Posted by on Saturday, May 13, 2017 in 2017 Blog post.

Two of the most fascinating experiences I have had in Sicily so far were our field trip to Solunto and the mayoral elections happening in Cefalù.

When I heard that we were visiting Phoenician ruins, I thought I knew what to expect. I have visited ancient ruins before in Rome, Athens, Ostia, Delphi, and Pompeii. I imagined that Solunto would be in a wooded area, like Ostia and Pompeii. I also imagined the architecture I had already seen at ruins in Italy and Greece.  Thus, I was quite surprised upon arrival at Solunto. The structures did not look like any ancient ruins I had seen before – which I suppose makes sense, since they were neither Roman nor Greek. Also, the picturesque location of ancient Solunto was a pleasant surprise. The views must have been both beautiful and useful back when the city was inhabited. I should mention that it is difficult to compare this experience with visiting historical sights back home, because (as Vittoria said) the scope of history is so much larger in Europe. I will just say that traversing these ruins felt much more remarkable and important than touring the Mount Vernon or the Statue of Liberty.

All of this past week, we have been hearing about the elections happening in Cefalù. Then, tonight, I finally had the chance to see the election process in action. Myself and a couple of my villa-mates were in Piazza Duomo when one of the candidates for Mayor began speaking to a large crowd that had gathered. I couldn’t understand all of what he said, but I did pick up that he used “we” verbs often. This is a rhetorical tactic which is common in the USA as well, intended to make the listener feel united with he speaker. The rally also had other similarities to American political gatherings. The candidate chose an iconic/symbolic spot in town and set up signs. Both supporters and opposition showed up to hear what he had to say. He took (what I think was) his family up onto the stage with him to speak. However, there was less security and less chaos than a typical American political rally.

I have learned that Sicily has a unique history and political climate, even if some comparisons can be drawn to the US. Now, I am excited to see how this election turns out, and ready to go on more road trips around Sicily.