students don’t get these sorts of accommodations so it’s impressive that they are so accommodating to students who come from the states. This is a nice sentiment in one light, but I couldn’t help getting the impression I was supposed to feel grateful for my necessary accommodations. I felt affronted by a comparative look at the Italian vs. the U.S. education system. In the end, I still feel uneasy about the interaction but I’m challenging myself to be more curious if it comes from cultural stigma about disabilities or if disabilities don’t require accommodations due to a well-designed education system.

Until next time,

Rebecca

Hello readers,

 Being my first blog post I think it’s only appropriate I include some general details about my choices in going abroad. To give a general description, I’m in Florence, Italy, studying studio arts, and living in a homestay. I’ve only been here for about a week and a half, but I’ve gotten to get to know my host family well and had a full week of classes. My Family consists of an older couple, and I have a housemate from my school as well. The hosts are much more welcoming and supportive than the Syracuse Abroad Program orientation implied. The couple really values making the other student and I feel part of the family versus a long-term guest. I can’t emphasize enough how smooth they have made my transition to living in a foreign country. My host mother speaks English well and my host dad is less so, but it doesn’t stop him from trying to interact. I would say some downfall to the homestay which is more related to Italy’s expensive electric bills is my host family doesn’t have constant Wi-Fi. They’ve asked us to only turn it on when using it.  If you’re like me and stay up late doing homework or watching TV, it can be a tough adjustment when the Wi-Fi is turned off by the host parents who think you’re probably asleep. My solution has been just pre-downloading anything I might watch or listen to at the end of my day.

 As for my first week of classes at Syracuse Florence, I’m content with the quality and usage of the historic city around us. My courses are as follows: Italian Renaissance Art, Painting 1, Drawing 1, Silk Screening 1, Italian 1, and Mapping Italy (a Syracuse-required travel tracking course). The Italian, Renaissance Art, and Drawing course all have built-in site visits around Florence. Most are structured, so one day of class is in the Syracuse main building and the next is at a relevant site to the course. I will say the most difficult part about the courses (which I normally struggle with) is the website the University uses to post assignments and syllabuses. Unlike Whitman, Syracuse uses a program called Blackboard which is equivalent to Canvas. Although it has the same function there are a bunch of differences which has taken me a little bit to adjust and find everything. Another noteworthy point for other studio art students interested in the Syracuse Abroad Program is taking three studio courses is very time-consuming. Each class is 3 hours long and the required Italian language course is 2hrs. That said, we don’t have school on Fridays, which extends the weekend for traveling and hopefully extra time to get work done outside the studios. I personally am trying to get my schedule changed because taking Drawing and Silk Screenings for a straight 6 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I love both courses, but it is hard to power through, especially when there’s no time to eat a snack in between. 

Well, I hope my early impressions of the Syracuse Florence Center have been helpful for some!

-Rebecca