Roma Aeterna
I’ve been in Rome for just about 2 weeks now, so it feels like the appropriate time for an update blog post. As I mentioned in previous posts, I am studying at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies, which is a small program with 35 students who are all Classics or Classical Languages majors coming from universities all across the US.
We started our orientation to the city with a project to find obelisks located throughout Rome, which encouraged us to go out on our own and learn to make our way around the Eternal City. Just like the VUmazing race all Vandy students do with their Visions groups freshman year, this project had us getting to know each other quickly. Getting lost together is definitely a great bonding experience (especially when you get REALLY lost and it hails during 40 degree weather and you almost get hit by speeding motorbikes.) We did however eventually find our assigned obelisks: at the center of San Pietro in front of the Vatican and in a smaller piazza near the Vatican.
Getting to know the city during the first few weeks is only accomplished by getting out there and not being afraid to get lost. By going out at night to meet locals in the city center and constantly finding new sites that we want to go see, I have been able to really get a good feel for the city already. Living in close quarters in our dorm building has made most students on the program into a tight knit group and there is really no better way to explore such an amazing city with great new friends who also happen to be just as obsessed with Roman history as I am.
And just for good measure, heres a nice shot of the Forum Romanum I snapped at our early morning visit last week. Expect more soon!
