Lorenzo De'Medici

             Sometime during the month of March I had a meeting with the Transfer Affairs office at UVM about my upcoming summer abroad. In order to graduate on time I have to complete two summer courses that are applicable to my major. The first course I was enrolled in at the Florence University of Lorenzo De'Medici was called “Travel Writing,” and was sure to count as a communication elective. The next class was a bit more uncertain, but it was listed as a nutrition and food science course, which at UVM can satisfy a science credit. The course is called “pairing food and wine,” and my advisor actually started laughing when he told me that yes, it would in fact count as a science credit in lieu of biology, geology, or chemistry.

            The first week here in Florence was so busy and amazing and full of beautiful sights and sounds that most of my friends here, myself included, almost forgot that we were in fact here to take courses and be students. From here on out, every Monday through Thursday I will be taking Travel Writing all morning and Pairing Food and Wine for most of the afternoon. My Travel Writing course is taught by a single British mother, who worked as a journalist for BBC in London for almost twenty years before moving to Florence to write a book and teach. She has a beautiful British accent, and is very, very intelligent. This past week we have been reading ancient works of travel writing, from ancient Egyptian stories to the letters of Christopher Columbus. This semester we will attempt to define the genre of Travel Writing, which isn’t so much a personal journal, but a broader reflection on culture and life. Often times we go outside the classroom and explore and write about the city of Florence. Last week we took a field trip to San Miniato al Monte, or “Saint Manias on the Mountain,” a church that is set on a steep hill across the Arno river, which offers an even better view (in my opinion) than that of the famous Piazza Michelangelo. We set off at 9am and took a walk up the very steep mix of stairs and switchback paths, and crested the hill to a beautiful, ancient church. It was so idyllically quiet that morning and very few visitors were milling around in the sweet summer breeze that whispered through the cypress trees. Monks in white robes serenely wandered the grounds, and I watched as a priest paused and watched the swallows swirling in the air above the city.

            We sat in the shade of the monastery for our lesson that morning, then went inside the church itself, saw the tomb of Saint Manias, and finally visited the haunting graveyard behind the church. It was an enchanting, quiet place, and sported fabulous carved gravestones, elaborate and intricate family tombs, and surprisingly few visitors. I am not a city girl, and even though it was a graveyard, I found the peaceful quiet supremely comforting. That entire morning was a welcome change from the heat and noise of the city, and I was reluctant to leave. In fact, I would have probably stayed the afternoon if it weren’t for my growling stomach pulling me towards Panini’s and pizza.  

            My other class, Pairing Food and Wine, consists of a half hour lecture, an hour spent cooking, and another hour talking about the tastes and sensations of our meal paired with various wines. My professor is very much the Italian cook – her measurements consist of pinches, handfuls, dashes, and drops. Recipes, to Renata, are more general guidelines. If a dish comes out different every time, that’s ok – it adds personality. She is a marvelous cook, and in the past several weeks we have cooked everything from Chicken Cacciatore to Tuna Ragu, to strips of fried dough and chocolate cake. It is by far the best science class I have ever taken.