There is an elegance and comfort in this city that I don’t think I could ever encompass in a single blog post. I’m realizing now that even a lifetime in Rome wouldn’t be long enough to experience all that it has to offer, but I’m so lucky to have been able to experience this much over the course of our semester.
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The winter weather here has started to modestly emerge, and it is really something spectacular. The rich colors and textures that adorn the walls and streets of the city, the well-dressed people with garments flowing sublimely in the wind, and the evenings that flourish with lively outdoor restaurants and – all of these emotionally rich entities converse in such poetry, and each day in Rome provides an absolute abundance of inspiration.
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All of our courses here have also had such deep connections with the Roman City, and my experiences have been so multidimensional. We have all visited so many renowned architectural works in Rome, and we have seen an uncountable number of exquisite artworks… ancient and modern. I have managed to fill three sketchbooks with ideas on architecture, art, and fashion this semester, and I am so excited to bring all the new thoughts and ideas I have developed here back to campus in Ithaca.
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I am so glad to have taken a semester of Italian here too. The course was so much fun, and being simultaneously immersed in the Roman City and Italian culture made it so dynamic and rich. My confidence while speaking rose immensely, and so I was able to have many modest, but fluid, conversations with people like shopkeepers and waiters. These interactions were small and short, but many of them are quite memorable to me – I can’t quite describe it, but I have experienced a cordial formality and friendliness with the Italian language and conversations here. Whether you are making a purchase, ordering food, or even just asking someone for directions, there is a certain gregariousness in dialect that seemingly transcends any language barriers. There is really something special about the air of language and conversation in this city.
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Today is actually my last day in Rome – I’ll be leaving for my flight home in just a few hours. The weather is perfect as usual, and I’m truly starting to realize just how fast this semester went by. I’ll miss a lot of things here, but I am excited knowing that I’ve grown from this experience and have learned so much in the past five months.
Thank you, Roma, for all the great experiences and memories.