Connor
Undergraduate
English Education |
Connor
Undergraduate
English Education |
As someone who's only ever seen Italy through other media, it sort of felt not real to be in the country for the first day or so. The plane ride seemed to take forever, but touching ground in Florence finally made it worth it! Grant, Marita and I had a great time in those first few days walking around and getting situated in the city. We found out a lot about each other and got to experience so much; David and Il Duomo are still huge in my mind, I truly was not expecting that. And the food has been so good, I've been eager to try everything and make good spots in my mind of where to go next.
On Wednesday we arrived in Siena and I was quickly whisked away to my host lady, a lovely woman named Gianna. There has been a bit of a language barrier, but I'm grateful because it really helps me learn Italian quickly to be able to communicate with her. On that first night, I met her family, and we were all able to get to know each other in some instances once we got settled (and pulled out Google Translate a few times!). They were all very nice and interested in America, explaining the difference between New York City and New York State was very fun. Thursday and Saturday have been more exploring of the city, which is very helpful. Thursday was a guided tour, and seeing the history of Siena and just how much is condensed into it is helpful. The Piazza del Campo is huge, and I only wish I were here to see that horse race in person and see how packed it can truly get. On Friday I went with Grant, Marita and Dr. Renzoni to the school and we saw how to get situated in and met some of the students and teachers. I did not get to meet my English mentor teacher, but I did find out I would be helping to shadow the social studies teacher as well, which is fabulous as history is one of my favorite subjects, so I immediately went into it. I'm excited to see how they handle Inquiry-Based curriculum here, as the school seems very modern and open. I had some experience with it in my first placement at Tapestry Charter High School, so I'm a bit prepared, but to see it in full force is going to be wonderful. I can't wait to get into the classroom and start helping out as soon as possible! Tomorrow will be a wonderful first day, I am very sure of it. Some pictures I took while in Florence and in Siena. The views are show-stopping.
3 Comments
Lana
3/27/2023 02:57:57 pm
Your photos are amazing! I love the shots of the Siena Cathedral. The level of detail in its architecture is incredibly impressive, and the beauty of the building is just stunning. Seeing it in person must have been an unforgettable experience.
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Connor
3/27/2023 06:23:05 pm
Thank you! Yes I did get to see a majority of the city within the walls! It's so green and full of trees like you wouldn't believe. Everything looks so close and it turns out to be sprawling through the streets up and down.
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Nancy Chicola
3/28/2023 11:27:45 pm
Conner,
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AuthorHello! My name is Connor and I am thrilled to be on this journey of teaching. I'm from Buffalo, born and raised, and am starting this experience as an English Education major. Looking forward to meeting my students and seeing all that Siena has to offer for the next few months! Archives
May 2023
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