As a senior in high school, I secured a spot on a trip to Italy that the Latin Club was
hosting during spring break. The ‘Italian experience’ that I gained by traveling
with 30 students, over half of whom were infected with the ‘senioritis virus,’
and a very strict and uncompromising army of chaperons left me thirsting for
more. I loved exploring the historical sites and tourist attractions but felt
sure that there was more to Italian culture than what I was seeing.
Entering Wake Forest University a few months later, I began to study the Italian
language, anticipating my junior year, when I would be able to fully immerse
myself in Italy. Idyllic images of Renaissance buildings and the
Arno River amidst the backdrop of rolling Tuscan hills
constantly filled my mind. Now that I am here, although I have come to terms
with an Italian reality that includes taking out the trash and food shopping
almost every other day, I have not been able to reconcile myself with the fact
that many of my daily interactions are with fellow Americans at establishments
that cater to temporary residents and visitors to the city.
There is a
definite gulf between the Florentines and the foreign students here. The
presence of a major Italian university in Florence and the plethora of cars that throng the streets
assure me that there is a significant local population-but where are the
‘locals’?
This gap,
stemming from a combination of stereotypes, indifference, and fear, needs to be
bridged. I decided to spend the remainder of the semester doing just that:
experiencing Florentine activities and showing the Florentines that foreign
students do desire to experience another culture.
