It's been quite a busy week/weekend for me, especially since the Papal Audience on Wednesday morning! I still can't get over the fact that I saw Pope Francis in person and was a mere 5 feet away from him.
After the Papal Audience, I made my way to the Senate Library by the Pantheon with my Comparative Politics class. To help us with our final research papers, our teacher was getting library cards for all of us. Armed with my Senate library card, I can now access the Senate library's database or do research at the library among people much more intellectual than me. Not many study abroad students can say they've done something like that!
I also received a Valentine's Day card from my loving family. Not only did it have owls on it (they know me too well), but the inside was short and sweet and perfect! Plus, they included some money to buy chocolate (which is actually to die for here in Italy)!
I also received a Valentine's Day card from my loving family. Not only did it have owls on it (they know me too well), but the inside was short and sweet and perfect! Plus, they included some money to buy chocolate (which is actually to die for here in Italy)!
I had my Writing Fiction on-site class Thursday morning. We met at the Circus Maximus (where chariot racing and mock naval battles occurred back in the day) and walked around the Aventine Hill, one of Rome's seven hills. We ended up approaching the Knight's of Malta keyhole that I had taken some students to see earlier in the semester! We all had the chance to look through the keyhole and see the beautiful facade of St. Peter's dome. Here's my sad attempt at a picture of it...
There were also a bunch of television crews and news anchors by the keyhole; turns out they were covering some story regarding the Egyptian Embassy to the Holy See (we think it was Egypt, it looked like the Egyptian flag).
We walked a bit down the Aventine Hill to the gardens of a church overlooking all of Rome. There, we journaled about looking through the keyhole, but from the perspective of the other gender. I finished by story early and decided to sketch the beautiful skyline with St. Peter's dome in the background. Here's a picture from the inside of the church.
Later that night, I went to explore Trastevere with Barb and Tori. The streets in the neighborhood are so cute and typical Italian: the yellow buildings have giant worn-wood doors and balconies covered with plants and ivy hanging over the ledges. We stumbled across a cute boutique with lovely handmade hats. They looked so cute on all of us. Too bad they were all over 100 euros!
On our way back to campus, we attempted to find the "secret bakery," famous among JFRC students because the pastries are delicious and it's open 24/7 (if that doesn't scream college, I don't know what does). But, alas, we could not find it! So we settled for some yummy Old Bridge gelato.
Friday was a make-up day for all the classes that were cancelled Wednesday due to the Papal Audience. Since Barb and I don't normally have classes on Wednesday, we were able to explore Rome on Friday! First, we went to the baths of Diocletian. The emperor had three bath houses built: a swimming pool, hot tub, and warm bath. There were lots of ruins outside, but the one bath house left standing had been renovated by Michelangelo, so it looked very Renaissance-esque. The ceiling, however, was original to the bath house!
From there, we walked to Santa Maria della Vittoria (Angels and Demons anyone?), the church famously housing Bernini's St. Theresa in Ecstasy. The sculpture depicts St. Teresa of Avila being stabbed by an angel with a burning spear.
We visited the Capuchin crypt next. I had been so excited to go here for multiple reasons. First off, on my service trip to Milwaukee, I stayed with Capuchin monks, so I have a deeper connection with the Capuchins than most (shoutout to all my service trip buddies!). And second, the crypts are decorated with the bones of dead Capuchins! The first part of the tour was a museum housing paintings and belonging of Capuchins as well as some relics. Then came the crypts! There were 5 total, 4 of which had bones everywhere. And I mean everywhere! Here's a picture that I wasn't supposed to take to prove it.
Creepy, right. It was actually really weird, but cool to be there. I learned that the Capuchins are big believers in life after death. They understand that our time on earth is limited, and they actually look forward to death because, for them, it means being with God. So instead of freaking out about dying, they actually welcome and glorify it!
After grabbing lunch back at campus, I travelled back down the hill (after a nice cat nap) to the Vatican to sketch. I ended up sketching the obelisk that sits in the center of the piazza. It was really cool to be there right as the sun was setting behind St. Peter's Basilica. There were also some interesting characters there; people-watching is always fun!
Saturday morning was the best, and you want to know why? I slept in! I honestly can't remember a time this semester when I didn't set an alarm. I've been on the go so much that I just wanted those extra hours of sleep to rejuvenate me. I mean, I will be here for the whole semester after all! So after eating lunch, I went out with Katie and Barb to see the quintessential Roman sights during the daylight! We walked around Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain, taking in all the street vendors and performers, as well as the multitudes of tourists!
That night, we decided to check out Campo di Fiori. I've heard from lots of people that it is the place to be at night. There were so many people there, just hanging around outside. It was a fun atmosphere. We grabbed drinks at a bar where there were a lot of people speaking with British accents (and your typical creepy older Italian men were present)!
While Sunday was beautiful, it was completely uneventful. I holed myself up in the library and cranked out a ton of homework. And my friends and I booked a ton of flights for spring break! Hello Amsterdam, Munich, and Barcelona!
On our way back to campus, we attempted to find the "secret bakery," famous among JFRC students because the pastries are delicious and it's open 24/7 (if that doesn't scream college, I don't know what does). But, alas, we could not find it! So we settled for some yummy Old Bridge gelato.
Friday was a make-up day for all the classes that were cancelled Wednesday due to the Papal Audience. Since Barb and I don't normally have classes on Wednesday, we were able to explore Rome on Friday! First, we went to the baths of Diocletian. The emperor had three bath houses built: a swimming pool, hot tub, and warm bath. There were lots of ruins outside, but the one bath house left standing had been renovated by Michelangelo, so it looked very Renaissance-esque. The ceiling, however, was original to the bath house!
From there, we walked to Santa Maria della Vittoria (Angels and Demons anyone?), the church famously housing Bernini's St. Theresa in Ecstasy. The sculpture depicts St. Teresa of Avila being stabbed by an angel with a burning spear.
We visited the Capuchin crypt next. I had been so excited to go here for multiple reasons. First off, on my service trip to Milwaukee, I stayed with Capuchin monks, so I have a deeper connection with the Capuchins than most (shoutout to all my service trip buddies!). And second, the crypts are decorated with the bones of dead Capuchins! The first part of the tour was a museum housing paintings and belonging of Capuchins as well as some relics. Then came the crypts! There were 5 total, 4 of which had bones everywhere. And I mean everywhere! Here's a picture that I wasn't supposed to take to prove it.
Creepy, right. It was actually really weird, but cool to be there. I learned that the Capuchins are big believers in life after death. They understand that our time on earth is limited, and they actually look forward to death because, for them, it means being with God. So instead of freaking out about dying, they actually welcome and glorify it!
After grabbing lunch back at campus, I travelled back down the hill (after a nice cat nap) to the Vatican to sketch. I ended up sketching the obelisk that sits in the center of the piazza. It was really cool to be there right as the sun was setting behind St. Peter's Basilica. There were also some interesting characters there; people-watching is always fun!
Saturday morning was the best, and you want to know why? I slept in! I honestly can't remember a time this semester when I didn't set an alarm. I've been on the go so much that I just wanted those extra hours of sleep to rejuvenate me. I mean, I will be here for the whole semester after all! So after eating lunch, I went out with Katie and Barb to see the quintessential Roman sights during the daylight! We walked around Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain, taking in all the street vendors and performers, as well as the multitudes of tourists!
That night, we decided to check out Campo di Fiori. I've heard from lots of people that it is the place to be at night. There were so many people there, just hanging around outside. It was a fun atmosphere. We grabbed drinks at a bar where there were a lot of people speaking with British accents (and your typical creepy older Italian men were present)!
While Sunday was beautiful, it was completely uneventful. I holed myself up in the library and cranked out a ton of homework. And my friends and I booked a ton of flights for spring break! Hello Amsterdam, Munich, and Barcelona!
Arrivederci!
Gina
P.S. Wednesday marks my one-month anniversary of living in Rome. Unreal!! Also, I'm going to try really hard to take more pictures to document my travels just for you, reader.
Gina
P.S. Wednesday marks my one-month anniversary of living in Rome. Unreal!! Also, I'm going to try really hard to take more pictures to document my travels just for you, reader.
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