I will be moving to Italia next year in March to attend Scuola LdV to study italian language. I was originally going to settle in Roma but after speaking to amici italini I changed my mind and thought perhaps to begin for 3-6 months in Firenze. Now, I am thinking that maybe even smaller Siena would be better place to start. Once my language skills are improved, I can then change the location of my studies.

I would be interested in what others have to say on this. The good and bad points of both Firenze e Siena.

Grazie,

Melanie

Well I can't find many bad points.

Wonderful cities both, culture wherever you turn, a lot of people speaks English, they are generaly very warm and welcoming.
The only problem could be with the cost of life, which can be really high if you don't know the right places to purchase everyday things.
But this can be solved with time :)
The Italian language you find there is probably one of the closest to Standard Italian there is, but here in Italy dialects are widely spoken as you certainly know, and Tuscany is not different.

Firenze is bigger, a little louder, but astonishingly beautiful. You can see something new and beautiful even after months of living there. It's the Italian city I prefer above all. A diamond.

Siena is amazing, it takes your breath away with those unbelievable little streets leading to sweet piazzas where you find nice churches. The only thing is: do you like to walk uphill? :D

I don't really see as many cons as pros in this choice, maybe someone else has had worse experiences there, but I wouldn't swear on it. You are also not so far from "Le dolci colline del Chianti".

To me it's the closest you can get to Heaven on Earth.

the fewer english-speakers the better. you want to be speaking italian all the time, after all. it's faster to learn that way. perhaps another town near siena or firenze that's not overcrowded with Brits and American students would be better.

I would go for Siena - Firenze is undoubtably beautiful and full of treasures, but it is hot & very humid in the height of summer, and full of tourists - Siena is smaller, still a beautiful town, but not quite as busy. There is so much to discover in Firenze that it may even distract you from your language studies!

Quote Zidanie "The Italian language you find there is probably one of the closest to Standard Italian there is, but here in Italy dialects are widely spoken as you certainly know, and Tuscany is not different" - very true. My wife comes from Firenze/Castiglioncello and she and all of her family pronounce "ci" as if it was "sci"

Ciao Melanie,

I agree with Romano and MarkyMark. Siena is better as it is smaller and less fast-paced. You will have a better opportunity to make friends with the locals and they in turn will have the time to sit and chat. I found that because no one spoke english in my husband's tiny village, that I was able to pick up Italian a lot quicker. They also had a lot more patience with me :)

~Elliana~

the fewer english-speakers the better. you want to be speaking italian all the time, after all. it's faster to learn that way. perhaps another town near siena or firenze that's not overcrowded with Brits and American students would be better.

I agree. The smaller towns where there are fewer English speakers are much better if you really want to learn
Italian. Many of the students in Perugia where I went to school complained that they did not have many people to speak
Italian too. I didn't seem to have that problem. I refused to speak English with anybody that was Italian speaking.
Smaller towns near Firenze and Siena would be places like; Pistoia, Empoli, Greve, Sinalunga e cosi via.


Da ogni modo I really like Firenze and Siena. Firenze is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen and that's not even counting all the art treasures.
Have been there 3 times. This last summer took that double decker bus tour of the city. Had not done that before because thought it was being too much
like a tourist. But glad I did. It takes you all over the city including up in the hills where you really get a good panaramic view of this incrediblely beautiful city.
Oh, they played this musica fantastica and the tour guide spoke Italian with such marvelous elegance. People talk about how great French is but I personally like
Italian better. Not that there's anything wrong with French either though.

I would probably take any of the above. I'm not picky seeing as any day in italy is probably better than a day here.

I would probably take any of the above. I'm not picky seeing as any day in italy is probably better than a day here.

Joe, surely the US isn't that bad is it? My wife and I are hoping to buy a B&B sometime soon "ish" over here - I'll give you a free week whenever we get started :)

Don't get me wrong, it's not horrible here. I'm just not a fan of Corporate America and what it's doing to this country. There is no loyalty here, whether it be friends or family. The almighty dollar is all that people seem to care about nowadays. Not to mention being overworked, underpaid, insurance issues or lack there of.....O yea and the unbelievable amount of stress involved in everything you do here. Personally i'm not a big fan of that, so i guess me and the american way of life tend to clash.

BTW, its not just me who feels this way. It seems to be the topic of choice within the recent elections.

That's just my personal opinion

O and i accept your B&B invitation! thanks!

Joe - if and when we ever get there, your name will be on the first invitation :)

I am sure the way you live in Firenze or Siena is somewhat better than in JoeItalia's city.
BUT
Non è tutto oro quello che luccica.

I would probably take any of the above. I'm not picky seeing as any day in italy is probably better than a day here.

Joe, Let's put it this way. Where would you rather be?
New Jersey or Florence? New Jersey or Perugia?

Met this Italian American from New Jersey that has dual citizenship and spends much more time in Italy that in New Jersey.
We met in Perugia and traveled around together to Gubbio, Assisi, Spoleto, Firenze, Roma and other places in Italy.
He would always say to me while we were looking at some incredible masterpiece or looking at some incredible view;
"Sure can't see anythig like this in New Jersey!" "Why would I want to be in New Jersey when I can be here in Italy!?"E cosi via.

I am sure the way you live in Firenze or Siena is somewhat better than in JoeItalia's city.
BUT
Non è tutto oro quello che luccica.

I live in Chicago. I love chicago, its a beautiful city. Its just the way of life here, and in most cities in this country as explained earlier, that ruins it.

Villa, though confirming that you are perfectly right, I want to say that living in a place is really different from touring it.
It's true that Tuscany, like most of Italy, is full of masterpieces and wonderful places, but living there has its problems anyways.

Happiness is where one feels it, maybe being in a breathtaking place helps it, but it's not the only ingredient* of the recipe.

* (does this word exist?)

PS: rereading this post I feel I've been banal and smartass, don't take me so seriously, I'm only a little ignorant that gives his 2 cents. :)

Happiness is where one feels it, maybe being in a breathtaking place helps it, but it's not the only ingredient* of the recipe.

* (does this word exist?)


Yes it does, and used very well in the context of the reply.

Villa, though confirming that you are perfectly right, I want to say that living in a place is really different from touring it.
It's true that Tuscany, like most of Italy, is full of masterpieces and wonderful places, but living there has its problems anyways.

Happiness is where one feels it, maybe being in a breathtaking place helps it, but it's not the only ingredient* of the recipe.

* (does this word exist?)

PS: rereading this post I feel I've been banal and smartass, don't take me so seriously, I'm only a little ignorant that gives his 2 cents. :)

Zidanie5, Have you been to the U.S.? I'm sure you would have
no trouble with the English language.

I just thought of something. Remember when I wrote about how 40% of Italians in Italy speak
another language while only 9% of Americans speak another language. E un peccato!!!

Zidanie5, Have you been to the U.S.? I'm sure you would have
no trouble with the English language.
I just thought of something. Remember when I wrote about how 40% of Italians in Italy speak
another language while only 9% of Americans speak another language. E un peccato!!!

No, I've never been to USA, though I'd like it.
I've been twice in London for a month, and I had no problems with the language (well except that time I met a Welsh Rugby fan drunk in a Camden Town pub, shouting me something about Italian rugby team :D)

About the "peccato", yes it's a sin, but it seems we have a good part of that 9% here on this forum.

But we're going a little OT, so let me add that those who said it's easier to learn Italian if people does not know English are only partially right.
The best way imho is if people speak a good English but you try to speak Italian with them anyways. If you have problems to express something you can ask it in English, and you'll even learn something new. After all it depends on your Italian level, so Melissa don't care much about language factor.

I think you have it wrong Villa. Only 9% of Americans speak English! It's irritating!

Joe, I know what you mean. I live in California and we have all these signs everywhere in Spanish.

Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, Ventura, Pasadena,
Montebello, Pico Rivera, Camarillo, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, San Juan Capistrano, California,
La Canada, Corona, Corona Del Mar, Playa Del Rey, Marina Del Rey, Santa Monica, Lake Isabella,
Sacramento(the freaking capital of California no less!) e cosi via.
The list goes on and on.

Sure glad I speak Spanish and became a high school Spanish teacher so I can understand all those signs.

Spanish Place NamesSpanish origins of American place names. ... At the time this western California city was founded,
many wildcats roamed the area. ...
www.infoplease.com/spot/spanishnames.html - 32k - Cached - Similar pages

[quote=Villa;14172]Zidanie5, Have you been to the U.S.? I'm sure you would have
no trouble with the English language.
[quote]

Villa - anyone who can use the words "banal" and "smartass" in the same sentence has no problems with the English language! (Except that maybe "smartass" is American, not English - we would say "smart arse") :D

Zidanie, you have a good point. I was chatting (via text) with a guy at our factory in Modena and was telling him something (in English) which he misunderstood. When we got it straightened out, he apologized for his poor English. I of course immediately told him that his English is FAR better than my Italian. Then he said "When you come in Italy, I will speak English and you will speak Italian ..... and we will forgive each other." I thought that was very well put and we laughed about it.
Getting back to what you said, it really does help if the person you are trying to practice Italian on speaks English fairly well. Anyway, I hope to speak Italian much better in the future.

Jeaniegina I know what you mean, and it's exactly what I was trying to say.
While learning a language finding someone who speaks it, and at the same time is trying to learn yours, is a great help indeed.
I experienced the same thing with an Australian boy who came to my school in a cultural exchange, I sat next to him and had a great improving in English (also if I had to spend all the following years trying to catch away that Aussie accent :D :D)

jeaniegina,

Your job sounds awesome, i'm jealous. Do they have a location in the Chicagoland area? haha