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!



Two more birthdays!

This weekend we celebrated two more birthdays at Casa Mennesiana. Sunday afternoon we surprised Danilo with a cake and cards (his birthday was Saturday). After dinner Brother Giovanni (who kindly sets out our breakfast every morning) introduced us to some Italian culture when he thanked us for his birthday card.

Happy Birthday Danilo!



Twelve Walsh Fall II students, Brother Giovanni, and Student Life director Laura Downey



Buongiorno Mio Amici

Part of the original Appian Way - this is between the Brothers' residence and the chapel.

Bernini Bridge

Students in front of Bernini Bridge

Happy Birthday Jaclyn C.!

Archangel Michael in the Castel Sant'Angelo (Castle of the Holy Angel)

Military artifacts in Castel Sant' Angelo

View of the Tiber River from Castel Sant' Angelo

Bernini Bridge

Military Barracks in the Castel Sant' Angelo

Fruit from the grounds, on the left is the Chapel

A full moon over Castel Gandolfo

Today makes one full week in Italy. It has gone by so fast. We have had nice, comfortable weather, but the clouds are moving in this morning and the forecast is rain for the next several days. But as I sit at my desk catching you up on our experiences, I can see the sun peaking through the clouds.

Wednesday, October 20: Got to sleep in a little today – we all needed it as we have been on the go since Saturday morning. Went to Albano at 9:00 a.m. to register with the local police (required of all internationals) – and of course while there had an espresso at Al Duomo Caffe.

When we returned to “campus” I spent the day helping my twelve students set up their blogs (have you checked them out yet?) At 7:00 p.m. we had mass in the chapel (originally a stable – such a history – set on the original Appian Way!) here at Casa Mennesiana with Father Paul ( with the Jesuits of the Vatican in Castel Gandolfo). At dinner he told us about his work in Arizona where he is trying to develop a way to distinguish planets from stars in space! After dinner we had a surprise birthday party for Jacyln. Her cake was made by Roberto (owner of the Al Duoma Caffe in Albano), pastry chef to the Pope. It was delicious.

Thursday, October 21: We had our first HIST 375 Americans in Rome class. We discussed the preface and introduction to Guadium et Spes (this is a “heritage three” class) and then another reading that explains how “travelers” and “tourists” are historical concepts. So today I asked the students to experience Rome as 21^st century American tourists (the rest of the semester they will be learning about American travelers from 1848-1960). We then went to Rome (and, I know it is sounding like a broken record, but a stop for espresso!) and had pizza for lunch not far from the Vatican. In the afternoon we had a guided tour of the Castle San’ Angelo. Our tour guide Gracie was eccellente! Walking through the Popes’ personal apartments is an indescribable experience. The Bernini Bridge was absolutely beautiful! But my favorites were the military barracks and weaponry (I admit I am biased). Tonight most of the students made their way back to Castel Gandolfo on their own – I am so proud of them. I still have not mastered that! We shared another delicious dinner together – and then for the first night since we have been here I made it to bed before 11:00 p.m.

Friday, October 22: I went for a walk after breakfast. The grounds here at Casa Mennesiana are breathtaking – I feel like I am in a movie. I took Brother Ernest’s advice and explored the fruit groves here. There are kiwis, grapes, and cachi to name just a few. I worked for a few hours and then walked to an Italian grocery store with students Alyssa, Sarah, and Nick S. I will never take my Giant Eagle for granted again, although we found pretty much everything we needed. And they did a pretty good job of navigating! After paying some bills and balancing my checkbook (remember we are here for 8 weeks - thank goodness for internet bill pay) my student Megan and I took the bus to Albano to discuss her paper on Roman architecture. We had cappuccino and a pastry at Al Duomo. Then she helped me shop for dinner. I was amazed at how well she spoke Italian with the clerks as I fumbled along with only 5 days of learning the language. As a matter of fact, at one point a clerk asked Megan what languages we spoke. Megan explained that she spoke Spanish and Italian, but that I was an “Americano” as they both rolled their eyes! I barely made it out of the store before bursting out in laughter. She is a great example of how quickly and successfully some of our students adapt to the surroundings. The train ride had us back to campus in less than 10 minutes, in time to see the full moon over Rome. The other night some of us watched the sunset over the Tyrrhenian Sea (you can see the sea from our rooftop balcony). I have seen the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the Bering Sea - but this is the most beautiful! This is the best job in the world! But I may have to go up on the roof to remember that later today, as I get back to reality and start grading this weekend. Or maybe I will go to Castel Gandolfo and sip caffe Americano as I mark papers? Until next time, buongiorno mio amici!

My Second Report

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 17^th-19^th 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!

Ciao da Roma!

Day one in Italy! We landed at Fiumicino Airport outside of Rome at 8:45 a.m. (Rome time! Flight time from Cleveland was almost 10 ½ hours plus a layover at JFK).  We arrived at Walsh campus, Casa Mennesiana, just outside Castel Gandolfo about 10:30 a.m. where we were warmly greeted by Brother Mario.

We had a few hours to unpack and freshen up (I tried to take a few photos. Although it is in low 60s today, it is a bit cloudy so some are not as clear as I would like), then we had a tasty lunch (great ravioli) at 1:00 p.m. where we met Brother Giovanni. Rome site director extraordinaire Danilo Mori took the new Director of Student Life Laura Downey and me for a quick break to the nearby town of Albano for an espresso and unbelievable pastries at Paticcerie Duomo (Roberto’s). We met our twelve tired but wonderful Walsh students at 2:15 p.m. for orientation. All of us then walked uphill to Castel Gandolfo. Oh!!! It is like being in a movie!! We attended mass at the parish church dedicated to St. Thomas of Villanova (Santa Tommaso da Villanova - designed by Bernini in the seventeenth century). Afterwards Danilo and Laura introduced me to the practice of “aperitivo” with a spritz (the official cocktail of Venice) and appetizers at Baruffa (a café in Castel Gandolfo). By 7:30 p.m. we walked back down the hill to campus where we enjoyed a delicious dinner and fellowship (and considering we have all been up for over 30 hours – it was amazing). It is hard to believe, but our itinerary for tomorrow will be even more incredible. Since I have to teach our first class in only ten hours, I better get some sleep. Buona notte il mio amico.