Monday – October 18: We had class this morning at 8:30 a.m. – all twelve students ready and willing to begin our first day of academic work. Our class today was HUM 325 “Rome Stories and Traditions.” After reading discussion (on Rome as a great city) we took the train (about a 40 minute ride) into Rome. We had an espresso in the train station when we arrived. Danilo spent some time explaining the trains and other transportation of the area, as well as how to conduct oneself in the train station. And very importantly, how to use the public restroom system here (best tip, you can use your espresso receipt so that you do not have to pay). Then our class had a 1:00 p.m. appointment with an exceptional guide, Laura (an historical archeology Ph.D. candidate), for a tour of the Coliseum and the Forum. No waiting in line like the thousands of tourists. Instead we had a private two-hour tour. AMAZING and so informative! We all returned on the 4:06 p.m. train, some back to campus, some on to Albano to check out the shops. Several of the students promised to take me one day and show me the best shops - as I need their help with “fashion stuff.” After several meetings (Danilo and Laura are so busy making our arrangements ‘perfetto’) the three of us went to the Bongo Bar in Albano for aperitivo (I will explain in a future post). Then back to campus for 8:00 p.m. dinner. Afterwards Laura held a meeting for the students where she explained the new Passport activity – we are the first group to do this and it looks like it will be a wonderful experience. Then what? Students had homework, and Laura, Danilo, and I all went back to our rooms to prepare for the next fifty-three days!
Tuesday, October 19: We began our third day with the HUM 225 “Art and Culture of Rome” class. Our readings and discussion today focused on Rome as a city of artists. The students had a second class today, Italian with Danilo. I will attend as many of these as possible! We took the 11:24 a.m. train to Rome and caught the Metro to the Piazza di Spagna. Can you imagine having class sitting around Bernini’s Fontella della Barcaccia looking at the house where Keats died in 1821 in the foreground and the Spanish Steps (1723-26) in the background leading up to the Trinita dei Monti church built by Louis XII in 1493? Somewhat more difficult to imagine is that not far down the via is a McDonalds, the largest one in the world when opened in 1986. From there we strolled down the Via Margutta and Via del Babuino, the home to many international artists in the 17th-19th centuries. While the buildings (and cobblestone streets) remain, now there are fashion and antique shops. To end our day in the city we looked at more modern “art” by walking down the Via Condotti, the Rodeo Drive (Beverly Hills) of Rome. We ended along the Tiber River and the now enclosed Mausoleum of Augustus. Alongside the modern building built over the burial tomb, an artist was expressing his disgust through his creation of public art. Very interesting to say the least. We took the train back to campus, a few minutes to rest, then dinner at 8:00 p.m. While in Rome I was able to enjoy an espresso (the best I have had to far) at the historic Caffe Greco. Built in 1760, once prodominatley for locals, it became an important stop for weathly and influencial foreigners in the 20th century. A huge photograph of Buffalo Bill Cody with two Native Americans covers one of the walls! 
On the right of my blog are links to all twelve of my students. They are required to keep a reflection blog for their Humanities 325 class, “Rome Stories and Traditions.” Please check them out!
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