First Impressions and Visits in Italy

Shock and awe… These two words are often used throughout cathoclism to describe the feeling of a person when being blessed with the Lord’s presence. I cannot help but be reminded of these words as I travel throughout Italy. Since I have arrived, I have been incapable of fully absorbing he truly amazing experiences because it is so overwhelming that fully taking in everything is impossible.

I woke up Monday feeling as at “home” as I ever have in my life. I walked down to the dining hall and was presented with fresh fruit, yogurt, nutella, cappuccino and more. Once I finished eating my breakfast. I walked up stairs into my art history class where Dr. Selby enlightened me that once the hour class was completed, the group would be traveling to the Colloseum and Forum in Rome! Instantly, I became too excited to sit still. I wanted class to be over so we could begin our journey. I was just flabbergasted with the fact I would actually be in the Colloseum in hours. I wasn’t going to be watching Gladiator or visiting some convention; I was going to the actual Colloseum. The same one built by Nero where the people of the Roman Empire gathered for entertainment. Only one day in Italy, and already I would soon be surpassing any experience I ever had.

The group traveled by metro to Rome where we met our guide Laura. We were given a tour of the Colloseum and of the Forum. Throughout the tour, I attempted to look at everything I could from every angle and of course take as many pictures as possible. I felt like if I did not do this then I would not be fully experiencing this great place where so much history had occurred. The Colloseum was difficult to envision during the ancient time due to the fact all the marble was removed long ago from the structure and the lack of sections that were destroyed such as the battlefield. Thanks to pictures by our guide, I was able to see what the people of Rome saw during the peak of the empire. This tour was really cool but my heart did not race as I expected. The realness of the situation did not come until we were being showed the Forum. I realized I was standing where Julius Ceasar was cornered and killed. Images started running through my mind like a movie. This was the first time since arriving where I felt the full greatness and uniqueness of visiting this country.

Luigi Barzini talks of a minority in his book The Italians who “… avoid the heat and dust” and “… go at convenient hours”; luckily, Danilo Mori’s experience and the Walsh global learning program place us in this minority. Of course, I have had times where I felt nervous or more like a tourist rather than a traveler but it is undoubtedly awesome to not have to walk around without any destination or wisdom. Plus, as every day passes the culture is becoming easier to grasp and excel in.