Living – Page 8 – Finding Florence

Breaking Cultural Barriers: Humans of Florence

Texts by By Olivia Hagen
Photo essay by Ashley Sterling

The courage to work up a phrase in another language can be unexpected rewarding, as Olivia Hagen discovers on a sunny day in Piazza Santa Croce. Set to the background of Ashley Sterling’s “Humans of Florence” photo essay, this piece is bound to make you reflect on how we can turn cultural barriers into rich discoveries.

For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with stepping out my comfort zone. Thus, part of the reason why I chose to study abroad was to force myself to try new things, reach new limits, explore the world and meet new people. Although it was not easy, once I broke the barriers that were holding me back, I found myself and an endearing friend.

Dipou has been in Florence for 2 years. He has been working at a leather shop by Hotel Botticelli for about a year and has said that his favorite thing about working in Florence is talking to the people and children in town.

As I walked home from my Travel Writing course, sweaty from the scorching Tuscan sun, I decided to visit my favorite gelateria and grab myself a refreshing cup of pistachio. Clenching the cold sweet in my hand, I stumbled through the Florentine streets feeling disoriented, watching flashes of people rush by me. Walking through the streets, I began to miss the sense of “belongingness” I had at home, longing for the embrace and comfort of my friends and family.

Feeling homesick and lonely, I walked over to the Santa Croce Basilica. Just then, a young girl sat next to me and began writing in a tattered leather journal; she had dark black hair. I watched her as she observed her surroundings, scribbled in her notebook, smiled to herself and repeated. I wanted to talk to her and introduce myself, but I was too nervous. Then, I was reminded that before I came to Florence I was going to step out of my comfort zone…and I did.

Cecile has been living in Florence for 15yrs. Her favorite place in Florence is the Santa Spirito Area, and the Arcetri observatory. She has been working at Hotel Botticelli for 13 years. Her favorite part of the job is being able to speak different languages and to meet people with diverse mindsets and cultures.

“Ciao! … Come va?” I attempted to communicate in Italian. She looked at me with large eyes and a half smile. Oh no, I thought, thinking I still had gelato on my face or that she simply thought I was crazy. There was a long pause and then she burst into laughter. “I’m sorry!” I responded, “I don’t speak Italian very well.” “It’s fine,” she giggled. “I’m Sara, nice to meet you!”

Once I broke the ice with my useless Italian, Sara and I began conversing. I learned that she was 27, lives in Florence and is studying to be a school teacher like myself. When questioned about her journal, Sara informed me that even though she has lived in Florence all of her life, there is always something that inspires her to write, which makes her fall in love with Florence all over again. Minutes soon turned into hours as Sara and I talked, unable to catch our breaths, sharing our love for travel writing, early childhood education, and the same pistachio gelato flavor. I was shocked to discover how similar Sara and I were, despite the fact we live on two opposite sides of the world.

Ashely has always the dream of studying abroad and came to FUA for 6 weeks. She really enjoys seeing Florentine architecture and the vibrancy of the city.

Meeting Sara and breaking the barriers has been one of the best decisions I have made during my journey abroad. Not only have I developed a precious friendship, but I gained a stronger appreciation of the world and the people in it. Although Sara and I live very different cultures, the unique connection that we shared will be carried with me when I leave the place I am now confident in calling my second home.

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A Main Monument Secret: Duomo

By Shelby Olson

Throughout my time in Florence, I was not only able to discover the nooks and crannies of the city but make new and at times peculiar discoveries about the large, main monuments everybody knows and loves. I entered what I would call the “tourist phase” and saw anything and everything there was to see but reminiscing on my stay in Florence, I really didn’t know a lot about the places I was visiting. For example, did you know a ball-shaped decoration fell off the Duomo and there is now a marble slab to commemorate it? Me neither.

In January of 1601, Florence experienced a thunderstorm and lightning struck the golden sphere on top of the Dome’s lantern, causing it to detach and land right next to the church. To this day, there is a circular marble slab to signify where the ball landed when it fell off. The sphere, commissioned to Verrocchio in 1468, was made of bronze and weighed almost 2000 kilos (approx. 4409 lbs). Andrea del Verrocchio, it should be mentioned, ended up inheriting the Duomo’s architectural project after Brunelleschi’s death in 1446. The weight itself can show the large impact this ball had upon touchdown. Prior to falling off in 1601 and definitely restored in 1602, the ball had proved be unruly on other occasions – electricity-related problems due to thunderstorms had already been documented at least twice in the 1500s.

Turns out I was not the only one who didn’t know about this “fallen ball.” I decided to visit the Duomo to see the marble slab itself and watch if anybody else would notice it. During my hour of sitting there, not a single person stopped to look at it or take a picture. Rather, I was getting weird looks for taking a picture of this random circle on the ground. This taught me that when you are visiting an important monument, there is so much more to see than its beauty and you should learn everything you can beforehand.

Next time you are visiting the Duomo or simply walking past it, make sure to venture to the back side of the Duomo to check out this marble slab. It may just be a circle on the ground but it holds much significance and you may be one of the few that knows about it. If you learned one thing from this, remember to research the places you are visiting beforehand because you may learn something the tour guide doesn’t tell you.

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Live Music in Florence

By Shelby Olson

Visiting local music venues throughout Florence is a great way to experience a new form of art as well as the city nightlife. I had the chance to check out three venues in Florence that accommodate to many different styles.

If you are looking to experience a different form of art in the city, Florence has many live music venues that can accommodate to your style whether that be upbeat, laid back, or a classic feel. I took a look at a few different live music venues throughout the city and had the chance to experience a different side of the nightlife in Florence.

Jazz Club is a great place if you are looking for an upbeat bar full of live music and dancing. They are open late and offer a food menu along with a large selection of drinks. Jazz Club hosts Italian artists and occasionally international artists, and concerts don’t start until later in the evening. The music genre is typically jazz but depends on the band playing and the shows have a very intimate feel. To get into the club, you can purchase a member card at the door for 6 euros (includes a beverage), and you’ll use the card for subsequent visits.

Libreria La Cité is a small cafe and library that hosts live music at night and they occasionally have events on various nights of the week. This is a neat place to check out if you are looking for a relaxing night filled with drinks, books, and music. I had the chance to visit La Cité during the evening and came across a lot of people sitting down with a book and coffee before the music started. The building is not too big but it is packed with bookshelves and even has an upstairs area with comfortable seating. I would definitely go back to this place whether it be for a coffee and book or to listen to music.

The Virgin Rock Pub is well-known for friendly service, rock music, and a great selection of food and drinks. It hosts events on the weekends with live music and aperitivo. The Virgin Rock Pub also has outdoor seating if you want to enjoy the music while still experiencing Florence’s beautiful weather during the summer. I had the opportunity to attend the Virgin Rock Pub during one of their events and it was a neat experience. The space is small but is decorated with old rock memorabilia, drum symbols turned into lights, posters, and paintings. After 10 o’clock, a band played classic rock music while everyone crowded in to listen.

There are many wonderful places in the city that can accommodate to your style. I recommend visiting these music venues during your time in Florence because it gives you a different taste of Florence at night. Try starting out with these spots and definitely venture out to explore the many music venues to check out while living in Florence.

How to Visit:

Jazz Club: Via Nuova de’ Caccini, 3, 50100 Firenze
Closed Monday, Friday-Saturday 11PM-4AM, other days 11PM-3AM

Libreria La Cite: Borgo S. Frediano, 20/r, 50124 Firenze

Virgin Rock Pub: Via dell’Agnolo, 76, 50122 Firenze
Open everyday 3PM-3AM

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Unraveling Street Names: Via vs. Borgo

by Jessica Rowe

As you walk through Florence, you’ll see that street names usually start with via or borgo. What do these words means? What are the differences between the streets? It’s quite simple, really.

If you’ve been walking around the streets of Florence, you might have realized that different street names have different words in front of them – usually via or borgo. If you don’t know Italian, then telling the difference between these two types of streets is nearly impossible.

To start, we can define the words “via” and “borgo.” Via (pl. vie) typically means “street.” Borgo (pl. borghi), on the other hand, translates to “village.” From this we would assume that borghi would be bigger streets, perhaps with more apartment buildings or houses, and that they would more closely resemble little towns of their own rather than streets. However, these assumptions would be wrong.

While trying to figure this out, I walked down Via Pietrapiana which later turns into Borgo la Croce. I thought that the difference between these two types of streets would hit me when I crossed from one to the other. In truth, I didn’t even notice the street had switched names until I was a full block down Borgo la Croce. I then started to pay more attention. The contents of the streets were similar – shops, apartments, restaurants, etc. – and the number of each was nearly the same. However, Borgo la Croce is a narrower street with much less traffic. People walk right down the street and barely ever have to move out of the way for cars or motorcycles. Via Pietrapiana, on the other hand, had much more traffic on it.

From this, I concluded that borghi were streets with less traffic that were more accommodating for pedestrians. This, unfortunately, did not hold true for every borgo I passed. Some of them had heavy traffic and even parking on the street. The only difference that seemed fairly uniform was that borghi were almost always narrower than vie.

To figure this out, I contacted Catia Ballerini who works at FUA’s Squola. She said that in normal usage the two words are just different ways to say “street,” like avenue or road in English. However, she also found out that borgo was used to name medieval streets of varying size. The use of borgo indicated that the neighbourhood was located outside of the city’s defensive walls but as the city expanded, these streets became included in the historic centre. Via, on the other hand, was used to name any city space used for traffic.

In conclusion, we see that nowadays via and borgo can be used interchangeably but, in the past, these two words indicated the locations of roads in reference to the city walls.

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The History of Via Sant’Egidio

By Jessica Rowe

Via Sant’Egidio is a small street in Florence with a long history. On this street, you’ll find the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova and, inside, the church that gave the street its name.

Via Sant’Egidio is a small, quaint street nestled between Via Bufalini and Piazza Gaetano Salvemini. Along this street you will find a mixture of shops and apartment buildings, often with bars on the windows or green shutters.

What you might not know when walking down this street is that it’s named after the Sant’Egidio church which currently resides inside the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova. The church was rebuilt from its ancient foundation and consecrated by Pope Martin V in 1419. During the 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th centuries, the church was restored and changes were made to it.

Sant’Egidio is the Italian name for St. Giles, a Christian saint and the patron saint of many things, including beggars, epilepsy, forests, and fertility.

This street is almost perfectly centered in the nexus of FUA’s buildings. You may even walk down it without realizing it as you go from Ganzo to Squola. But even if you miss most of the street, you cannot miss the hospital. The building takes up much of the street and the exterior is laced with beautiful details. There is a plaque by one of the doors that tells you about the church and its history.

You can visit the church for free from 8-12 a.m. or from 4-6 p.m. While the original art from the church has been lost, the art currently inside is well worth a look.

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June Events in Florence

As temperatures start to heat up and Italians head toward the beaches, the month of June proves to be busy in and around Florence. From music festivals to historical soccer matches and medieval dinners, tourists and Florentines alike are sure not to get bored with these upcoming events. Here are some suggestions that FUA students put together.

Il Mercatale

By Jessica Kruebbe

Piazza della Repubblica will host another one of its Mercatale events for the public. The market is normally held the first weekend of each month welcoming residents and tourists alike. The next market will be held on June 3rd and 4th from 8:30 to 19:30. There will be 84 producers at the event, 46 of which are from the province of Florence. Others are from the surrounding provinces such as Prato, Siena, and Arezzo. Visitors can browse long booths full of wine, oil, vegetables, fruit, truffles, and other freshly grown produce. In addition, there will be some typical products from the area including salami, cheese, and honey. The variety of vendors allows passersby to try many authentic foods such as “necci” biscuits of the Tuscan Appennino. For the rest of the spring and summer seasons, the market will rotate between Piazza Repubblica, Piazza del Carmine, and Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

A Cena da Messer Giovanni

By Whitney Byrd

Hear ye, hear ye!
Come experience a night in Medieval times sponsored by the Municipality of Certaldo on June 10th and June 17th. Join us in the beautiful castle in Certaldo Alto, the small medieval town, for the 17th annual feast!
The night will consist of a typical dinner from Medieval times served with authentic wooden cutlery. The menu for both evenings will be the same, catered by Party Giò-Certaldo. The meal will be served by 80 boys and girls in medieval costumes.
No feast would be complete without entertainment! Between courses, don’t miss the sword duels, fire eaters, and a performance by Compagnia del Drago Nero. To celebrate the end of the evening, stick around for a magnificent fireworks display over Palazzo Petrorio!

“A Cena da Messer Giovanni” will begin at 20:00 and end at 23:00.
Don’t forget to book in advance! Cost is € 39 / person

For reservations:
Grazia Palmieri, Via 2 Giugno – Certaldo (FI)
Tel. 0571 663128 – Cell. 335 6988480
info@elitropia.org

Rock the House Down with Firenze Rocks Summer Festival!

By Paige Petronio

Florence Italy- From June 23rd until the 25th at the Visarno Arena big names like Aerosmith, The Cranberries, and Placebo will be sharing their talent to the people of Florence. They are expecting big crowds for this event and the Mayer of Florence has already stated that for those three days Florence is going to be the “capital of rock”.

This festival is bringing in talent from all over the world. This includes English chart topping bands making their first Italian Debut along with some lesser known acts including Prophets of Rage and Glen Hansard. Accompanying these amazing artists, will be a variety of food trucks and stands to cater to the concert goers cravings.

The festival has even created its own app available that you can download so that you can stay in touch with all of the exclusive content throughout the entire festival. This gives guests the ability to take pictures with exclusive filters. Most importantly it will have a lay out of each of the acts so you can be sure to not miss your favorite singers.

What: Firenze Rocks!
Who: Big names including Aerosmith, Eddie Vedder and System of a Down
Where: Visarno Arena
When: June 23, 24, 25, 2017
The summer Firenze Rocks tickets are on sale online: www.ticketone.it

La Festa di San Giovanni

By Lauren Fulton

The summer months of Florence showcase beautiful blue skies and sparkling water as the temperatures increase in the lovely summer months of Italy. June 24 brings lots of excitement and cheer to the city as Florence celebrates their patron saint, Saint John the Baptist. Throughout the day festivities can be discovered around the city. The main event of the day, is the final game of Calcio Storico, a soccer game mixed with some rugby and wrestling played in historic Renaissance attire, followed by fireworks at the end of the night. Calcio Storico includes four teams, representing the four historical neighborhoods of Firenze. The semifinals begin the weekend of June 11, times to be announced.

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Live Music Evenings in Florence

By Madison Starkey

Florence is home to a rich live music scene waiting to be discovered. Madison checked out NoF, a locals’ favorite in the artsy San Frediano neighborhood in the Oltrarno, where the vocals and beat made for an unforgettable experience to be remembered.

NoF is where good vibes are plenty and musicians from “all corners and crossroads of the globe” are hosted weekly. My friends and I have the good fortune of living just a block away from this cool and confident live jazz club in the Oltrarno neighborhood. We recently caught a performance that I know will be one of my favorite memories of Florence. A young woman with dark hair, black boots, and the strongest, most vibrant voice I’ve ever heard provided the vocals for this unforgettable evening. The night was unforgettable, due to her captivating talent and due to the fact that we stumbled across it by pure chance. We had originally intended to walk past NoF, but the voice of the singer, the rhythm the drummer was banging out, and the smooth, deep sounds emanating from the guitarist’s strings captured us before we could do so. Instead, we wandered, dreamlike, into NoF, and weaved our way through the small crowd to the front of the stage.

And that is where we stayed.

I so vividly remember that night, that music, and stealing glances at my friends faces and enjoying their facial expressions: they were as entranced as I was. The woman’s voice was deep, smooth, and seductive even with the most upbeat songs. The band played mostly jazz music and re-vamped versions of classic hits. I failed to find out what the artist or band’s name was, unfortunately, but I know I’ll be revisiting that night in years to come. In my reveries, one moment I’m taking notes at University, the next, I’m back in that dark wood-panelled room, unable to stop myself from swaying to my imagined, but once real music.

NoF
Borgo S. Frediano 17red

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Sound Postcards from Florence

By Jordyn Asakowicz

Sound Postcards from Florence – How does the city sound throughout the day? Jordan reports from different Florentine locations – including a parade, a soccer game, and the city at sunset – to give listeners an audio postcard of city moments.

Il Doppio Bacio

By Christina Trupia

It is Italian tradition for family and friends to kiss each other on each cheek as a greeting when saying hello or goodbye. If you look around the streets of Florence, you will see this salutation everywhere. Have you adopted this Italian custom or any others yet?

It is the simple gestures that hold a plethora of meanings between those who share them. You can see it between friends passing each other on the street while taking an afternoon stroll, in a restaurant amongst two friends meeting for a meal, or even those departing after a day spent with someone who was once a stranger. Un doppio bacio, or a double kiss, customarily on the cheek, is a common gesture between those local to the region of the world that I now call home.

Mostly used among those who know each other such as family or close friends, I view this effortless, social gesture as a beautiful and welcoming practice. It is a sign of love and caring for those who have had an impact on your life at some point in time.

Imagine friends from university coming together after years of living distant lives, greeting each other with a double kiss on each cheek as a sign of the relationship they once shared. Perhaps you may see it shared within a family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews meeting for a celebration of a new life born into the family. It may even serve as a farewell gesture between a classroom of a small group of students after the completion of a course, or a guide ending their journey with the travelers they have come to know after a full day of touring and adventure in a new place.

It is an engaging tradition that means so much more than a simple handshake or an exchange of words. A small gesture with a heartfelt meaning, the double kiss symbolizes the genuine respect and sentiment we all have for one another.

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