Hello!
So, over the past week, I have been adjusting to life in Rome and I have to say this place is amazing. It has felt more or less like a vacation so far and this will probably change as I begin to take my economics classes beginning tomorrow. This update might be a little long just due to the sheer number of things I did this week, so I will try to include as much as I can but will probably have to include some details in other blog posts and cultural proofs.
Here is a little video I took from the Newark airport as I was connecting to fly into Rome. I thought this skyline was amazing of New York City.
To start off, my flight into Rome felt like an eternity. I have never flown on an international flight before so the amount of time on the plane felt pretty unusual. What was also unusual was having my headphones stolen mid-flight while I was asleep so that was kind of disappointing. However, once I got off the plane it was just a relief to be back on land and beginning the start of a new adventure. Taking the train from the airport took around 30 minutes and after a pretty awkward cab ride with a driver who was fighting with his mom on the phone, I arrived at my apartment in Trastevere. Once I stepped out of the cab, sets of renaissance era building filled my surroundings and my feet hit the uneven stone street.
Since I’m renting an apartment off campus instead of staying in the dorms, I walked up to my building and rang the bell labeled “menicini”. Immediately, a very enthusiastic woman named Lara yelled above me from her window and ran downstairs to let me in. Lara is my landlord is one very nice lady. She gave me a tour of my studio apartment, tips about what to do around the city, and general information about household chores. After being greeted by her, I began to settle into my little apartment. It is small overall but has its own kitchen, two sets of large windows, awesome historical photos on the walls, and a tiny bathroom that has some bizarre odor but Febreze seems to do the trick on it for now.
After settling into my room, my week from this point consisted of seeing the sights, tours, eating some astounding food, and orientation for my college here in Rome. The first day I was in Rome, I walked through the central part of the city and saw sights like the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, and the Spanish Steps. The central city consists of very cool windy roads running parallel along taller buildings in comparison to the neighborhood where my place is located at. My favorite sight would have to be the Pantheon because of the shocking awe factor of the dome from the inside. Knowing that this church was built almost 2000 years ago still blows my mind as the dome is huge and has squares that run along it which pull off a very cool 3D illusion. What I have learned about these sights is to avoid the vendors at all costs because they totally act like your friend but then scam you once they have you in their control. One guy even tried to grab me so he could put his cheap Chinese trinket in my hand to make me buy it, so I had to shove him away and basically run away from him. I have laughed out loud every time I have thought about this encounter over the past couple of days.
Here is a video I took of the Trevi Fountain, one of the many things you have to see in Rome when visiting. Something very cool to see after learning about how the fountain gets its water in my background report!
Over the week I also took tours of the Colosseum and the Vatican. Both locations hold their own unique glory in architecture and history and are sights to behold. Walking through the Colosseum for the first time with an expert guide was great for me to understand how the structure was built, the propaganda machine it was to ancient Roman society, and the restoration processes still going on to this day to keep the whole arena upright. The one fact that still blows my mind is that the whole arena was built in eight years using only animals, crude tools, and slaves. However, the sheer number of slaves that built the arena is probably why it was able to be completed in such a short amount of time with over 60,000 helping to complete the project. The Vatican, more specifically St. Peters Basilica, I felt to be a more jaw dropping structure. Walking in the church for the first time and looking under the dozens of domes and different sections marked with perfectly shaped marble and encrusted gold and silver ceilings seems like a building from a fantasy novel. After walking through and admiring the church, I paid around 10 euros to climb to the top of the church which if I must be honest, was one of the most claustrophobic climbs I have ever done in my life. After climbing up 300 tight spiral steps, I was rewarded with one of the best views of the city. It was definitely a sight to behold.
Here is a video I took from the top of St. Peters Basilica. I think this has to be the best view in the city!
My orientation over the week was on the boring side. My assigned group and I a took tour around the campus and did a navigation tour around the city in order to get our bearings situated around transportation. As much as it was tedious, it was helpful to get advice on how to traverse our campus and the city from a local student.
Finally, I don’t want to leave out the food, so I’ll talk about some of the dishes I have had so far. In my investigations on where to get the best food, I have found that my neighborhood, Trestevere, has the best "authentic" food in the city. I have tried Lasagna for the first time in my life and I must say, it was basically heaven on a plate. The flavors were so intense, and the texture was just perfect in every way. The pizza here is totally different in that they favor thicker crust, less cheese, more sauce, and a lot of toppings. However, I love it this way and have tried crazy new flavors like Potato pizza and “fungi” pizza which is basically just marinara pizza with mushrooms. Gelato here is super rich and creamy but to be honest, it just tastes like glorified Cold Stone.
On this Sunday afternoon, I sit here wondering what the next five weeks will hold for me. I am hoping these classes won’t be so hard to the point that I won’t have time to explore the city and travel, but I am thinking they won’t be so terrible. I plan on traveling to Florence this upcoming weekend and Venice the weekend after that so stay tuned for a blog talking about my adventures in those cities. I also plan on explaining more about my neighborhood once I explore it a little more in the next week or two. Overall, I am having a blast here in Rome and can’t wait for all the exciting things that will unfold throughout June!
