It would be a crime not to make the most of Italian cooking, eating, dancing, trampolining, speaking, drinking etc on your year abroad here. After all, the food is second to none, the wine doesn’t get tiresome and you’re noticing it doesn’t get much better than this: la vita è davvero bella. Oh yes, yes it is. You’re through a few months of it now and family and friends are expecting lots from you: an academic’s knowledge of Michelangelo, the ability to make perfect hand-made ravioli, distinguish your espresso from your americano, get the froth right on the cappuccino AND speak the local dialect.

Renate spent her year abroad in Siena, Italy. Read on as she fills the year abroad blanks...