Today’s journal topic requires me to imagine that I am two months in the future, and I am returning home from Italy. I must try to answer the question “How will I be different?” This is difficult to do, because this is the question that I am most curious to answer in time. What will I experience and how will I change?
In order to begin to answer these questions, I have to start discovering what it is that Italy has to offer. What is special about this place, and what is different? Obviously the history and culture of the country, and especially Rome itself, are very different from that of the United States. However, there is something more than that. Barzini referred to it as the “charm of Italy” in his book, The Italians. He explained that this “charm” has kept the majority of Italians from ever leaving their country. They are the “original victims of the charm of Italy.” He also described how so many visitors of the country gradually decided that they would never, or could never leave.
Will this charm affect me as well? Will the combination of history, culture, tradition, and beauty push me to the point where I feel I can no longer be happy anywhere else but Italy? Barzini seems to think that it will, but it is too early for me to tell.
So far, we have visited the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Spanish Steps. The Colosseum and the Forum were both very historical sites. I felt slightly odd in the Colosseum because although I thought it was amazing, I could not help but think that it is really a scar on Roman history. Thousands of executions took place on that ground, many for very unjust reasons. I sometimes complain about the content of modern reality TV shows, so imagining what happened in the Colosseum as entertainment is shocking. The Forum, although not much is left standing, is a much better testament to the glory of Rome. It was here that politics developed into new forms that still influence governments today.
The Spanish Steps and the surrounding area had a much different feel than the other two sites. The streets around the Steps are lined with busy shoppers looking to spend serious money on all sorts of items. Gucci, Prada, and Armani shops lure in anyone who can afford the absurd prices, and some who cannot afford them. This area gave me more insight into the modern Roman culture. It is here and the metro system where you see the real Italians mixed in with foreign visitors. It is a culture that appreciates good food, expensive wine, and high-class style.
So to answer the question, I feel that I will definitely change after this trip. I hope I will be more cultured and more open to new things. I am sure I will have trouble giving up certain Italian habits: late dinners, never take your shoes off inside, and always watch your pockets on the metro. There are also the things I am sure I will miss. The cool, damp air generated from the stone buildings, the wonderful weather (there are palm trees here), and the beautiful people. I believe I will come back as a product of the effects of Italy’s differences. How these differences change me is yet to be seen, and it depends largely on my answer to the question, “Is different better?”
