Wow- where did the time go? I am writing right now from the airplane, sad to say goodbye to Rome. It feels like just yesterday we were all gathered in JFK, awaiting our flight, unable to predict all of the memories that we were about to make.
I knew that I was going to enjoy myself because, after all, it is Rome, how can you not? I knew we were going to see amazing sites, learn about both Rome’s past and present, and eat loads of delicious pastas, pizzas and too much gelato. But, I did not expect to build the friendships that I did. There is something about being displaced, put into a foreign country, that brings everyone together in ways that are indescribable to those who have not experienced it.
Before we left for Rome, I was hoping that during the trip I would find one or two people to have dinners and shop with. Never did I expect the nightly “family” dinners that we would share together. It was never a matter of whether or not we would be together, just a matter of where we would be eating and more importantly the restaurant’s proximity to gelato.
It is remarkable that even in the airport this morning there was still so much to say and so many laughs to be had. In fact, trying to contain our noise and excitement was probably the biggest challenge of the trip (aside from the bus system).
Apart from the other students, who I absolutely love and wish I had become this close with earlier in my Skidmore College career, Sarah Breitenfeld has been remarkable. She went above and beyond as a peer mentor, not only playing the role of mentor, but also friend. From day one, when she took me for my first Italian coffee, to the excursions she led us on, bringing us to her favorite stationery store, helping us order in Italian and figure out how to split the dinner bill every night, my experience would not have been the same without her. I hope that in the future she gets to fulfill her dream of leading a travel seminar of her own- she would be fantastic.
Another factor that made my trip as incredible as it was were my professors. The fact that we were fortunate enough to have not one but two experts in both classics and religion willing to take the time out of their lives and leave behind their families to share their endless knowledge with us and guide us through this once in a lifetime experience is priceless.
Not only did I find their duo teaching style effective, I also liked the duality of taking both an on-campus and then off-campus course. Much like the way my two professors were able to play off of each other, in regards to both knowledge and humor, the courses played off of each other as well. To me, the greatest tie was spending all semester studyIng my site, the Arch of Constantine, and then presenting on it in Rome. I cannot explain how much more rewarding it was to give my presentation at the actual site and the feeling of both excitement and possessiveness I had when I finally got to see the arch first hand.
Aside from giving my own presentation, I also really enjoyed watching all of my classmates present, especially as our friendships grew. It was great to see everyone have their moment to show off all their hard work and information they had uncovered.
I have to say, after seeing so much, it is extremely difficult to pick a highlight from the trip. So, I have narrowed it down to two. The first was being blessed by the pope. That was on my bucket list and I still cannot believe that we were there and were so close to him. All the selfie stick haters were silenced by the close up shots Kristen and I were able to snag of him as we stuck them out and blindly snapped hundreds of pictures as he passed right in front of us. My other favorite moment would be our day spent in the Jewish Ghetto. Apart from the fact that I found David, our tour guide, hilarious, it was great to spend time in a community and synagogue that is of my religion. I really felt a deeper connection with being there and the food coma inducing lunch was the cherry on top.
Although we are all sad to leave both Rome and each other, this is the way it should be and means we have done it right. Not only is this moment the goodbye for the travel seminar for me, but also the end of my college career. I truly could not think of a better way to close this chapter of my life.
All that's left to say is a huge thank you and big hugs to all for an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. Although it's the end, I know our paths will cross again. It's not goodbye, it's see you later (at Giolitti’s).
As Professor Curley likes to say into the whisper-ma-phones “signing off.”