Newsletter 1

BLENDING newsletter 1

pa lazz i ST U D EN T S ERV I C ES S EPT-O CT 2 0 1 1 1fa

ll Is sue

FLY FASHION LOVES YOU IS COMING SOON!

BREAKING NEWS FLY Into the Newest Addition to Palazzi!

By Susin Silawa, FAST Event Planning intern Fashion loves you so much that it’s bringing you a different kind of taste of Italy. You’ve experienced the delicacy of gelato, pizza and pasta. Now indulge in the flavors of fashion! The students of FAST, the School of Fashion and Accessories Studies and Technology, along with Florence University of the Arts and Palazzi will open an exciting fashion store with combination vintage clothing and accessories. On display in the beautiful new gallery, you’ll find fashion pieces designed by the students of FAST to bridge fashion off the street and the art of constructing clothing in a classroom. Fashion Loves You’s (FLY) inspiration is drawn from the students and all proceeds from this public store will go towards a scholarship fund for future students studying fashion and accessories design. We’re excited to show you what we’re made of!

FLY CAN’T WAIT TO MEET YOU! Check out the opening of FLY October 6 @ 6pm

2

newsletter1 SEPT-OCT 2011

PAST AND UPCOMING EVENTS Indian Writer to Present Graphic Novel to FUA Students

By Blending Staff Mark your calendars for October 5th when Indian writer-artist Amruta Patil will present her internationally acclaimed graphic novel Kari at Ganzo’s AperiArt. Patil is India’s first female graphic novelist and she explores the theme of homosexuality through the novel’s protagonist. The novel opens with an attempted suicide, Kari has just been left by Ruth. The two women are opposite binaries of rationality and sentiment, earth and air, death and rebirth. The 18 scenes depicted in the book are swathed in melancholia and irony, in the gritty embrace of Mumbai and the universal language of relationships. The book presentation at Ganzo will be presided by Italian bookstore Feltrinelli representative Cinzia Zanfini.

amruta patil nel cuore di smog city graphic novel

October 5th at 6pm AperiGanzo at Ganzo, via dei Macci 85r 5 ottobre Amruta Patil ganzo ore 18 Image courtesy of Amruta Patil

Declining Democracy: New Exhibition at Strozzina Center for Contemporary Culture

By Blending Staff The Centro di Cultura Contemporanea Strozzina is located in the historic Palazzo Strozzi and is an important center for contemporary culture in Florence. The newly inaugurated exhibition Declining Democracy will be open until next January and examines the values, contradictions, paradoxes, and democratic decline in today’s society. The artist lineup is international, featuring 12 artists from all corners of the earth, and the exposed themes explore the battle between individuals and collectivity, the widening distance between citizen and government, immigration, economic and mass media lobbying, but also new possible forms of participatory democracy.

While exploring Florence’s rich history of the arts, architecture, and culture, take a moment to observe the city’s contemporary initiatives. It may be an excellent opportunity to gain a richer perspective of Florence, allowing for your perspectives to embrace both the ancient and what’s current. Thursdays are freeentrance days, take advantage of the opportunity!

Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-8pm, on Thursdays free entrance is granted from 6pm-11pm.

Cinema Pays Homage to Female Entrepreneurs

By Blending Staff Don’t miss out on the final feature of a very special film cycle at the Odeon dedicated to female entrepreneurs that will conclude with New In Town on Thursday, October 20th.

Organized by the Florentine Chamber of Commerce, the series is titled “Donne: che impresa! 4 film…4 storie” and expresses an initiative to promote the significant leaps that women have made in business and entrepreneurship throughout history. The first feature took place in May and has continued since, highlighting benchmark international figures such as Coco Chanel and Julia Child.

The Odeon is a longstanding, much beloved cinema located in the heart of Florence’s city center. It offers original language international films, including several in the English language, throughout the year and is often the location for preview events featuring directors from around the world.

New In Town with Renée Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr. Date: Thursday, October 20 at 8:30pm Theater: Cinema Odeon, located in Piazza Strozzi In Italian, free entrance Also!

Life in a Day, the Sundance film that experiments with social filmmaking created by 26 Youtube users and produced by Tony and Ridley Scott.

October 6 at 8:40pm and 10:30pm.

In English with Italian subtitles.

3

SEPT-OCT 2011 newsletter 1

FOODIES Why You Should Sagra Sooner or Later

By Blending Staff Whether you are a passionate foodie or simply seeking an authentic Italian experience, a sagra is sure to satisfy your taste buds and curiosity. Tasting local cuisine is an essential key to unlock a new culture, especially in Italy where regions and local landscapes are marked by diversity whether in language, cuisine, habits, or customs. What is a sagra, exactly? Usually held in small towns, a sagra is a local food festival dedicated to delicacies unique to the area. They are organized by local entities, open to the public, and the flavors are guaranteed to be delicious as local home and restaurant cooks prepare the dishes. The atmosphere is that of a home-cooked backyard meal; instead of friends and families you’ll find yourself elbow-to-elbow with crowds of Italian locals and their friends and families; rather than your aunt or mother’s famous salad you’ll dig into freshly rolled pastas dressed with long-simmered sauces, strictly seasonal ingredients, sagra themes that range from the very specific such as fall truffles to wider offerings such as the main specialties of a town.

The months of September and October hum and bristle with

the arrival of fall, which in Tuscany always means wine harvest and seasonal products such as porcini mushrooms, truffles, and chestnuts. Here are two suggestions just outside of Florence that are available until mid-October: Festa della Bistecca e Fungo Porcino di Certaldo September 8 – October 9 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays This month-long festival features grilled meats and in particular the famed bistecca alla fiorentina, porcini mushrooms prepared in various ways, and other traditional Tuscan dishes.

I Sapori del Mugello October 7-8-9 and October 14-15-16 In the town of Borgo San Lorenzo, two weekends in October will be dedicated to the flavors of the Mugello area. The two highlights of the sagra are game meats and the tortello, a Tuscan version of ravioli stuffed with potatoes and dressed usually with a ragù meat sauce or butter and sage. And that’s not all, featured are chestnuts, bistecca alla fiorentina, and spit-roasted meats, and next to the sagra visitors will be able to shop at a marketplace full of locally sourced prducts.

Both locations are reachable by the local bus network SITA.

Tuscan Food 101: Market Eating

By Blending Staff A month has passed since the beginning of the Fall semester. If you haven’t already thrown yourself headlong into discovering the local food scene, there’s no better place to start than Florence’s open markets.

Both happen to be named for the patron saint namesake of their respective squares, San Lorenzo and Sant’Ambrogio, and both offer unique foodie experiences from grocery shopping to dining. What’s so great about the dining establishments in and near the main markets? The answer is found in the plethora of market stalls - fresh produce sourced locally that reflects Photo courtesy of PALAZZI FAIE the products and eating culture of the area, used in the cuisine of the restaurants and food stalls. For those who are passionate about sustainable food, market eating doubles up the sustainability factor by offering local items that are prepared and eaten on-site (the Italians call locally sourced kilometro zero), while those who are simply hungry or in search of good grub will find their palates excited by the delicious fare. And did we mention that most market eating options are economic and fast? On a signal light, if the green light represents industrial fast and the red light stands for slow, quality food, market eating figures in around the yellow zone for its combination of short order-like velocity and its strict use of quality ingredients.

At the buzzing Mercato di San Lorenzo, Nerbone has been around since the 1800s and serves up a great selection of primi, side dishes, and its famous lampredotto and bollito sandwiches. Or if you’re just swinging by to pick up cheeses from Baroni’s infinite selection, cross the back lot and enjoy a hearty lunch at Trattoria Mario where all ingredients come from the Mercato and the chefs don’t use freezers. Now that’s fresh. The Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio offers open diner-style booths at da Rocco, where diners can enjoy basic but extremely tasty dishes in the midst of butchers, bakers, and market shoppers who blend into a lively scene. Just outside, A Casa Mia is a solid choice for meat and pizza aficionados and Semel creates revolving game meat stews served on sandwich bread in an intimate, hunting lodge style space.

The markets are only a starting point for discovering Florentine and Tuscan cuisine, not to mention the other regional specialties and ethic options available in the city. In a diverse country like Italy, it’s a good idea to get your bearings for local culture and to use it as a basis to gradually discover and compare the delicious diversity throughout the peninsula!

4

newsletter1 SEPT-OCT 2011

JustAnnounced: Foodie Flash 9/26/2011 at 9:00am FUA Student Carey Wong is a Yelp! contributor, watch out for her flash takes on the Florence food scene here on Blending starting from the upcoming issue!

Photo courtesy of PALAZZI FAIE

WINE NEWS

Apicius Students at Tuscan Wine Harvest

By Blending Staff Tuscany is a hotpot of grape harvests in early fall as its numerous farms and wine estates prepare mature grapes for picking. Apicius Food and Wine Studies Coordinator Camilla Carrega describes the harvest season as a crucial linkage of two fundamental elements that set the tone for quality wine – correct maturation of grapes and the initial process of transforming grapes into wine. When asked about her family’s harvest at Castello di Volognano, she expresses great surprise at how early the harvest time arrived this year, the earliest ever in fact, as well as high expectations for superior wines thanks to the little rain and moderate heat from this year’s climactic conditions. The productions in the Volognano vine growing zone of Chianti Colli Fiorentini should yield extremely well balanced, harmonious, and complex wines.

Moving over to the Chianti Classico territory, pioneer producer Juri Fiore at Il Carbonaione will host Apicius Career Development students for an entire week of harvesting in late September. Jennifer Gross and Yan Cui are in the first semester of the year-long wine studies certificate and will shadow Fiore in every step of the wine harvest from picking in the fields to conducting analyses. Wine Studies Coordinator Livia LeDivelec who organized this academic opportunity, stresses the importance of the harvest as “a firsthand opportunity to understand the regional identity of a wine and to discover its Tuscan character.”

We can expect this year’s harvest for tasting starting with vino novello in September 2012 that will be successively followed by the regular classifications to be released on the market.

Interested in discovering more about Tuscan wines?

Oct. 3 at 6pm – Wine Club Wine Club is an opportunity to taste some of Italy’s highest quality wines in a fun, friendly and social atmosphere.

This week's theme: The King of Tuscan grapes: celebrating Sangiovese

THE ART SCENE Notes from the Venice Biennale

By Giovanni Bove Venice: 83 artists, 89 national participations, more than 40 pavilions, dozens of venues (historical buildings, theaters, churches) all around the city to house 37 collateral events, and a huge number of happenings. The 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale fills up the whole city from June to November.

The Sestiere of Castello (sestiere is the name for Venetian quarters) is the main area involved in Biennale. The most important venues are: Giardini Corderie, Artiglierie, Tese and Giardino delle Vergini. In addition, all around the city, spaces for collateral events and national participations offer a unique experience to interact with art.

Art reveals itself to the visitors while walking through the calle (street) and admiring a delightful building facade or a panorama on the canal’s edge. And

5

SEPT-OCT 2011 newsletter 1

sometimes art will suddenly, unexpectedly involve the visitor. Once, I was walking with a friend through the city, far away from the sestiere of Castello, when a man speaking loudly by a wireless microphone looking deranged came forward. In seconds, we realized we were in the middle of an art performance. A Swiss artist had conceived a multipart project comprising diverse items (a film installation, an installative dramatization, a publication in three editions and live events in and around Teatro Fondamenta Nuove) created for the Biennale and centered around spatial circumscription, control, and social functions.

The artists chose particular spaces of Venice in order to realize their art projects and communicate its content in the most effective way. Spectators (that’s what we were, indeed!) experienced unconsciously art, whose language is “spoken” by the city. *Giovanni Bove is an expert of Semiotics and Communication. For those interested in exploring the subject of "Semiotics in the Visual Arts," the course will be offered at FUA in future academic sessions.

Chipkinization

By Maria Raponi

Photo by Alessandro Schneider

Alex and Becky Chipkin, Hamburger, 2011. Painting on watercolor paper.

Chipkinization, an exhibition of works by Becky and Alex Chipkin, will be on view at Ganzo from September 7 until October 11. The Chipkins are twin sisters who have been studying at FUA since January 2011. They are NYC-based artists as well as BA candidates in studio art and art history at Stony Brook University. While they continue to study art and Italian, they have also become interconnected to the Florentine art scene.

The Chipkins’ quick-witted thinking and astute sense of humour extend throughout the space, from the paintings in the entrance to the sketches in the back. While many of the pieces pay homage to artists working with food, the exhibition essentially supports the Chipkins’ view of the heightened sensory pleasure of food and the significance of communal experiences.

There is a performative nature in viewing these works. In the series of diptychs on watercolour paper, the left side portrays a likeness to a particular artist while the right predominately includes collage-based associations that open up connections between pieces. Even without the art references, a give-and-take sort of game ensues where the viewer is offered food, denied food, has taken some food or is ambiguously threatened. Overall, the multiple relations to food - the sharing and consuming of it, the visual textures created by it, the desire for it, the repulsion of it, and the historical as well as the social references to it - are entrenched in the work.

Maria Raponi is F_AIR’s second artist in residence and is currently teaching Introduction to Classic Photography at DIVA. She is a Toronto-based Canadian artist who works across various mediums. On September 30, she will present an artist’s talk at F_AIR.

6

newsletter 1 SEPT-OCT 2011

ABC’s of Art: Functional Art

All photos by Alex and Becky Chipkin

By Alex and Becky Chipkin

Where is the line between fine art and craft? The utilitarian object and the art object? These are the questions posed by Zone gallery, a brand new space that opened a few months ago on in Florence. “It is a good time to start a gallery,” says artist and owner Alberto Mommarelli. "Florence sells the big business of the past. Money doesn’t go towards the present.” But the pendulum always swings the other way, and now there seems to be a thirst for the contemporary. Zone functions as an exhibition space as well as a store, putting on display pieces of fine art and jewelry.

On exhibition now until the end of October is jewelry by five Japanese artists and painting-sculptures by Carlo Colli. Colli’s geometric forms correspond formally to Kiewa Kobayashi’s brooches and pendants. Colli’s works are made of paper that is simply folded multiple times, and opened back up again. The folds are then retraced with black paint. The effect is that the paper, now three dimensional, is almost alchemically changed; the eye is tricked into believing the material is metal. Minimal but very provocative works. They can then be stored as flat objects in a box. Mommarelli sustains Colli as a good artist to start with because he draws connections (almost literally) between the artist and the artisan. The display allows for dialogue between the two figures. However “it is not necessary for them to speak to each other” says Mommarelli, “Not all of the artwork has to match with the jewelry. A presentation in which the styles or concepts combat each other is just as interesting.”

Mommarelli, or Momma as he likes to be called, works with his wife, Nao Hara, who is one of the jewelry designers at the space.

As both an artist and gallery owner, he gains a deeper insight into what the artist is going through. “We are curious to open a dialogue and make something together,” Momma declares.

Zone Via del Porcellana 43a, 37r

FASHION NEWS Gucci Opens Museum in Florence

By Blending Staff Piazza della Signoria will be the site of the new Gucci Museum, inaugurated September 26th with a celebrity-studded opening event. The space in Palazzo della Mercanzia is not new to the brand, the building used to house the creative department currently located in Rome, and the museum occupies three floors featuring iconic items spanning the history of the luxury brand. The collection will feature Gucci creations including clothing created for celebrities, photos and images, and objects such as limited edition surf boards, the Cadillac Seville designed in 1979, the cruiser bicycle created for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and items related to horse riding. The basement floor will house the entire lifespan of the brand’s most valuable pieces. The museum will also house a café and bookshop amongst the amenities intended for the public. Gucci was founded in 1921 in Florence by Guccio Gucci and is a major representative of Italian luxury fashion and craftsmanship in the world.

For more on Gucci’s latest collection showed in Milan and the Florence opening of the museum by the NY Times, consult this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/fashion/22iht-rgucci22.html

7

SEPT-OCT 2011 newsletter 1

Upcoming Seminar at FAST on Fashion Tours

By Valeria LaSalvia, FAST Academic Coordinator Do you love going from store to store, looking for the best bargains? Are you never tired when it comes to shopping? You could make a profession out of your passion for shopping and Alessio Maltese, Manager of Exclusive Fashion Tours, can tell you how.

For the first time this fall, in the month of November, Alessio will team up with Palazzi’s fashion department FAST to host a seminar titled “Personal Shopping: An Introduction to the Profession.” The seminar workshops examine the evolution of personal shopping as a job of growing importance in both the fashion and tourism industries. Tips and an inside look at the field will provide the insight necessary to consider a career.

In a world where self-promotion is fundamental, Alessio discloses the key techniques for portfolio building, self-marketing, and client consultation as he has learned from years of firsthand experience. Lessons will be held in class and around Florence; fieldtrips and visits are significant components of this short course, allowing the direct contact with professionals and stimulating the ability to connect with figures in the fashion world!

Check out Alessio Maltese here: http://www.exclusivefashiontours.com/it For further information and to sign up, please contact: valeria@fua.it Seminar dates: November 11, 12, 18 and 19

Photo courtesy of PALAZZI FAIE

FACES & PLACES

Photos and article by Alessandro Schneider, second-year photography student The following photos were taken in medium format with Rolleiflex. For non-photo experts, it’s an old school camera with a twin reflex where you look in the lens from above but the photo is actually taken by the lens facing outwards. I’m basically trying to do street photography through a classic format, and I’ve been experimenting with faces and places that I encounter throughout the city of Florence.

Wheelchair photo: Corner of Vicolo dell’Oro and Borgo S.S. Apostoli on my way to school This homeless gentleman is a foreigner, and I’ve been watching him for a while now. He finishes his “shift” around 6:30 p.m., wearing the same clothes every day. His presence always catches my eye in the midst of the bustling movement of tourists and locals that surge through the Ponte Vecchio area of town.

Chanel billboard photo: Via Calimaruzza, off of Piazza della Signoria One day, some construction workers were fixing the scaffolding of the same building as the Chanel store. They were cutting with metal saws, and I was trying to capture the sparks. Their work had nothing to do with Chanel, but it was interesting how an artifical face on a Florentine street insinuated itself within the photograph.

8

newsletter1 SEPT-OCT 2011

FROM THE COMMUNITY Behind the Scenes at Corri La Vita with Journalist Matteo Brogi

Photos by Matteo Brogi

By Blending Staff

Corri La Vita, a yearly fundraising walk/marathon that begins in Piazza della Signoria, is Florence's contribution to the fight to cure breast cancer and is organized by local health organizations specialized in cancer care. This year the event took place on Sunday, September 25th at 9:30am, with two different options of difficulty for walkers and runners. The Florentine fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo created the green-themed t-shirts for the occasion, and important figures from the sport world such as Cesare Prandelli (coach of the national soccer team) and Florentine welterweight boxer Leonard Bundu (also mentioned in the faculty section of Blending) graciously lent their participation to Corri La Vita. Journalist and photography faculty Matteo Brogi was behind the scenes as a volunteer photographer and shares his insight: What did you cover as a journalist for Corri La Vita? Where?

It’s my third year in a row as a volunteer photographer at Corri La Vita. I cover the day’s key moments for the organizational body of the event - the takeoff captured from the balcony of Palazzo Vecchio, the finish line, and the award ceremony and speakers who present from the stage in front of the palace. In addition to the start and finish, I chose three spots – Giotto’s Bell Tower, Ponte alle Grazie, Lungarno Torrigiani – to capture from above the great river of 20,000 green-clad individuals who peacefully invaded the city center and temporarily removed tourism for a day.

What was the overall spirit of the preparations for Sunday the 25th?

The day of the race is always intense; Florence is always enthusiastically responsive to the initiative. You can breathe in great emotion and a spirit of solidarity that pushes many people to contribute to the collection of funds for scientific research and assistance to the already ill. Seeing the entire city get involved is wonderful for both those who donate and those who receive. The atmosphere is always the same…electrifying and positive.

FACULTY NEWS S-portraits Exhibition at F-AIR by DIVA Chair David Weiss to Exhibit at Palazzo Vecchio

By Blending Staff

Photo by David Andre Weiss

DIVA Department Chair David Weiss premiered his photography exhibition featuring portraits of European welterweight boxing champion Leonard Bundu. The opening took place at F_AIR in Via San Gallo on September 20th and also hosted a special viewing with Bundu on September 25th. Thanks to attention from key figures from the Tuscan Boxing Federation, a part of the exhibition will continue its course at an important boxing event to be hosted at the Sala d’Armi in Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, on November 2nd. The show, which will run at F_AIR until November 13th, is an intimate look into the persona and personality behind the Florentine who turns boxing into a noble sport with great artistry, dedication, and skill. Combined with the intense, highly charged images created by Weiss, the “sportraits” express the concept of “codifying and re-codifying an image originally belonging to documentary photography into a work of art” as curator Lucia Giardino states in the exhibition catalog.

S-portraits at F_AIR from September 20 to November 13, 2011 Via San Gallo 45r Inauguration: September 20th at 7pm Exhibition hours: Mon through Thur 3pm-8pm, Fri 3-5:30pm

9

SEPT-OCT 2011 newsletter 1

DO’S AND DON’TS

By Blending Staff

Do’s Explore a square that isn’t the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, or Piazza della Repubblica Check out the Baptistry and not just the cathedral when you do visit the Duomo Try both ribollita and pappa al pomodoro for two variations of Tuscan bread soup Visit a contemporary art gallery on the same day as the Uffizi Stop by each bridge in the center and see how it’s slice of the Arno changes

Don’ts Forget to validate your train and bus tickets Lose sight of etiquette while walking on the streets. mi scusi (excuse me) and permesso (when you want to politely ask for something to let you through) always come in handy Forget greener spaces in Florence such as Cascine Park, Giardino dell’Orticultura, and Piazza d’Azzeglio Avoid items that you don’t know on menus, ask what they are, whether they are local or from other regions to get some background, and try them!

GANZO NEWS Ganzo Events of the Month Sept. 28 at 6pm – AperiGanzo The place to be on Wednesdays! Join us for cocktails, a selection of extraordinary wines at the Apicius wine corner and an exceptional buffet full of international and Italian flavors. This weeks featured wines from Friuli Venezia Giulia by producer Rocca Bernarda: Friulano, Pinot Grigio and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso

Sept.29 - GALA-XY This gala benefit dinner event features a gourmet menu created by our brigade of students from Apicius, and fine wines from the Apicius Friends wine producers, to raise funds for the Pistoia branch of ENPA national animal protection society.

Oct. 3 at 6pm - Wine Club Wine Club is an opportunity to taste some of Italy’s highest quality wines in a fun, friendly and social atmosphere. This week's theme: The King of Tuscan grapes: celebrating Sangiovese

Oct. 5 at 6pm - AperiArt with Amruta Patil Book signing by Indian Artist Amruta Patil, who will present her Graphic Novel and discuss her art works. A special Indian aperitivo buffet will be served in honor of this special event.

Oct. 6 at 8:45pm - TuttoToscana Ganzo's Executive Chef Andrea Trapani and the students from Apicius will preview the menu for the Apicius Tutto Toscana. This is the 7th edition of program of New York City events in locations including De Gustibus @ Macy's Herald Square, the Astor Center, and the James Beard Foundation. Come participate in this very unique culinary event.

Oct. 10 at 6pm - Wine Club Wine Club is an opportunity to taste some of Italy’s highest quality wines in a fun, friendly and social atmosphere. This week's theme: The timeless Black Roster: The 'Excellence” of Chianti Classico

Oct. 12 at 6pm AperiArt with Shelley LaMantia This week’s AperiGanzo will feature the paintings of Shelley LaMantia

Oct. 13 at 8:45pm - La Vendemmia in Cucina From the vineyards to the table, grapes and wine in the kitchen are the centerpiece of this seasonal culinary affair. Come join us for this harvest event and experience the heritage of grapes through Ganzo’s homage to the Italian vineyard.

Oct. 19 at 6pm - AperiGanzo The place to be on Wednesdays! Join us for cocktails, a selection of extraordinary wines at the Apicius wine corner and an exceptional buffet full of international and Italian flavors.

Oct. 20 at 8:45pm - Capanelle e la cucina toscana The fine wines of Capannelle are the centerpiece of this culinary event, which pairs their excellent wines with the best of Tuscan cuisine. Come learn more about the wines from this Apicius Friends producer and enjoy the delicacies from Ganzo's kitchen.

10

newsletter 1 SEPT-OCT 2011

STUDENTS SERVICES Settling Into Florence: Student Services to the Rescue

By Lindsay La Marca Many students agree that they experiencea bit of culture shock upon settling into their new homes, routines and daily lives in Florence. Luckily for us, we have the Connecting Cultures program, coordinated by Olimpia Bozza, which features many different aspects to help us adjust to our new lives. The Connecting Cultures Ongoing Orientation is a great way for native Italians to explain why things are different from our home countries or why we get strange looks when asking a normal question.

Another branch of Connecting Cultures is community service. This allows students to volunteer in many different activities ranging from guiding tours to teaching English to Italian students. This program helps one become connected to the local Italian community.

"Working at the British Institute is probably the best thing I could have done for my semester here. I love learning about the library and all of its mechanics, and being surrounded by such an extensive collection of old books" said Alyssa Black, a previous volunteer.

Italian Family Club is also provided by Student Services. It allows students to become part of an Italian family. Students can join their Italian family for dinner, spend a day together in the city, or just hang out with them.

The last segment of the Connecting Cultures program is the Conversation Exchange. Conversation Exchange gives students the opportunity to meet on a weekly basis with a local Florentine for a chat in order to help improve his/her Italian language.

Olimpia also goes above and beyond the Connecting Cultures program by organizing weekly activities and trips such as the day trip to Viareggio Beach, which is a great way for students to meet one another while exploring all the hidden coves of Florence.

Exploring Viareggio and Fiesole with Student Services

By Lindsay La Marca The trip to Viareggio Beach on September 10th was the relaxing day that students needed after settling into the first week of classes.

The ocean was glistening as we all filed onto the beach and lounged in our chairs helping us to forget about the mountain of homework we had at home.

Along with the beach, Viareggio also offered cafès that provided a break from the sand and sun. The Mediterranean Sea was the perfect temperature to cool us off and calm enough so we could float for hours. By the end of the day, we were all sunkissed and looking forward to naps on the train ride home. "The beach was beautiful. Great friends. The water was perfect. Loved it!" Rachel Cangelosi said enthusiastically.

The following morning, students attended the City Walks trip to Fiesole. Fiesole is a tiny old town about twenty minutes from Florence. According to Martina Ghiandelli, Fiesole is “a village that extends a little more than 2km but allows a trip back in history longer than 2 thousand years." The town, which dates back to Etruscan times, is set up in the mountains and provides breathtaking views of Florence. Once on top of the mountains, we visited the San Francesco, the old Romanesque church. Attached to the church was the convent where many clergymen once resided. We were also allowed a peak of the ruins of a Roman theatre.

At the top of each hour, one can hear church bells ringing from the Cathedral of Fiesole in the city's main piazza. On this particular Sunday, there was a small artisan craft market full of glass figurines, pottery, and leather goods that were made right before your eyes.

All photos by Lindsay La Marca

11

SEPT-OCT 2011 newsletter 1

Student Life Staff Member Started Studying Abroad at Age 11

By Olimpia Bozza interviewed by Beverley Comstock body language while she was brandishing the fish-food can up and down while talking in a less friendly tone. I was too young to refrain from playing with animals and couldn’t resist.

Q. In what other places have you participated in study abroad programs?

I returned to England every summer until I was 15. I spent 10 months as an exchange student in the US (Michigan, Alto, near Caledonia High School). I also spent a couple of years in Spain during college to improve my Spanish and take some Linguistics and Spanish literature courses at the university. I also spent 2 months in Tunisia to study Arabic.

Photo courtesy of Olimpia Bozza

Q. Olimpia, where and when did you start your first study abroad program?

I had my first study abroad experience when I was 11. I went to England to study in a summer school there and learned some English. I always loved studying foreign languages, even as a kid, so I feel grateful to my parents that they gave me this opportunity at such a young age.

Q. At age 11, how did you feel being away from your family and friends?

I just LOVED it. We are braver when we are younger. I guess if parents say it is OK for you to do something, that it is not dangerous, you'll be just fine, you just go for it! Moreover I was a very independent kid, so I did not struggle too much. I was ecstatic with seeing a new country, different habits, cars driving on the “wrong” side of the street with a matching “wrong-sided” steering wheel...I also LOVED how everyone had a nice garden with colorful flowers and a cat, and soft carpeting in the house! I had no time to think about home! Also, it was a time when no one had a cell phone, or internet at home. Skype did not exist, nor did Facebook. So back then we were all less stressed out and would communicate back home (including parents) when we could, not whenever we felt like. So it was easier to manage emotions, store the feelings, and keep and hold them until the time came to be able to share. I did not have an urge to communicate my state of mind right away, like I do now that I am used to tweeting everything out right away on social networks.

Q. Is it easy to adjust to a new host family, learn a new language and make friends in new surroundings?

I think so! I mean, I did not understand EVERYTHING that my host mom said to me, but I got the general meaning. Plus, it was only for two weeks so I had to adjust quickly. The only problem was when, being so young, I could not resist and I fed the gold fish in the artificial pound in the garden. HAHAHA. I think I was not supposed to do that, or at least I think I understood that from her

Q. What have you learned from other cultures that have enriched your personal life today?

I think that living abroad helps us to better understand ourselves and our home countries. It increases critical thinking, and helps us to always question our habits or ways of life. I now appreciate more sides of the Italian culture, because I missed them and value them more now. On the other hand I have also learned a lot from other cultures and ways of thinking, and that is enriching! Also, living abroad is very tough at times, so it taught me how to handle loneliness. It is like being a little kid, with limited vocabulary and no (or little) understanding of the social rules and surroundings. It teaches us a lot about ourselves. I learned how to get along with others, but also, how to be by myself. Being abroad makes you come to terms with yourself and your strengths and weaknesses! I got to know myself better, I got rid of many “layers” to my personality added by my family's or my home culture's influence, and embraced what new people in my life had to offer. What's left is just me! I know, it sounds cheesy, but this is how I feel.

Q. Your job is mainly helping and working with students to help them adjust to a new country, a new language, and a different cultural society. How have your study abroad experiences contributed at work?

The reason why I love my job is because once you go multicultural you cannot go back. Study abroad is truly a lifechanging experience, and it’s great to help others during the experience. I love being able to see my city and my country through the eyes of foreign students. I find it a privilege to be able to work in a multicultural environment! I also try to understand the students and to remember that traveling abroad is great, but it can be tiring and stressful. Being projected out of your comfort zone in a new country and being stimulated daily by new input can be nerve-wracking at times.

Q. The newly arrived study abroad students depend on your weekly email calendar of activities created to help them to understand and assimilate to a different way of life.

I can’t take credit for the calendar on my own. It is a collaboration with colleagues who bring great support and experiences to the table.

Nardini Bookstore, a unique stop for books on architecture, art, culture, and gastronomy. Several titles are availabile in the English language!

Carta Sconto discount card for students: The card entitles you to special discounts starting from 5% and increase to 15% as you accumulate purchase points! All new cardholders receive a 15% discount on the first purchase.

Via delle Vecchie Carceri – at the corner of via dell'Agnolo, located within the Le Murate complex. www.nardinibookstore.it

Ingorda is Palazzi’s university press. We offer several books on food and travel based on Florence and Tuscany. Ask the front desks for information on titles and student discounts!

Blending Newsletter Supplemento di Blending Magazine Reg. Trib. di Firenze n° 5844 del 29 luglio 2011 Anno I – Numero 1 – Settembre 2011 Editore Florence Campus per INGORDA Editore Via Alfonso La Marmora 39, 50121 Firenze Redazione Corso Tintori 21, 50121 Firenze - Tel. 055-0332745 Stampato in proprio Blending Masthead Editor-in-Chief Matteo Brogi, Senior Editor Grace Joh, Copy Editing Olivia Johnson and Cara Oleasz Blending is a monthly newsletter created with and for Palazzi FAIE students, in collaboration with the Student Services department of Palazzi.

For information contact grace.joh@palazziflorence.com Newsletters can be viewed at www.florencecampus.it/newsletters

www.palazziflorence.com