Some people think of the film set in Rome when they hear this phrase, but this past weekend I came to associate it with my experiences in the Italian countryside. I’m studying abroad on a program through Arcadia University, and on Saturday September 15, they took us to a local farm for an orientation and truly unique cultural opportunity. Luckily, the weather was nice, and combined with the beautiful surroundings, it made for a great day!
We went to the Orsini farm on the banks of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria, Italy. Three generations of the family live and work on the farm, which is an integral part of Italy’s slow food movement. As the name suggests, slow food is the opposite of fast food and everything we were served that day was grown, harvested, and cooked on the farm. Needless to say everything was so fresh and delicious. After we had a discussion about culture shock we went into the fields to help the Orsini family and some of their neighbors with the first grape harvest of the fall. It was so awesome to be able to clip grapes from the branches alongside local Italians, and it was also very nice to be able to eat some of the grapes while we picked them:) They were very delicious!
I’d rather show you through some pictures what the day was like, so I just want to wrap up by saying how grateful I am that I was able to participate in a true Italian cultural tradition. The Orsini family was so nice to open their home to us and serve us delicious food, and I will never forget the insights I gained into true, traditional Italian culture that day.
Location: Lago Trasimeno, Umbria
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That’s always great to experience a different culture like that. I hope you are able to experience more (and make sure to post pictures!) Enjoy your time abroad and good luck!
Your pictures are awesome! I have always wanted to go to Italy, and I hope to get there while I’m in Europe this semester! It sounds like your program is offering a lot of cool opportunities! Keep posting pictures!