Another update

Saturday, October 23: I started the morning with a walk around the grounds. Then after working for a few hours I decided to try to navigate the train system by myself. I checked the schedules and made it to the station in time (it is about a half mile walk) for the train to Albano. I then made my way to the main streets that I had visited previously with Danilo. Unfortunately my “international traveler” status was obvious to anyone who was out, as I forgot that most shops close from about 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. for siesta. So I walked around window shopping for a couple hours and then sat in the piazza and watched some children play soccer. I proudly ordered an espresso and paid with the correct change all by myself at one of the open cafes. While waiting for the train to return to campus, I enjoyed the animated conversation of a handsome five-year-old Italian boy who had come with his father to watch the trains. Even though I told him that I was an “Americano” and did not speak Italian, he chatted away excitedly in his native tongue for over 15 minutes. After returning to campus I realized that my next adventure will be to take the train alone in the opposite direction – to Rome. Maybe next Wednesday? In the evening I enjoyed a pleasant chat with Laura in Castel Gandolfo. Our first full week in Rome has come to an end. So far the experiences have been more than I ever could have imagined back in my little house in Akron, Ohio (ironically in North Hill, the Italian neighborhood!)

Sunday, October 24: A day to rest! The students got settled into the lounge for a day of homework and catching up with loved ones. I took a nice walk on the grounds, and spoke briefly with a man trimming olive trees (well I should say communicated with as I only know a few words of Italian. But I keep learning) Later some of us ventured out. I spent the afternoon in Castel Gandolfo sitting in the piazza grading. As I mentioned in my last post, we celebrated two birthdays this evening.

View from my table when I graded in Castel Gandolfo
(the pink/orange building to the left is where we had mass our first night here)

Monday, October 25: What a downpour this morning! We had our second HUM 325 class with the sound of rain in the background. Our topic today was “Rome as an historical city and grand open air museum.” Everyone contributed to the discussion on our readings, including a fictional account of Ovid’s exile out of Rome and an Italian writer’s unhappiness with the modern intrusions into her beloved city. The walk to the train station left everyone soaked! But God was smiling upon us and by the time we arrived in Rome the rain had stopped. We grabbed an espresso and lunch (I had ravello, a sandwich made of fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella on fresh baked bread) before taking the underground to the Protestant Cemetery. First we stopped outside to see the pyramid of Gaius Cestius (built in the 1^st century A.D., the most complete surviving pyramid in the city) and plaques honoring the American and Canadian soldiers who helped liberate Rome on July 4, 1944.

The pyramid on the edge of the Protestant Cemetery



Keats' headstone





Angel of Grief



It is so beautiful inside. Ancient Roman walls surround the cemetery, which is filled with 4,000 graves, cypress trees, Mediterranean pines, and flowers everywhere. We visited the headstone of Keats and the tomb of Shelley, and could not miss the “cat colony” (there since 1850!). Then the students went on an assignment to find inscriptions that reflected the deceased’s love of Rome (related to our readings for today). Before heading back to Casa Mennesiana, Danilo and I had a cappuccino at the Caffe Greco – it was delicious!



Monument to King Vittorio Emanuele II



Tuesday, October 26: Woke up to more clouds but only barely raining. We had our second HUM 225 class, the theme today was “Republican Time.” We actually began by going over some of the information that we learned on our tour of Castel San’ Angelo, and then had a short history lesson on Rome. We then discussed our readings on the history of the Capitoline Museum. After Danilo taught the Italian class we caught the train into the city. The rain stopped and the sun peeked in and out the rest of the day. We had lunch (and I had a cappuccino) in the Rome Termini (built in 1867 and described by Pope Pius IX as "the railway station of the capital city of Italy," it is visited by almost 480,000 persons per day!) We then caught a bus ride to the Capitoline Museum – located on Capitoline Hill (one of the seven hills). This has been the heart of Rome’s civil government since the 11^th century (you should see the town hall, it sure looks a lot different than the town hall – both the first and second- across from my childhood home in Grafton, Ohio!) On the walk from the bus stop we passed the impressive monument to King Vittorio Emanuele II. Walking up the stairs to the entrance of the Capitoline, you see a replica of the statue of Marcus Aurelius in the center of the piazza designed by Michelangelo. We had a guided tour which included some of the most significant pieces (the oldest collection in the world) housed in the two buildings (connected by an underground tunnel full of more treasures.) Our guide Barbara educated us on the different periods of Classical sculpture, taught us how to interpret the most important figures in frescos, and explained how to understand the original Marcus Aurelius statue housed inside (although I am curious about the explanation for why the horse’s head is tilted – if the emperor is holding the reins in his left hand then it would pull the horse’s head to tilt in the direction shown in the statue, just saying). We ended the tour outside looking over the Forum - spectacular view!



Original Statue of Marcus Aurelius







The view of the Forum from the back of the Capitoline Museum



When we returned to campus, the students set to work on their Italian homework and I resumed grading. Just as a spectacular sunrise decorated the view from our windows, Laura surprised everyone with pumpkin carving and hot chocolate (Halloween is only a few days away, and we are Americans after allJ).



Some of the student-carved pumpkins



One of the many cats in the Protestant Cemetery



I read about the bad weather in the midwest United States and hope everyone in Northeast Ohio is safe. Until next time, ciao!