First Week of Class

Buonjourno! It has been a busy, busy week so there wasn't much time to blog. So let me give you all the readers digest version of the week. Also-- to find out more about the actual site/monuments we visit and what we do each day check out our class blog "Daily Diary" at http://dailydiarys09.blogspot.com/

It's a busy Saturday afternoon at the market- Campo de Fiori. Sitting in my third floor apartment I can hear a clarinet player serenading tourists, a man attempting to sell fake designer purses (he keeps saying "Bag with free things! Heylow.. it's pretty funny), a myriad of clanking and crashing as the vendors start to pack up their stands and prepare for a siesta and the constant honking of an impatient Vespa. Life is good here in Roma!

After we moved in on Monday afternoon, we were treated to a delicious (and authentic) Italian FEAST. We had a beautiful selection of antipasta (appetizers) including thinly sliced tuna with arugula (SO good!), eggplant parmigana, a spinch/cheese patty, sautéed zucchini and a piece of really crusty bread with provolone and tomatoes... and that was ONLY the appetizers! ha. Then, I enjoyed a bowl of eggplant, peppers and feta cheese fetachini. So good-- probably the best pasta I've had here so far :) For the main course I enjoyed veal with potatoes and for dessert, tiramisù. Yum.

Educationally, this week was all about ancient Rome and the ubiquity of political propaganda observed in the epic monuments. Tuesday we headed out to the Roman Forum for class. Rome is literally my classroom. Nearly everyday we learn about the significance, history, controversy, symbolism etc. of the monument/site as we are standing in front of it. It's an amazing way to learn. Walking around the 2000 year old ruins-- the Roman forum is definitely a place where a good imagination is helpful. Restructuring the crumbled columns into a bustling meeting place adorned in colored marbles and bronze statues/leafing makes the site come to life. I enjoy trying to put myself into ancient Rome... toga, toga, toga!

Wednesday we had our first class with Professor Modiano (Gift and Sacrifice.) It is a classroom based humanities type course, but still extremely thought provoking. Professor Modiano is an incredibly engaging teacher and the subject-matter is very interesting. After class, we went to the Ara Pacis. The ancient Temple/arch was once used as a place to slaughter sacrificial animals. Really beautiful! For dinner, Erin made me some gnocci (purchased from the dairy store) with sausage (purchased from the pork store) and peppers, garlic, onions (purchased from the market!) cooked in olive oil and wine. Oooh, yum. Just thinking about it makes me hungry :) ha. Later that evening, we took a break from our reading and walked to Trevi with some boys here from Oregon studying architecture at the UW Rome Center. Earlier that day they had met with Rome's expert on aquaducts/fountains. So, it was an enjoyable and informative trip to Trevi. We learned that the tradition "toss three coins over your shoulder to ensure you'll come back to Rome" originated as drinking water from a fountain on the right side of Trevi. So of course, we all took a BIG slurp of water to ensure that we'd come back to Roma! (Don't worry moms, the water was completely drinkable-- there are drinking water fountains all over this city!)

Thursday we went to the Coliseum and the Baths of Caracalla. We all got a little touristy and took "gladiator" pictures-- muscles flexed and fierce facial expressions. Did you know that they used to flood the Coliseum and actually have "sea" battles?? It is hard to imagine that so many people enjoyed watching the brutality and public execution of these battles. Pretty sickening to imagine-- they justified the fighting because many of the gladiators were criminals or murders. It is said that one man was chained to a post and eaten alive by a bear for all to watch. This man was either a Christian or had done something wrong (I can't remember what!) and this gruesome public execution was a threat to others. Then, there was a play written about the man, and every year they would be a reenactment using a real man and a real bear... year after year. Disgusting. The Baths of Caracalla were much more relaxing. In ancient Rome, after the morning work and afternoon siesta, the people would head to the baths. Here they would get massaged and pampered and then jump into cool, warm or hot pools. I wish it still existed. My shoulders are feeling a little tight and on a hot day like today-- a cool pool sounds like a dream come true :) For dinner, some of the girls went out for some pizza! I cannot properly describe how delicious Italian pizza is. The crust is literally cracker thin, but it is crispy and doughy at the same time. There must be some sort of structural complexity to the crust, because Romans LOAD their pizzas with the good stuff. You'd think a thin little crust wouldn't be able to hold all the fix-ins.

On Friday, after Professor Modiano's class we headed out to Trajan's Column, Market and forum for MY presentation. I was happy to get it behind me. Trajan was a great emperor and Rome truly hit its peak under his rule. The excess of gold and silver he brought back from the Dacian wars funded his building of the "greatest fora of all time." And... the market is literally the first indoor shopping mall. Mall-rats everywhere are eternally indebted to Trajan. After my presentation, Nick taught us all about the Pantheon. It was a good day and we were both SO relieved to be done. For dinner, some of the girls and I enjoyed a Roman classic-- filletti baccala-- fried cod! yum.

So far, Rome has really captured my heart. My favorite places have all been discovered through just wandering the streets. Anytime I walk past a church and see that it is open-- I get this impulse to run inside. Every single church I have been inside makes my jaw drop. They are truly breathtaking. Decorated with paintings and sculptures by Caravaggio and Bernini-- every church is museum in itself. Yesterday, we walked into a church and a group of Italian nuns were saying the rosary. It was simply beautiful. Hearing their voices in unison praising God and absorbing the gold-leafed and marble adorned statues, alters and floors. I can't help but lite a candle in each one I walk in... so lovely.

Another thought: I've noticed that the homeless population is starkly different than it is in Seattle. It is truly heartbreaking to see the people begging because often times they are older women. Dressed in tattered scarves with canes to support their bent backs-- it is much harder to walk past these women than the stereotypical beer-bellied man who needs money for his next drink. My heart goes out to these women... it's truly hard to know what to do. I smile and say "ciao," but what else can I do. This morning I passed a woman, who had huge growths on her head. It looked like she had fist-sized bubbles of skin all over her scalp. It was really bizarre looking. I know that Italians do take good care of their homeless population, but seeing that woman this morning was my first dose of culture shock.

Goal for the weekend: find some art supplies. I've decided I'm going to be like the Roman artists and set-up camp beside a picturesque alley or fountain and sketch/paint. Maybe I can even sell some to tourists?? ha. Just kidding!

Well, thanks for reading, this was a lengthy one! Sending much love to you!

Amore, Ciao bellas and bellos :)

Mayme