Exploring Italy and its culture is such a great part of the students’ study abroad experience, who thought it could be just as great for SAI staff as well? This summer I had the great pleasure of accompanying Florida Atlantic University on a weekend trip through Tuscany for their Health and Lifestyle in Italy program. FAU’s tour leader was passionate about the group’s understanding and experiencing the differences between the US and Italian lifestyle, especially in relation to food production and consumption, and the overall approach to life. The students got the opportunity to do it all: go to the source and see ethical food production methods, try locally produced food and experience the slow life that Italy is famous for.

The trips started with a stop at a beautiful family-run farm and agriturismo where the students got to learn about how the family produces their wines, they had a tour in the family’s farm and finally enjoyed an Italian-style long lunch with the products they learned about earlier. The following day was focused on one of the most famous products of Tuscany, the Cinta Senese Pig. The students visited a family-run pig farm where they learned about ethical approaches to pig farming (wild and semi-wild) and all the regulations related to Cinta Senese. The visit ended with another great lunch with the products of the farm.

One of the highlights of the trip was the cooking class in a magical agriturismo in the Tuscan hills. The students learned how to make fresh pasta directly from an Italian nonna! They also prepared the antipasto and desserts with the agriturismo’s chef. The students truly loved the class. It was a great bonding and cultural-exchange experience for the students and all the staff at the agriturismo. The students will definitely treasure the nonna’s pasta secrets forever!  The food prepared was then served to all the guests of the agriturismo that absolutely loved the food.

All good trips must come to an end, but not before visiting a family-run business that has been producing pasta for more than 100 years! Here the students were surprised to learn how flour is made, the difference between grains, and even got to see the drying process in a 100F drying room. They did not finish the trip empty handed either. The guide gifted the students some pasta, and during the other visits they made sure to fill their luggage with all the amazing products that they tried during the trip.

Grazie mille to FAU’s professor and students for being such a great group, this was an amazing experience that I will definitely keep with me!

Written by: Francesca, SAI Programs Rome Staff