Coming on this trip to Rome has been quite an experience. A great and wonderful experience that has brought me much joy, much fulfillment, much knowledge, and much respect for both Italian history and the people here. In two short days, we have done a great many things. We visited the Coliseum, which is my personal favorite as well as is the Pantheon and the Sistine Chapel, the Roman Forum, the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps, along with other great buildings. The Coliseum is my personal favorite, for many reasons. One being because of it’s architecture and how it was built, but also because it holds great history in it’s doors. In Ancient Rome, gladiators would put on battles, they would fight with both other humans and animals and hold mock sea battles. The Coliseum was built to bring all people together, no matter their social class. In it’s prime it held about 70,000 Roman citizens. A new fact I learned, was that the gladiators weren’t necessarily all poor people and that gladiators didn’t die as much as society claims they do. The emperor was the one to decide who was to die. Gladiators also weren’t such terrible people either, as history leads us to believe. I also learned that that only 30% of the Coliseum is still remaining, 70% has been lost from both time and it being used as a mineral quarry after the decline of Rome. Another breathtaking monument, is that of the Pantheon which has been around for about 2,000 years and dates to the Pagan times. The Pantheon was built as a temple to the Roman gods. The building of the dome in the Pantheon was unknown for a good 100 years. The sky light or hole in the ceiling represents the gods and heaven. The multiple square pieces below and around this sky light signify materialistic possessions and earth. Together they represent the balance between the heavens and earth, and how without living with both would mean the decline of the world and humanity. I find the Sistine Chapel to be highly breathtaking, I am also one to admit that Michelangelo is a personal favorite artist of mine. I didn’t realize until today that he was 32 when he painted the ceiling and 60 when he painted “The Final Judgement. I didn’t know until today, that he painted the ceiling standing up and not lying down on his back as to popular belief and that the paintings on the side walls weren’t done by him but by other people. Coming to Italy, has opened my eyes to the Italian culture. I have gained a much higher respect and appreciation for Italian culture. Ancient Rome and Italian culture has always been something I have enjoyed learning about, it’s always been a real passion for me. I’m so happy to have come on this trip….my throwing of coins in the fountain back 7 years ago has most certainly paid off. Nothing could be better than a trip to Italy. And if you must know Gelato is better than ice cream and Roman pizza is far superior to that of America. I can’t wait for the rest of this magnificent adventure and what is has to offer. As said in a quote, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.