May 27
We started today at the cemetery. The cemetery here was very different then our traditional cemeteries in America. Although cemeteries are sad places, something about the cemeteries here were beautiful. Each person had pictures, flowers, and sometimes a candle. They were very well taken care of and many people were there visiting their loved ones. Something Dr. Cruise said really stood out to me “in order to look at a culture, go to a cemetery and a grocery store”. By observing how Italians take care of their dead, you could sense how important family is to them.
Our next stop was Basilica di San Francesco. We had walked passed this church so many times this week, but actually stepping inside was amazing. Professor Kirk explained the concept of seeing a piece from where the artist intended it to be seen. The frescoes on display are beautiful, but if you were to see it not in the original context- you would lose some of the meaning.
For our last class, we discussed retake and what responsible engagement looks like. Some of the things I took away were:
- Do no harm
- Intersectionality
- The importance of sustainable and applicable actions
- Supporting locals
- Not using it as a resume builder
- Acknowledging power dynamics and obstacles
We ended the day with painting ceramics! Today was a great day!!
