Explore. Dream. Discover.

Well, as some of you may know, I had my last classes this past week and am in the process of taking my finals. In two days, I will be done with all my finals in Rome. It is pretty bittersweet. I am looking forward to getting back home and seeing my loved one. So many people say that absence makes the heart grow fonder but I never really realized how true that is until I was away from my family and friends for over four months. That being said, I wouldn't change it for the world. I have learned more in these 4 months than I have in my entire college career. I am not necessarily talking about in my classes, although I did learn an incredible amount of information. It is the combination of all my experiences while I have been abroad. You don't realize how differently other people live around the world until you submerse yourself in their culture. I have to say, I can't think of anything better than the Italian culture... I mean come on, the food alone. I think I have actually gained 5 pounds since I have been here just from the food my homestay mom has cooked me. She always says, "don't worry, it has no fat"! No, no fat, just a million calories. And I didn't even eat that much gelato! But trust me, I'm not complaining. All jokes aside, I encourage any students that are reading this to study abroad. It doesn't matter where in the world you go because the adventure alone will change you and help you grow as a person. Mark Twain said it the best... "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

This next part is for those of you that are reading this and thinking about studying abroad. You may be thinking, well I can travel after I get out of school. Once I get my life started. Well, lets be real, once life starts, you don't have time for this sort of thing. I want to share with you a few things that I did during my time studying abroad that I never would have been able to do later in life. First off, I got to live with an Italian woman and her three cats, eat home made Italian meals every night of the week, and enjoy learning about the culture from a true Italian. Second, I got to take classes that I would not have been able to take anywhere else in the world. Not because of the information I learned while in a classroom but the opportunities I had to learn outside the classroom. Here are just a few of the places I visited in and around Rome because of my classes... In my Ancient Roman Civilizations class I had lecture in the Circus Maximus, an ancient arena for spectacles and imperial events. I got to see the Bocca della Verita from Roman Holiday, but now I actually understand the history behind it. Some historians believe it to be a cover to the ancient drain in Rome that is still functioning today. I also got to go out to Ostia Antica and Pompeii, ancient cities of the Roman Empire. Oh and how could I forget, I got a private tour to see the Roman Forum and the Colosseum (check out my previous blog entitled Education in the Field for more information ). And then there was my Urban History of Rome class... We basically learned about the urban history of Rome from its creation in 753 BC to the rule of Mussolini in the 1940s.  For this class, we walked all over the city of Rome learning about the history of streets and buildings and what shaped modern day Rome. You can learn all this information in a classroom but there is no way for you to get this experience unless you are on site and seeing things with your own eyes. This next part is what I did for my last two classes.

For my Ancient Roman Civilization class, we visited the Capitoline Museum. This is the oldest public museum, opened in 1471 by the papacy. It started as a small collection and has grown over time to hold one of the greatest collections of Ancient Roman artifacts in the world. If you have looked through my previous blogs, you know that I use photographs to show my experiences. Hope you enjoy.

The first thing that you see when you walk
into the Capitoline Museum. I mean how
 beautiful is that?

So I know this might look a wee bit strange but you are looking
at the founders of Rome. Those babies are Romulus and Remus.
If you travel to Rome, you will see this image everywhere. Rome is
named after it's first king, Romulus. If you are coming to visit Rome,
look up the foundation legends of Rome. They thought very highly
of themselves!

One of the emperors by the name of Commodus
thought he was Hercules. He used to walk around
dressed up as Hercules, lion skin and all. This is
one of my favorite portrait statues.

This statue is of Marcus Aurelius. It is made of bronze and
used to be covered in gold. It was preserved so well over the
years because the church thought it was Constantine, the first
Christian emperor.  

This is a statue of Hercules... I know, it looks all
wrong. Well there is some evidence of emperors
replacing the heads of famous statues with
 their own heads. His head is the same size
as his hand... It looks worse in person. The large
blocks that are in the background are actually
the remnants of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus
Maximus. The museum was actually built on the
temples foundations.

And this is where I ended my last class. Just imagine giving
the final applause to your professor while over looking the
Ancient Roman Forum and knowing all the buildings that you
are looking at and the history behind them. 

My last time in the Roman Forum for a while. If anyone is planning
a trip to Rome and wants a guide, I am available!!!! Just pay my way and I am all yours!

For my Urban History of Rome class, we ended our class in EUR and Garbatella. EUR was built by Mussolini and after his downfall was pretty much abandoned because of its connection with its miserable past. When Rome hosted the Olympics, this area was actually used to host the Olympic village. Talk about repurposing an area. There is actually a statue that was created during the Fascist regime but they added a crown of laurels and some hand pads to make it into an Olympian... That was pretty entertaining. We visited the Museum of Roman Civilization which was amazing! They have models and plaster casts of all the famous and/or important monuments and buildings in Rome all culminating in probably the best thing I had seen in a museum since I started my studying. Here are some more pictures.

A model of the Stadium of Domitian. Today
this area of the city is occupied by the ever so
popular Piazza Navona!

A full model of the Colosseum, no detail spared!

The plaster casts of the Column of Trajan.
You walk down a long underground hallway
and get to see the entire column, all 98 feet!

My favorite thing I have ever seen in a museum! A model
of the ancient city of Rome. I could have just sat there and stared
for hours! This model is bigger than the flat I am currently living in!
Can you imagine! If you ever travel to Rome, make the trip to this
museum to visit this model! It will be worth your while!

Rome's History in a nutshell. From the foundation
in 753 BC all the way to the Nazi and Fascist regimes
of the 1940s! Not such a fan of the end, but all the
rest of it is incredible!

The city of Garbatella! It doesn't get any more Italian than this!
This was a city within Rome that was built by the ICP as
subsidized housing. I want to live there!!!!

Yes, I know, I'm creepy. But I just couldn't pass up on the chance.
This old woman was just standing on her balcony watching our
class! 

My favorite staricase!!!! I mean how
wonderful is that!!!

My Urban History of Rome class! GO STUDY ABROAD!!!!!

So I know that was a lot of information and encouragement! For those of you who have missed the opportunity to study abroad during college, it is never too late to travel the world! Appreciate all the wonderful experiences that you are given and never pass up an opportunity to experience new things!

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." -St. Augustine

P.S. I may be done with my classes but I am not coming home just yet. First I must do a little more traveling. This coming Sunday, I am going on a cruise to Sicily, Greece, Turkey and Crete. Then I will be coming home. If you have any questions about studying abroad or would like some traveling advice about Rome please don't hesitate to leave a comment! Happy travels everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!