I think Thanksgiving is around the time that homesickness really starts to hit. It started a little earlier for me when Siena began putting up lights in the streets in early November.
Thankfully, my friends and I pulled together our first Friendsgiving Thanksgiving. We made garlic bread, gravy, mashed potatoes, veggies, stuffing, sweet taters, and pies…the only thing we were missing was the usual American centerpiece: a turkey. Unfortunately, whole turkeys are not sold in the supermarket in Siena, and we had to settle for a couple of rotisserie chickens. Despite that, our Friendsgiving dinner was a success, complete with mimosas! We made sure to go around the table to say what we were thankful for, and after dinner, Christmas music commenced.
In Siena, a huge tree has gone up in Piazza Tolomei, and lights are spreading to every street. Window displays now have snowflakes and Christmas-themed decorations. Excitement is in the air and I have to say that Christmas here is no small deal.
We all look forward to December 8, the beginning of Jubilee year and the day I’m told that all the Christmas lights will switch on in the city. Until then, I’ll be playing my Christmas tunes…
(Also, this is crazy. I have only 2.5 more weeks here!!!)
Cheers!
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Julia Szeto
<p>I am a junior at Bates College, where I study English, Creative Writing, and Chemistry. Though I left the beautiful forests of Portland, Oregon for snowier seasons in Maine, I've discovered that there are valuable stories to be heard and told in ever corner, or coast, of the world. I am interested in people and the words they have to say, and I am thrilled to be in a city as rich with history as Siena. I hope to explore new perspectives of culture and life in Siena through words and photographs. Outside of story-telling, I am a varsity coxswain on the Bates rowing team, and I enjoy hiking, trail running, singing loudly in the car, and getting hopelessly lost in a good book.</p>
