Student space

I studied here at the Siena School for Liberal Arts during the spring 2016 semester. The moment I returned in May, I wanted to come back and so was thrilled to be given the opportunity to intern here. Now I help out the school with their social media and blog, along with taking an Italian class.

I haven’t regretted for a moment returning to Siena and the Siena School, but I’ll admit it was weird at first. One thing I love about the school is that each semester of students is fairly small, allowing us to form close relationships. So it was weird to come back and find all these strangers in place of the friends I’d laughed in class with, traveled with, and Skyped with from three different time zones once we returned to the U.S. And of course I missed living with my amazing host family—what do you mean I have to do my own laundry and learn to cook now?

But I am getting exactly what I wanted out of this experience. I am really living here, working on my Italian, and making local friends. I didn’t want a replication of study abroad. I wanted to “advance to the next level,” and get something even deeper out of my already culturally-enriching, authentic abroad experience from junior year. 

I love our new group of students. I think they have a nice dynamic and they’re fun to talk to and hang out with. I’m excited to see what the semester will bring, and to hear about all their travels. Here we have Clio talking to students Katie, Chloe, and Oriana in Certaldo during orientation weekend.

I’m also happy to be living in my own apartment. After four years of dorm life in college, it’s so nice to call more than a few feet of space home. (I do miss having dryers, but my washing machine is one room away rather than several floors away, so I can’t complain.)

It’s different. But different doesn’t mean bad; in this case, not at all. Different means excitement at the prospect of what lies ahead, because you’re facing new challenges, growing as a person, and living in a new story. Here’s to the next chapter.

Alexandra Wendt

Siena School intern