Yesterday morning we started our architecture class. Romolo Martamucci (how Italian does that name sound?) teaches us all about everything, including philosophy, art, abstract and disconnected thinking, oh, and architecture. He took us to the capital grounds and to the Forum. He knows so much and I wasn’t able to catch really any of it, but I do have some pictures, so check out my Facebook. Regardless, the Forum is amazing. If you every go, read up on anything and everything about it because it is chock full of history!
I have only been here since Monday, but I feel like I've been here for a couple of weeks. I already know my way around Rome close to the river, I can eat, order, find a bathroom, and generally know what to expect. Except sometimes it really feels like the Twilight Zone- something happens that makes you stop and say, "Is this actually happening?"
Take for instance the happenings of yesterday afternoon. Six of us wanted to go jogging, so we decided to go to the Coliseum and back. Italian traffic is slightly ridiculous and rules generally don't apply, so when one sees an opportunity to cross the street, one does. One of the guys running with us, named Chris, decides to head up the party because he knows where to go and what to do and we just generally trust him more. So we are trying to cross a 6 lane street with traffic going in both directions (in the States, it would only be 4 lanes). The traffic on our side was stopped, so we meandered through it and waited for a break in the traffic on the other side. Chris saw an opportunity and started sprinting. As he started, a man on a Vespa (they are popular here) pulls out of the stopped traffic over to the lane with oncoming traffic- and right into Chris. Luckily, Chris saw him from his peripheral vision and jumped, but the guy clipped his leg and sent Chris skidding on the cobblestone street as the Vespa was pinned on the driver.
Everyone was okay and the police had to come, which was an interesting adventure. Two came in a police van which had an office in the back (no lie, there were chairs, filing cabinets, pens, papers, and clipboards- I can only assume stuff like this happens a lot), and two came in their little Smart car (those are also super popular here). A stern looking officer came over, and we thought we were about to get reprimanded or Chris was going to get sent away to an Italian jail. But the officer started chatting with us about the States and where he has been there and what he did. This is truly Italian culture. Everyone is very nice unless you are the one being the idiot, then, quite frankly, they have a reason to be rude. Everything got worked out, no one sued (apparently all Italians think all Americans are completely sue-happy; we're college kids, we just wanted exercise!) and we ended up just going back home to get ready for the evening.
That evening we went to my professor's apartment and had wine and olive oil tasting. I assume most of you know how to taste wine, but we had to taste olive oil too. Like, sip the stuff. I don't think it really helped my skills. I did have some phenomenal wine, however. I like red wine more than white because it really doesn't mess around, and I just feel like that suits my personality more. Then we got caught in the rain because it's so unpredictable here, watched/fell asleep during lost and finally crashed.
But, like the past few nights, I wake up at 3 every morning because my body still feels like it's 9 at night like it is at home. It also doesn't help that the street cleaners go out EVERY night at about midnight, and don't hurry to get the streets clean. Apparently Italians do their yardwork at midnight as well, seeing as how there was a weed-whacker outside my room at that time. It also doesn't help that my living room echos like a cave and I live on a very noisy street.
But besides not sleeping well, things are going great! I feel like there is so much to learn and do in this city and I'll never have enough time to soak it all in.
Today we went to a town called Cori, which was about 30 miles away and it took 90 minutes to get there (traffic). At Cori is known for it’s olive oil and there are olive trees everywhere, with grape vines and horses intermixed. We first went to the tiniest church ever, one room about the size of my living room at home. But on the walls and ceiling of this church were painted the stories of the Bible. Back when it was built, the Bible was not readily available for everyone to read, so this church solved that problem and put every major story on its walls. It was really beautiful!
The next stop was the olive oil production line. It’s a family owned and operated business that has their own olive trees. They have phenomenal olive oil, “spicier” than what we have in the States (which I think is great because the stuff in the States is horrible and tasteless). I bought three bottles. They also make their own wine and bottle it, but we are going to a vineyard later, so I passed on that.
Now it’s off to complete two assignments and write an 8 page paper. Sweet.
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