Pre-session Summer 2018
(May 16-May 30) 
Well, not the first night but it was our first night out on the town, site seeing and learning. Today was beautiful and I couldn’t have chosen a favorite monument from today. Not only did we get to see the Colosseum, we got to see the Roman Forum, the Arch di Constantine, the “Wedding Cake,” Trajan’s column, the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, and so much more but we were also able to attend a lecture at the University of Rome. We received a wonderful lecture about the impact of American Literature on Italian culture and people from Professor Mariani. I learned that Italy loved American literature because it was modernized and wasn’t regulated by the government. Much of today was a great learning experience, we all learned so much about the Roman Colosseo. While we did learn a lot, I think the coolest part of today’s learning experience was that if the gladiators that fought in the Colosseo were good fighters, they were able to teach the younger gladiators and were paid to do so. When the Colosseo was in its prime, it could hold 70,000 Romans. Although, it held 70,000 people, only 50,000 had seats. The rest had to stand. The people who had to stand were the poor and women. The lower you were in the Colosseo the richer you were. Being on the top floor of the Colosseo made it hard to see and you had to stand up on the third level. The stairs in the Colosseo are very steep and the higher you got in the Colosseo the closer the steps were. This was to save space. I also learned that gelato is way better than ice cream and pigeons like whipped cream. Who knew!
...Category: Blog postings for Roma
Ever since I took Italian in high school I knew I wanted to come see Italy. Now that I am here I’m thinking America sucks. Italy has so much culture and old buildings back in from the 1300s while America just has buildings. The romans took so much time with their buildings it makes sense that a lot of the buildings stayed until today. I have had a lot of memories just being in Rome. I feel like whenever I walk by every Italian, French, etc. is just calling us dumb Americans because we don’t know what we are doing or where we are going. Then I think if they came to America would they know what they are supposed to be doing. I loved going to Sapienza because I really wanted to study abroad there. It was eye opening to learn that when it is exam time they don’t have to take it right away, they can take it in two years. It is also interesting because they can’t fail a course either, they just have to retake the exam for a higher grade. The food here has been excellent every place I went to I have been satisfied. I have not tried any pasta yet because the pizza is so good I just want more every time dinner comes. I’ve never encountered, unless being in a big city the hosts standing outside and luring people in to come eat. It is sort of a good tactic by being a flirt but also really annoying and it drains because it’s the same thing. That is my short experience from being in Rome.
...Ever since I was a freshman in high school, it has been a goal of my mine to make it to Italy one day. Just two years ago, it seemed like a distant dream, a goal I could perhaps never reach. But here I am now, sitting in a hotel room in Rome, stomach full from the mouth-watering authentic Italian gelato I had just eaten minutes before, and I couldn’t be more satisfied. My favorite part of Rome, no doubt, was the Colliseum and the Roman Forum. I’m finding it hard to put my feelings into words here because, in that moment, my thoughts were only vague—I was more focused on the emotions seeing all of that made me feel, how unreal it was to see all of that real history right before my very eyes. There was almost too much knowledge for me to soak in it was that rich in history. It’s just crazy to think about how the Roman ruins are actual ruins—they’re not fake, they’re not some commercialized product for people to make money off of, they’re actual pieces of world history that helped shape the world we live in now. When you really think about it, all world history is intertwined—Greek history has an influence on Roman history, and Roman history has an influence on British history, and so on, and all of that history gives the human race life, gives it purpose even. To me, all history is relevant—no history can exist purely on its own. What matters most is the influences and how artists and creators execute such influences. So, in short, this three-day visit to Rome has been three of the best days of my life because I am able to see history, I am able to see historical influences on the Roman culture, all which, in turn, influence the modern day culture.
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Traveling to a new country can be exciting and scary at the same time. The unknown can always be fearful but without the unknown how would we grow? People, myself in particular, do not like change and stick to a daily routine. Signing up for this trip only knowing one person to begin with was definitely out of my comfort zone but nevertheless has been the best decision I’ve made through college. I’ve been in Italy for three days so far and can already notice a difference in my personality and outlook on life. I’ve learned that it’s okay to not know where you’re going or if you get on the wrong bus you can just get off and take the metro. Life goes on. We get so caught up in the everyday hustle that we forget to stop and enjoy the view. A language barrier is certainly what I’ve struggled with most so far. As a child, I attended speech therapy classes because I had a speech impediment. As an adult, there isn’t an issue talking English now but learning Italian and pronouncing the words correctly have been a struggle. For instance, a professor at the University of Rome took us to a gelato shop. Well one of the flavors listed was cocco and chocolate is my favorite. Turns out cocco isn’t chocolate but instead coconut. If you were to ask any one who knows me fairly well they would say that I am a picky eater. I never liked coconut anything but I wasn’t going to waste perfectly good gelato, so I ate it anyway. Later in the day I regretted that decision but here I am in Rome and loving every minute of it.
...So far, coming back to Italy has been a great time. Seeing the Pantheon the other day was the first time I have ever seen it. It was beautiful, amazingly done, and perfectly symmetrical. I loved the way the ceiling was all about the relationship between the circle and the square. I loved that it was seen as a connection between the material world we all live in every day and the spiritual world that most people want to rise to. I also noticed that not just the Pantheon boasted these geometrical designs. When we went to the Vatican today, you could find these designs all over the architecture and the structure of the ceilings. (See attached photo) Not only this, but this morning we also visited the fantastic Borghese Gardens. I am usually one for gardens and spaces that would seem to put people at ease, though, going to these particular gardens seemed to serve a greater purpose than this. These gardens were the morning walking places of actual Roman people and their adorable dogs, the home of hundreds of majestic looking trees and a place that had it’s own lake with an amazing building situated next to it. Lastly, and definitely the most important aspect of our visit to Rome for myself personally, my mom came down from England and went out with Carly, Sam, and myself. It was great to feel like we were really on vacation, relaxing, and becoming a part of the Roman nightlife. I won’t get to see her again until August, so, I am extremely happy that this trip provided me the opportunity. She was happy to come and I was happy to see her. Rome has been quite the adventure! From coming here not knowing a single person, feeling alone and afraid to talk to people, to being put in a room with girls that I have felt like I’ve known for years, I have had a pretty good time these last few days seeing the sights and taking these classes. I Cant wait for the next location!
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by Patrick Freed NOT Taylor D Upon reading Calvino’s essay “On Lightness,” initially I was very underwhelmed and thought that what he had written was an obvious matter. I thought that he was simply talking about maintaining balance in the pursuit of life. Due to the fact that I began reading it on the plane, I didn’t have a full grasp of what he meant when he wrote about life as a system of light and weight. However, upon a more critical reading, I now understand that what he meant wasn’t merely about maintaining balance, but that we actually have the power to create balance by the weight/importance we place on certain things. Being in Italy these past couple days has been a trip and then some. Obviously going into this trip I had several pre-conceived notions about what awaited me in Italy, but over the last couple of days, those have all been shattered. I’ve been exposed to so many beautiful places and buildings and I’ve gained a true appreciation for Italian culture. Since reading Calvino’s essay I’ve come to notice his thesis in several aspects. For example, when exploring the pantheon I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and clarity, but I didn’t understand why. After a discussion with Dr. Permenter, however, it became clear to me why I felt this way. In the construction of the dome squares and circles were used to create a balance between the rational side of humanity and the more spiritual, divine side. The harmony of these two basic shapes gives the architecture a sense of completeness that is calming and grounding. This pattern of synchronicity is repeated consistently throughout Italian architecture as well as other aspects of the culture. I have come to notice that Italians are meticulous in the methods in which they create art and food as well. I noticed this my very first day here when a few of us ate lunch at “The Bramble.” Our waiter was more than willing to bend over backwards to take care of everything we needed as well as catering to the language barrier with his minimal knowledge of English. Oddly enough, I also noticed this “lightness” at breakfast the following day. Not only was the staff very attentive and accommodating, but the displays themselves were aesthetically pleasing and you could tell that the food and drinks were all crafted with careful attention. This attention to detail is easy to notice for Americans who aren’t used to it, but I would imagine that Italians probably take this for granted as it is a part of their culture that is so deeply engrained due to where they place “weight.”
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To be completely honest, I was terrified the day before leaving for this trip because I’d never been in another country before. I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to catch on to the native language or the different lifestyle here in Italy. However, all that anxiety was alleviated within a few days and I can say that I’m having the time of my life studying abroad. It’s only been about three days, but I’ve already had experiences that I’ll never forget. My dining experiences started out a little shaky on day one. I accidentally ordered a Focaccia pizza, not realizing that it didn’t come with cheese, and was served plain bread. I do have to say though, the bread was still delicious. I definitely knew better on day two, so I stepped up my game and ordered a Patate pizza (pizza with potatoes). At home, I really try to limit my carbs, but I am fully embracing all the carbs Italy has to offer in these two weeks. Turns out, pizza with potatoes actually tastes pretty great. With all the sites we’ve seen, I’ve been in complete awe. On the first day, we saw the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. The view from the top of the Spanish Steps was gorgeous, as are many of the scenes in Rome. I really enjoyed the Trevi Fountain honestly for a mainly trivial reason. That site was one of the main ones featured in the Lizzie McGuire Movie, one of my childhood favorites, and I always wanted to see it for myself after watching the movie. I was fascinated by the Pantheon because of how old it is and the fact that no one knows how the dome was crafted. It’s incredible to me that people from so long ago could construct such a massive structure that’s still standing today, without all the current technology we have today. These past few days have been eye-opening and I’m so excited to see what’s in store for our next city.
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My second time in the city of Roma went more smoothly than the first, even though my jet lag was worse this time (I blame those two extra years. I was a teenager last time I was in Rome). I felt more confident navigating the city and loved seeing the places for a second time. I am convinced that Rome can be whatever you make of it. It can be magical, overwhelming, welcoming, gritty — and all of these at once. Like the Iyer essay “Why We Travel” if don’t give yourself a chance to learn and experience the culture, you are doing yourself a disservice. I love to see how even three days has improved my Italian language already. I got through an entire conversation of buying a water bottle where I spoke in Italian. One of the most important lessons Rome taught me (this time and last) is that things will not always go your way and that’s okay. For example, I began writing this as I sat on a Rome street coming up on one hour of waiting for a bus. So we jumped on a bus that said it had a stop near a metro and made our way back using mainly our instincts and intuition. This was a very interesting moment to me. We sat for over an hour trying to figure out when our bus would be around, but once we thought a little less, everything fell into place. I’m a big believer that sometimes you just need to get out of your own head and use your instincts and not your phone. We had to find a restaurant in a rush and ended up with a nice meal filled with laughs, white grape juice, and an extremely “friendly” waiter. On to Florence next. There is nothing quite like Rome. The history and world reputation is unparalleled, but I’m looking forward to being back in my favorite city, Firenze.
...Night 3 in Rome. For starters, one of the professors had mentioned that visiting the Vatican was going to be the most cluttered and crowded part of the entire trip. I, like many others I’m sure, was exhausted before we even got half-way through the tour. Many people may have noticed my crankiness after being pooped on by an overhead bird and also being told that it was because I am ‘not a believer’ ( I’m assuming in the Catholicism faith) and I was ready to get food and lay down on my bed and figure out what exactly I needed to do for homework. Even though this is only night 3 of a 14-day trip, tonight was probably the best night of the trip. My roommate Nicole had mentioned her mother was coming for the day which even I was excited about. After dinner, we all met up back in our hotel room and we asked her if she wanted to join us for a late night walk around for a while. We ended up coming across a little eating establishment which we decided to wander into. The night life scene quickly proved that this was a bar. We then collectively decided to order a round of drinks. The drink we decided on trying was the one with the most interesting name. The Magic Foreplay 2.2. We decided to sit, listen and ‘people-watch’ the others around our table. Some people looked younger, some older. There was a mix of people all around from different backgrounds because I noticed not only was Italian being spoken but English and also what I could only assume to be German. As our time came to an end we decided to leave. As we were exiting I noticed more and more of a crowed outdoor seating. People sitting alone, together, or even those who shook hands in the first meeting. This made me think of how whether someone goes to a bar or restaurant you will always find warm, welcoming people no matter what country you are in. And who is always willing to share a drink and trade stories with you!
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