Looking Back
So I am writing this sitting on my couch right now. Unfortunately, it is 5 am…stupid jet lag. I know I am writing this kind of late about reflecting but if you reference my past post, I was getting a lot of work done in a little period of time. Blogging had to wait.
Anyway, it finally hit me last night that I am home. Something happened and I wanted to tell Adam and it hit me that i couldn’t run across the hall and tell him. It was really sad actually. I have spent five weeks with these people and we did everything together. It is weird to remember that I have other friends and pretty much another life outside of this Dialogue and outside of Rome.
I thought I would reflect on some highlights and lowlights of the trip. Best of all, through pictures!!!
Highlights:
The Colosseum and Forum
Sorrento
Scholars (most specifically singing Call Me Maybe)
Florence (my favorite place in Italy)
Song competitions (I think we won)
Mapi’s
The Beach in Ostia
Monument Wine Tour
Biking Riding in the park
I don’t have a picture of this because we couldn’t bring our cameras that day.
Albert
I also don’t have a picture of that
Lowlights:
Staying up to 4:30am two nights in a row
Crowded tram rides every morning
Waking up by at least 8am every morning
No iced coffee
The Contemporary Art Gallery
Well I guess that is it for this blog. I am glad I got to spend five amazing weeks in Italy with truly amazing people. I know I will never forget the experience.
We’ll always have scholars. Ciao!
Just Kidding
So…when I said before that our documentary was coming along, I completely lied.
We basically had to start from scratch. It was obviously a very stressful last few days in Rome. We had to re-write the script, go out filming again and edit everything in about 3-4 days.
Long story short though: we did it!!!
We re-wrote the script and it was awesome. The group that went out filming got great shots (props to Nana for filming literally the most amazing shot of the Brazilian Embassy). Thank goodness everyone on our trip is awesome because we were also able to borrow some b-roll of the Colosseum. We talk about it so much the I ran out of it when I was editing and I hate using the same shot twice in films, even if they are far away from each other.
I am glad I picked up Avid pretty fast although that error will haunt my dreams forever I think. After a few nights of no sleep, I finished editing pretty fast, learned a lot and I think our documentary turned out pretty awesome.
This Weekend
This weekend was nothing that new. I am kind of glad we had a chill weekend we definitely all needed one to catch up on some sleep. I slept into Saturday until 11:30 and then I woke up and made brunch for everyone.
I saw the Spanish steps for the first time! They were so beautiful. I can’t believe it took me so long to go see them! I didn’t get to climb up them because there were so many people and it was so hot out as well. I plan on going on a date with Sarah and Julie to climb them and then go shopping around that area again. I am excited!!! I also want to look up more of the history before I go!
Sunday I woke up earlier and went to the flea market near our apartment. I loved it!!! Hannah and I bought a these really cool posters that were mod pogded onto wood so they looked vintage. I got a Roman Holiday one, a Beatles one and a Bruce one for my dad.
Sunday day was spent editing…ALL day. I got a migraine halfway through. I kept going though! It is coming along pretty well, we definitely need to get out and film more soon. I know we will get it done though. I had a falafel in the Jewish Ghetto again. SO. GOOD. I think it will always make my day better!
I have a few pictures but my camera is being dumb. I will post them later!
Last Weekend
Since this weekend was so uneventful, I figured I would blog about last weekend!
We went to Florence and it was the most beautiful place ever!!! I think it might be my favorite place in Italy. It was actually amazing. We saw the Duomo which was too beautiful for words. We also saw the David. I thought I was going to be underwhelmed but I wasn’t. It was truly breathtaking. The detail in the sculpture was incredible for marble. Every single thing looked life like and perfect.
We also went to these really cool markets. I got gifts for everyone! Yayy! Finally, I was getting nervous. It was so cool. I love bargaining which I got to do…and very well might I add.
My favorite day was the Sunday. The first thing we did in the morning was wander and try and find a place to eat. I had the most amazing cheese plate in the whole world!!! Even the guys said it was amazing. It made me so happy. Cheese one of the things I will definitely miss while being here. After we shopped some more (the guys were a trooper). Then we went to a truly amazing and beautiful piazza about Florence.
It was the best way to end to day. There was a smaller group of us and we just hung out and talked and watched the sunset. What a good day.
If I could back to anywhere in Italy after I go home, it would be Florence.
Borghese Gallery
Yesterday we went to the Borghese Gallery. Even though we had to get up SUPER early to get there, it was totally worth it. I am totally an early riser so I didn’t mind that much. Although everyone else seemed to mind how unaffected I was by lack of sleep…it is just the powers of positive thinking!
When visiting, one the statues that personally caught my eye was the statue of Apollo and Daphne by Bernini. Apollo was a ladies man who thought he could get any women he wanted. When Daphne did not want to succumb to Apollo, she fled and called out to her father. In order to save her, her father turned her into a tree. Apollo was so impressed by Daphne’s courageousness and the love between her and her father that he took leaves from her tree in order to make a crown. This is where laurel crowns come. Before visiting this museum, I had no idea whom Daphne was or the significance behind the laurel crown. At a time where women were not always respected, it also is very interesting that Apollo respected Daphne enough to always have a symbol of her; especially one that has held over to present day. As this is being depicted in the sculpture, the delicateness of the leaves still shows, even though it is made of solid marble. Daphne’s transition from nymph to tree looks elegant and the detail to which Bernini created the sculpture is astounding.
It made me really miss my family odd enough. The other statue by Bernini about the seasons I really liked as well. The detail on that was amazing. You could literally see the tension in the skin of the statue, it looked more like fabric than marble. So cool.
We also went bike riding!!! I didn’t have my camera and I was so upset! The view at some of the places was absolutely beautiful! Also, Adam and I were a pretty awesome riding team.
Jewish Ghetto
Jewish culture obviously gets over shadowed by Catholic culture in Rome. I have a slight connection to Judaism; my great grandfather was Jewish. My family converted to Catholicism eventually somewhere along the line. My father remains hazy about so I obviously do as well. Since the heritage lies on my father’s side and not my mother’s, I technically am not Jewish at all. I still really appreciate the culture and history though especially because a very large percentage of my friends are Jewish.
I went to a Seder dinner once and did not enjoy the food nor, as a vegetarian, did I find myself with many things to eat. The Jewish ghettos host a number of bakeries and restaurants with authentic Jewish cuisine that I was willing to give a second chance. For the first time in my life, I had a macaroon. Yes, anyone can have a macaroon anywhere but it personally meant something to me that I had one from an authentic bakery. It was so delicious!!! I love coconut and even though I have wanted french macaroons for a while, I think I will stick the traditional kind!
My grandmother makes the best falafels in the world; the one I had while visiting the ghettos came very close. Without knowledge of the existence of the area, I would not have been able to experience this. This site seems to be overshadowed even though it presents a rich culture that still thrives today. I think it might be one of my favorite places that I have visited in Rome so far. I will definitely find myself going back there to eat!!!
Vatican Museums
My trip to the vatican was an adventure. Even though I left early with Sydney to make sure that we were on time, we were still a good ten minutes late because we got so lost. Vatican City is confusing!
Nonetheless we made it! The museum was incredibly massive!!! For starters, the Museum was founded by Pope Julius II in the 16th century and has been commissioned by various other Popes after. The papal symbol is sprinkled all throughout the museum with each part holding a certain meaning. The detail of every single thing the Romans create never ceases to amaze me.
My favorite part of the museum was by far The Gallery of Maps. From ceiling to fall, the hallway is covered in maps of Italy. It is massive and includes popular cities and regions in detail.
So pretty and so cool!
Catacombs
Last week we visited the catacombs of Priscilla. It was a trek in order to see them and it was very gloomy out as well; pretty fitting for the context I suppose.
The only catacombs I had ever heard of were the famous ones in France so I was excited to see these but pretty bummed that we couldn’t take any pictures.
I was under the impression that catacombs were just mass graves but there was a lot of interesting things that I learned will touring them. There was a lot of artwork in the catacombs which I did expect; really intricate Christian paintings and symbols throughout which depicted different stories. The coolest thing that I thought was there was the oldest known depiction of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.
It was so pretty at time I forgot that there were hundreds of dead bodies there at one time. Kind of disturbing, I completely believe in ghost and hunting. I bet that place gets so creepy at night! I am not sure if it was there for show or no, but I definitely saw a bone in one of the cubiculums which is a burial chamber. Pretty gross but still cool.
I didn’t get a post card so I have no photographic evidence of being there!!! We also got lost on the way home. It was a weird day.
Half Way Done!!!
I will post another more academic post soon. But in honor of being halfway done I wanted to post pictures of my favorite things so far!!!
After the first night. Man do we all look awkward.
My first Italian miscommunication which lead to ordering the whole table yummy drink at lunch one day. Oops!
Family dinners! We all look way less awkward now.
Karaoke at scholars- Spice Girls!
Me and Nana at my favorite place in Rome- The Trevi Fountain
Serento-literally the most beautiful place in the world! 
I just love the picture and the person who took- SYDNEY!
I hope I have more pictures and memories to come.
Early Morning Riser
I have always prided myself on being an early riser. So when it was suggested that my group film early in the morning in order to shoot sites without any people around I was totally up for it.
We left for the sights around 8 am and we headed to the roundabout near the Capitoline Museum. There was a perfect shot of the Colosseum from there with the early morning haze. I am no art person, but I thought it was beautiful if I do say so myself.
Next we went to the Trevi Fountain. There were actually a good number of people there for nine in the morning but not nearly as much as the mob seen that accumulates during the day. People shared the same idea as us it seemed because a couple was taking engagement photos in front of the fountain. ADORABLE!
We got some really awesome shots at the Trevi. Very clear ones that we would have never been able to achieve if there was a huge crowd of people. Even if we don’t event up using that b-roll in your film, it was a great experience.
Hannah, Sora and I got some awesome pictures! Check ‘em out!
