MOLLY
Elementary Education &
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) |
MOLLY
Elementary Education &
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) |
The shelves in front of the desk I sit at to write these blog posts are now empty, no longer decorated with tiny twinkle lights and photos of family and friends from back home. A full open bag sits next to me, with souvenirs, new items of clothing and memories practically spilling over the top. I take a sip of some local Chianti vino that one of my student’s mothers, who I’ve never even had a conversation with, gifted to me on my last day at school yesterday. Yesterday was my last day of student teaching. Today is my last day in Italy. Sigh. It’s hard to describe the feeling. The feeling that tears could burst out at any moment. The feeling that everything and everyone you look at will be the last time you see that thing or person for who knows how long. The feeling that this moment, being in this place and time, is only temporary, and will never happen in the exact same way again. The feeling of immense gratitude and heart-aching love. If only you could see the last photo I took with the kids. If only you could read their heartfelt notes to say goodbye. If only you could see the joy and silliness that radiates from those little beings. If only you could see the pure, genuine, happiness beaming across my face. If only you could feel how heartwarming this experience was for me. Today I depart Italy as a more confident teacher, a more thoughtful listener, and a more open-minded individual. I also leave Italy as a passionate advocate for the quality of education I was fortunate enough to take part in over the past eight weeks. Every child deserves the respect, support, freedom, and high expectations that I witnessed at the International School of Siena. That, and the view of the sun shining on top of Siena’s gorgeous medieval skyline, I will try to never forget. Ciao, for now, Italy. If your scenery, vino, and caffè aren’t enough to motivate me to return, you bet I’ll be back for your nonnas (grandmothers), bambinos (babies) and cani (dogs)!
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An item that I originally brought as a gift for my class has turned into quite a fun behavioral management tool. Benji, our beloved bengal mascot from Buff State, has had a blast in Siena so far. He quietly watches over the students, paying special attention to those who are working extra hard. When he notices someone who has done exceptional work, either because they were extra focused, creative, self-motivated, etc., he offers to sit at their desk with them. The student who has Benji can then bring him wherever they go - to music, gym, etc. - and even home with them! Benji has had the pleasure of sitting with four students so far. The first student took really detailed notes during a lesson, the second asked very thoughtful questions on our field trip, the third was a typically outspoken student who was being especially focused lately, and today Benji is with a student who has done a remarkable job keeping her portfolio organized on her own. Benji has been living it up in Siena. This past week he even went to the beach!! (I’m definitely jealous). He also has already informed me that he will not be returning to Buffalo, and I can’t say I blame him. Students practically BEG for a chance to sit with Benji, so he has a lot more watching over to do after I’m gone! :) I’m writing this on an awkward, but much needed, midweek day off. Today is Italian Labor Day, and it has been a long-awaited day for Sarah and I to catch up on school work. Not to mention, it is our first week back from Spring break, so having a hump-day holiday is a huge blessing. It’s currently raining and thundering outside, which Italians seem to despise. I, however, have always enjoyed thunderstorms, and feel that the weather perfectly matches my mood at the moment - not sad and dreary, as one might expect, but rather calm and refreshed. I had the pleasure of spending most of the Easter holiday with my two best friends from home, who came to visit after doing a Eurotrip of their own, but before meeting them, I spent one day in the picturesque and artsy city of Perugia. You could walk from one end of the city to the other in less than 20 minutes, and at every edge there was a spectacular view of the surrounding rolling hills and valleys. Perugia reminded me of Siena in that it had fantastic ornate buildings at every turn with a gorgeous countryside, but it had its own unique charm with the winding narrow streets and street art (featured in the photos below). After a lovely day of walking around and sightseeing, I hopped on the train and met my BFF’s in Florence. Remembering the first few moments of our reunion in the train station still brings a smile to my face. I love that I got to share a piece of Italy with them. After a wine-filled adventure in Florence, we headed to Cologne (Köln), Germany. It was the first time in Germany for all three of us! Needless to say, our five days in Köln involved a perfectly appropriate overconsumption of beer and schnitzel. I am now convinced that Germans can do no wrong when it comes to food. We even went to the nearest cafe closest to our AirBnb for breakfast one day, and I had one of the best breakfast sandwiches I’ve ever consumed. While it hurt a little to go our separate ways, the hurt went away once I realized I will be back in Buffalo just TWO SHORT WEEKS from tomorrow! Can you believe it?! Because I certainly can’t. Something that I realized upon my return to Siena was that, despite the beautiful places I travelled to over break, nothing beats gorgeousness of Siena. No Perugian street art, Tuscan wine tour, or German river cruise could beat an afternoon sitting in the Piazza del Campo in Siena. Perhaps I’m biased, or blinded by the beauty of a city that has brought so much joy and perspective to my life, but I think Siena is the best. :) After studying abroad for a semester in Galway, Ireland during my undergrad, I thought I would never find a city and country I loved more. I’ve now travelled to over 10 countries since then, and I’ve seen a lot of places that have blown my mind and captivated my eyes. Shhh! Don’t tell the Irish! But I think I found another city and country that has captured my heart. |
AuthorWhile studying abroad in Europe as an undergrad, I became infected with an ailment that makes one eternally propelled to discover and explore cultures other than their own. Many call it the "travel bug," and fortunately for me it is incurable. Archives
May 2019
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