Cinque Terre

Rome Week 8

Castel Gandolfo - Campus and Town

325 Blog 8 - The End

Seven weeks ago, I predicted how my Rome experience would change me as a person. I documented my prediction in my very first blog, just as the rest of the group did. I wrote that I would be a “product of Italy’s differences,” and that it was impossible to predict exactly how I would change. In a sense, I am still unaware of how this semester in Rome has changed me. Aside from the literal changes that I will discuss, I can tell that I have undergone a change of being.
I can tell that I am a different person, though not completely different. Italy has revived me in a way. Before I came here, I was starting to find my everyday life to be somewhat dull. I love my family and friends, and I would not have it any other way, but I felt as if I was running out of things to talk about. When I arrived in Rome, I suddenly found myself wanting to talk about everything. I not only wanted to discuss my experiences in Italy, but I also wanted to discuss life’s puzzles and questions. I am reaching a point in my life where there is no turning back. I have made a career choice, and I will soon graduate from Walsh and be forced to take the next step in life. Through the subconscious change I have experienced this semester, I feel more prepared for all of my future challenges. I have broadened my horizons, and life feels good.
In a more literal sense, I have changed in many ways that would be expected. I can remember my first week in Rome. Walking with eyes wide, snapping pictures of everything I saw, and falling in love with every girl that walked past. But I eventually grew past this stage and became accustomed to life in Rome. By the end of this trip, Rome felt like my second home. Because of this, I now feel much more comfortable in a big city than I would have before. I also feel that traveling within the United States (though I have travelled across the country before) would be a walk in the park now. After using public transportation in Italy and Spain without being able to speak the native languages, I do not feel that anything could confuse me.
I am also sure that I will experience a bit of reverse culture shock when I return home. Being in England this past weekend made me realize this. Being in a country where English was the national language was just plain weird. I answered “Si” rather than “Yes” at English customs at least three times, and ordering food from restaurants was very strange. Rather than just order the food, I kept thinking that I had to tell my English friend, Adam, what I wanted so that he could order it. I felt like he was Danilo in Italy, and that I was unable to communicate or really do anything without his guidance. Although I got over this feeling fairly quickly, I still became aware of how different it is going to be to go home. Also, when I flew back from England to Rome, I had the sense that I was returning home. I found comfort in this, even though it was a strange thought to me. I am starting to think that returning home will feel like a vacation, and somewhere along the line, I am going to realize that it is permanent.
Another way that I know I have changed is the way I now feel about my own culture. After taking a few train rides into Rome with my iPod headphones in, I quickly realized that my favorite music to listen to in Italy was American folk music. This is not a genre that I usually appreciate this highly, so I was surprised that it suddenly sounded so good. After thinking about the cause of this phenomenon, I realized that it was because I was gaining a new pride in my own culture. I found it so comforting that in my home country, halfway across the world, a large group of people share so many similarities with me. I can communicate with and relate to nearly any American I meet. I also have a great family and group of friends whom I can talk to and laugh with, just as the Italians do with each other. By listening to my collection of American music with the Italian countryside passing by my train window, I could blend my culture with the culture of Italy. It has been said that the charm of Italy draws many visitors in, and does not allow some to leave. After being here for nearly two months, I have felt this charm, and I believe that staying here would be nice. However, I now appreciate my own home and culture even more. The fact that America’s culture is young does not make it worse; it only means that our culture is still being shaped. Our traditions may not be as deeply rooted as some of the Roman or Italian traditions, but I make new traditions with my friends and family every year, and I like that.
On top of all of these changes, I have now added a new compartment of memories to my mind. Excursions in Rome, weekend vacations, and playing games in the lounge. All things I will certainly miss, and I will even miss the less pleasant things like unreliable Italian internet, rude Roman locals, and showers that spit bursts of scolding hot water at you every twelve seconds. I will remember every moment, good or bad, with a feeling a mixed happiness, sadness, and desire. I will miss this place for a very long time. I can picture myself now, standing in my shower at home, when I will suddenly step to the side to avoid a rush of burning hot water that will never come. Nonetheless, my mind will suddenly be flooded with images of Italy. I will re-experience all of the times we had in Rome, the good and the bad. Memories that will never really fade away, and I would not have it any other way.


I would like to thank everyone who was a part of this trip. To Professor Mustafaga, Danilo, Sara, Ryan, and all of the other students who went, I appreciate everything. Whether it was teaching the students, setting up excursions, organizing campus activities, convincing us to come to Rome, or simply providing a good laugh (of which there were many), it was all perfect. I loved every minute, and you will all forever be my friends.
To all of my family and friends back home, if you were aware of the existence of this blog, then you are important to me. Thank all of you for all of your support, and I look forward to seeing you all very soon.
To my sister, thank you not only for giving me some great pointers on where to go in Europe, but also for travelling across Europe, thus creating a large debt to Mom and Dad, and therefore making them feel that it would be only fair if they did the same for me (just kidding, I love ya and I’ll see you soon! can’t wait to swap stories with you).
And finally, to my parents. Just as any other lucky son, I was already forever in your debt for everything you have done for me. But I am more than lucky, I am privileged. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I love you both so much, and hopefully someday we can come back and I can show what it is that I have seen.
It is a short time before I come back home. Until then, Ciao from Italy! See you soon.

England

Rome Week 7

225 Blog 7

Looking at his life, I feel that Raphael was one of the most interesting artists of all time. In his short life, he created some of the most famous paintings of all time (most based on religious subjects), while also living a life that would probably not be accepted openly by the church. It is said that Raphael’s death was caused by a fever that was the result of a night of intense sexual relations with one of his mistresses. Because he would not tell his doctor the reason for his fever, he was given the wrong cure, which killed him. At least, this is what some people believe.
During our tour of the Vatican Museums, our group had the privilege to see the “Raphael Rooms.” The decoration of these rooms was commissioned to Raphael by Pope Julius II, the same Pope who commissioned Michelangelo to decorate the Sistine Chapel. These rooms are considered by many to be the greatest works of Raphael’s illustrious career. One of the main works in these rooms is the widely-known “School of Athens.”
This work depicts many of the great Greek philosophers. Some say that every great Greek philosopher is depicted in this fresco, but it is impossible to prove this, seeing that Raphael made no intense effort to document who was who in this painting. However, certain figures are clearly identifiable. The central figure positioned more to the right with blue cloak, brown hair, and his hand extended in front of him is Aristotle. The figure to the left of Aristotle, with pink-orange cloak, long gray hair, and finger pointing upward is Plato. The reason that Plato points upward while Aristotle holds his hand flat is that Plato was a more optimistic philosopher. Aristotle was Plato’s pupil, and he felt that Plato’s ideas were too optimistic. Aristotle believed that truth could only be found through empirical evidence, while Plato felt that perception was not always consistent with truth. It is also interesting to know that the figure representing Plato also represents Leonardo da Vinci. Raphael considered Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci to be his role models.
The figure below the two central figures and to the right, wearing a blue toga, lying on the stairs, and holding a document is believed to be Diogenes. However, some argue that this is actually Socrates, so we see that this painting has caused some historical debates. Below the two central and slightly to the left is Michelangelo. He is shown in purple clothing and he is writing something. It is said that Raphael finished his “School of Athens” painting before viewing the Sistine Chapel that Michelangelo was working on at that time. When he saw the Sistine Chapel, he was amazed at its splendor. He rushed back to the rooms he was working on and chipped away a part of this fresco where the stairs were empty. He then added the figure of Michelangelo, permanently honoring him for his artistic skill.
There is one more important figure in this painting that I would like to point out, and that is Raphael himself. He is located on the right side of the painting. He is not visible in the picture I have posted with this blog. However, the picture below this blog (shown as a seperate post) shows Raphael’s self-portrait that he added to the fresco. Raphael is the figure on the right, whose face is looking directly at the viewer. As you can see, he looks very young. All of his portraits would depict him as a young man, because he only lived to be 37 years old.
Raphael was a very interesting man, as well as a talented artist. The “School of Athens” portrays both of these aspects of Raphael’s life. It is one of his most famous paintings, and for good reason.