Envoi

When I first heard about the Writing Rome travel seminar, I immediately knew it was something I had to do.  I was eager to immerse myself in the art, culture, and history of such a beautiful city, and document everything I experienced through blogging.  Learning about Rome this past semester only added to my excitement.  But on the morning of our flight from JFK to Rome, my stomach was in knots.  I had not considered the possibility that I might feel homesick or out of place in a city so far away.  The first couple of hours in our new home were somewhat unsettling; I didn’t know who I would befriend, how the time difference and limited internet would affect communicating with my family, or how long it would take to feel comfortable navigating the city on my own.   

After unpacking at St. John’s, I ended up getting lunch and going for a walk with Sarah Britenfeld, Sarah Donovan, and Elyssa.  I fell in love with Prati immediately—there were so many boutiques and coffee shops that I couldn’t wait to explore.  By the end of dinner on our first night in Rome, I had already begun to feel a sense of camaraderie with the group.  We went for a beautiful nighttime walking tour of the city, which included stops at the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and the Spanish Steps. I don’t remember if my anxieties disappeared with my first taste of Geolitti’s caramel-flavored gelato or at the first glimpse of the Fountain of the Four Rivers just after sunset, but I knew without a doubt that I was going to love it here.  

My days in Rome took on a comfortable and blissful routine, usually beginning with a cappuccino from Gourmet, a coffee shop near St. John’s, and culminating with a breathtaking view or a visit to a site that photographs cannot do justice to.  Emily, Elyssa, and I were determined to find all the city’s best stops, and began to plan our days around where we would go to have the best cup of coffee in the city (Sant’Eustachio’s) or the best carbonara (Ristorante Al Moro).  As for the best view of the city, I don’t even know how to go about picking a favorite.  The view from the top of the Monument to Victorio Emanuel was unmatched until I climbed to the top of the Palatine Hill and looked out over the remains of the Imperial Forum.  However, I don’t know if there was a more scenic view than that from the Orange Grove next to the Basilica San Clemente.

I believe that my time in Rome has helped me to grow as a citizen of the world.  Researching an ancient site in the city and presenting the knowledge I acquired about it on-location was an incredible and truly unique experience.  I felt a connection to the Piazza Navona after spending the semester researching it, and went back several times after my presentation for lunch and shopping.  Researching Piazza Navona also allowed me to make connections between my own site and others throughout the city.  I was excited whenever I encountered a sculpture by Bernini in the Villa Borghese Museum after learning about his contributions to the fountains of the Piazza Navona.  I felt pleased when I noticed the symbol of Pope Innocent X, who was the driving force behind the Piazza’s redesign in the 17^th century, in various churches and basilicas that we visited.  Taking a class about Rome granted me the ability to understand the significance behind the city’s aesthetics, and allowed me to appreciate what I saw on a deeper level. 

I also enjoyed my time in Rome because it pushed me out of my comfort zone in multiple ways.  I had been outside of the country multiple times before this trip, but never without close friends or my family.  Though I did not have any close friends in the class before Writing Rome began, I am confident that I have established friendships during the last two and a half weeks that I will cherish for a long time.  Though I have never been fond of public speaking, giving my on-site presentation on something that I spent a great deal of time researching gave me a sense of accomplishment, and I was touched by the encouraging words I received from my friends and mentors following it.

This trip was also valuable because it helped me to grow as a writer.  I often found myself enjoying the writing assignments because they required me to sit down for a few moments and think about things that I may have otherwise overlooked.  Eventually I found that I was observing the places we visited more closely than I had been previously even without any writing assignments in mind.  I am so glad to have had the opportunity to practice travel writing on this trip; snapping a photograph is useful in remembering something you saw in a particular moment, but writing allows you to remember how you felt about it.  I am happy to say that I now feel connected to the travel writings we have read on a much more personal level.  I am leaving Rome with a newfound appreciation for the city that could not have been achieved had I not recorded my experiences with words.