Week 0 - Why Siena?

Salve and hello! Welcome to my first official blog update. I'm preparing to leave for Italy later this week, and it is a great time to talk about some of the decisions I've made and thoughts I've had that got me here.

First and foremost, why did I choose Siena?

Two reasons: 1) Nostalgia and 2) Culture.

1) Growing up in northern Italy my family would occasionally visit Siena, and I have so many fond memories there. Notably the proudest moment of my life to date (and I don't expect to ever top it) was when I caught a pigeon with my bare hands (photo proof below). But in all seriousness it reminds me of my family and happy times!

2) Siena is known as one of the strongest surviving examples of medieval social structures. It has limitations on who can access it by car, and each neighborhood is extremely tight-knit. These neighborhoods are known as contradas, and they have their own mascots, colors, flags, and traditions. Twice a year they compete in a friendly bareback horse race to crown a champion contrada. They build up to these races with parades and ceremonies all over town. Italian culture overall is very tradition-based, but Siena takes it to another level. It may be the only place in the world you can truly see these traditions come to life!