My Mondays are Inspirational

The one thing I truly enjoy about universities is the easy access they provide to knowledge, opinions, and inspiration.  It is difficult for me to see people who don't fully appreciate and exasperate this privilege.

I imagine that I am among the guilty party in some ways as well.  But, being in Rome has opened my mind more than enough to see that this privilege should not be taken for granted.

Ironically, through my recent enjoyment of this privilege, I have come to recognize its true importance.

The last two Monday evenings, a John Cabot professor has hosted a few distinguished speakers on a variety of topics.

I would not have known about these if it weren't for Michalene Morelli, who's invite fortunately got to me via Facebook 2 hours before the first event.  I must admit, the real draw at that time was the free reception... (vino rosso?  Sì)

That first evening we were fortunate enough to hear from the Czech ambassador to Italy.  He was speaking in remembrance of the Czech playwright, philosopher, and dissident, Václav Havel, and the Velvet Revolution.

(Credit:  http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/WORLD/europe/11/16/velvet.revolution.etzler/t1larg.czech.jpg)

Who?  What?  ...My questions exactly, but quickly answered with a screening of the most inspiring documentary I have ever seen:  The Power of the Powerless.  Go watch it now!

I knew that Czechoslovakia was under communist regime in the cold war, but I had no idea that it had lasted into 1989.  I also had no idea about the collective efforts of students (younger than me), playwrights and poets which ultimately led to a march of a half million people and a revolution.

You learn so much and appreciate so much more in your life.

Under the communist regime, students' access to knowledge, opinions, and inspirations was harshly controlled by the propaganda machine.  In my opinion, their efforts to combat this injustice were the most impressive in the revolution.  They were the ones who organized the strikes and ultimately inspired the older generations to do something.  They were the ones who were brutally attacked by the riot police during their peaceful protests.

(Credit:  http://www.spaziotadini.it/images/Hajek02.jpg)

Václav Havel rode the revolutionary rift caused by these students.  He later led the movement to success and was elected as the first president of the new Czech Republic.  Most interestingly, he did not pursue justice of those police who brutally attacked the peaceful protesters.  It makes you contemplate what it means to be justly punished and to be given a second chance.  (For a Hollywood take on this, you should watch Inglorious Bastards.)

Moreover, Havel was a writer.  During the communist regime, he wrote about all topics, in all genres, all the time while under the constant threat of imprisonment, interrogation and invasion of privacy.  Unfortunately, many of those threats were successfully carried out against him.

(Credit:  http://reason.com/assets/mc/ngillespie/2011_12/havel.jpg)

His works are only recently being published in other languages and we had met some of the translators at the event.  I read one paragraph by him online and he radically changed my view about the workings of dictatorships.  Much less simple than anyone has ever described it to me.

But, I digress.  I am happy to have discovered an author who can really open my mind.

The motivation for holding this event was the recent passing of Václav Havel.  He died the same day as Kim Jong Il.  That really makes you wonder.

Speaking of Kim Jong Il, the event last Monday featured an anthropologist speaking about the people of Korea, their immigration patterns, and their opinions towards cultural differences between the North and South.  It was followed by a short debate about how to deal with North Korea politically.  Let's just say that anyone who thinks that, with the death of Kim Jong Il, North Korea is 'on the brink' of a revolution should probably read some Havel.  Dictatorships survive through the extensive, powerful networks of class oppression, propaganda, and secret police, not the dictators, who themselves are essentially puppets.

(Credit:  http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/12/19/C0044096-Korea_at_night,_satellite_image-SPL.jpg)

Again, I digress.

The point is this.  Since getting to Rome, my mind has opened up completely.  I have learned more in the past month than I ever could have imagined.  I am finally meeting people outside the mid-west and outside my country.  I look for inspiration in everything I see and I can usually find it.  I have a new desire to learn about things I had never previously thought about or cared about.  This is turning out to be an amazing educational experience and I am overly grateful that I have been given this opportunity.  I will continue to make the best of every Euro I spend out of my and my parents' pocket, because I realize that I am fortunate enough to have a pocket to dig out of.

Why did I have to be in Rome for this all to happen?  What does Rome have that Wisconsin doesn't?  Is it the cobblestone streets?  Is it the 2000 year old buildings?  Is it the wine?  ...Must be the wine.

Our Perugia Travel Group

I absolutely love this picture taken by Samantha Weiss!  Our little travel group overlooking beautiful Perugia:  Sam, Alex, Mickey, Me, Anna, Ellen, Joe, Mariana.

(Credit:  Samantha Weiss)

Perugia: Quaint, Unique, Beautiful

Before I begin, I would like to thank someone.  I don't know her name, I just remember who she was.  Back in Madison, as a student assistant, she was in a class I worked in.  I told her about my trip to Italy and she said that I absolutely must go to Perugia because it is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.  That word of mouth was all that motivated me...

...and she was absolutely right!  So, thank you.

We planned it as a day trip.  Our train left the Termini station in Rome at 7:43.

After waking up at 5:30 and skyping with an all too exuberant Laura Stingl preparing for an evening out in Madison, we began the 30 minute walk/subway trip to Termini.  We made it with 5 mins to spare.

The train ride lasted two-and-a-half hours.  Most of us slept.  A little scare occurred when we found out that we were supposed to stamp our tickets.  Thankfully, the ticket inspector didn't seem to want to deal with it.

When we got there, things were already different... no English.  I liked it that way.  Our adventure was starting to become a little more challenging.  After deciding on the right bus to take into town, we headed up fifteen minutes to Piazza Italia.

And I mean UP.  It's a miracle how everyone drives stick shift here.  The views from the bus ride alone were spectacular.

We arrived in Piazza Italia, the center of Perugia.

Let me explain briefly that neither pictures nor words will ever come close to capturing the atmosphere and beauty of Perugia.  I can honestly say that and I'm sorry.

Foolishly though, I will try.

Two weeks ago, when I arrived in Rome, everything was different:  the language, the food, the people, the buildings, the streets, the shops, the toilets, the smell, the sounds... everything.  It was a truly unique and exhilarating experience.

When I arrived in Piazza Italia, Perugia, I felt as though it were happening all over again.

If one were to put Perugia and Rome side-by-side, we wouldn't believe that they were even remotely related.

The buildings seem to belong to a different era, the people appear younger, punkier, and less stressed.  The side-streets are covered by beautiful, brick buttresses.

The air was dry and cool, the sun was strong but the sky was hazy.  The whole town seemed smaller, cozier.

Obviously, the first thing we all needed was caffe.  And, a bathroom.  We got both at this little bar.

The caffe was delicious.

Surprisingly, the bathroom turned out to be its own little cultural adventure.

After many attempted translations from our Italian experts, Ellen and myself, we concluded that you pull the sting to flush.

Opposite Piazza Italia is Piazza IV Novembre.  This is home to the Fontana Maggiore and the Duomo.  The Duomo is a beautiful Gothic church.

I didn't even bother taking pictures on the inside because no picture will ever do it justice.  The frescoes on the high vaulted ceilings were gorgeous.  One in particular made the illusion that angles were hovering just below the ceiling.  The monolithic granite columns were each of a different pattern and each 4 stories tall.

This ancient and mid-eval technique was used to symbolize power and control.  Essentially they must be getting the different granite from different places all over the world and the only way to do that is by controlling those places.  The church was breathtaking.

As we left, we saw some kids playing with the pigeons.  Cute.

We also saw the priest's car (no proof).  Nice.

The next stop was an ancient Etruscan well, dating back before the Roman Empire.  The entrance fee was 3 euro, but we talked her down to 2 euro because we were all art students.  Better yet, the ticket allowed us in to two other sites.  This one alone was worth 3 euro.

(Credit:  Ellen Faletti)

We wondered the streets with no sense of direction.  One of the best things to do in Italy is to get lost.  We came across multiple little viewpoints over the town.

The buildings hug the hill so perfectly and the roads and sidewalks wind through them.  In the distance you can see the hazy, layered mountainous terrain that creates the spine of central Italy.

We continued walking north following an early Etruscan wall and arriving at the Etruscan Arch.

It's actually Roman influenced.  You can tell because it's a true masons arch, a technique invented by Roman engineers: dry laid stone wedges with a keystone.  It also has Augustus's inscription across the top.

We followed a later city wall to the far north end of the town.  On our way, Anna and Ellen spotted a swing set.  For some reason, the beauty of a swing set contrasted with an ancient wall appealed to me.

Finally, we came to a beautiful domed church, the Chiesa di Sant'Angelo.  It was also siesta time, which Italians here took very seriously.  So, it was very quiet and very peaceful.

It was siesta time, so everything was closed until 3pm.  We relaxed in the small field outside the church until everything opened up again.  That's when we visited this nearby tower.  Originally built for defense, it is now used as a viewpoint over the city.  The view was incredible.

We started our walk back.  The latest train back to Rome left at 8:50.  Although, I guess I wouldn't mind being left in Perugia.

It turns out that Perugia is known for their chocolate.  Furthermore, Italy is known for their gelato.  So, what's better to get than chocolate flavored gelato from the best chocolate shop in Perugia?  We asked for directions, essentially "Dove chocolate?"  Chocolate is the one internationally understood word.  Italians love giving directions with their hands and we found the place with no problems.  I ate mine too quickly, but Mickey let me take a picture of hers.

This was the best gelato I've had in Italy and also the cheapest.  How does that work?

There was one last stop before dinner that Anna had wanted to make.  It's called the lower city.  Perugia is located on top of a high hill.  Beneath the town is a lower city.  Literally a living town, completely underground.  There was an escalator to take you down.

Once down, you found yourself in a labyrinth of brick tunnels and cast iron gates.  Beautiful cast iron lamps lined the ceiling.  It was almost eerie.  There were a few shops, a museum and people enjoying the dungeonesque atmosphere.

An otherwise perfect day, there was but one little downside to the trip.  No restaurant in Perugia opens for dinner before 7pm.  This was a problem because no dinner in Italy takes under 2 hours.  It doesn't take a math major to see that we would be stuck in Perugia (again, doesn't sound too awful).  Luckily, the Irish pub was open.  I was tempted to have a burger but instead had wine and pasta.  Joe went for a nice Belgium beer.

So, we were unable to get authentic Perugian food.  But, I know I will be returning to this town in the future.  Next time, we decided on the train ride back home to Rome.

Proudest Moment in Rome: Taking out the Trash

Not as easy as it sounds really.  After all of the orientation I went through, you would think they would mention exactly how to take care of recycling and garbage in the apartments.  Instead, they just mention that it's about a 500 euro fine if you screw it up.

Italians are huge about their recycling.

The directions were posted in our apartment.  Unfortunately, they were in Italian.  Even after a good ol' google translate, they were still pretty confusing.  Something about meeting at marked collection plants between the one hour time slots provided for each apartment between the hours of 7:30 and 10:30.

It was rough.  Time was running out.  Sooner or later, the big pile of trash growing and festering in the corner would come to life and start eating people.

But, like smart college students, Adam and I sat down, opened a couple beers and figured it out!  Just find one of these garbage trucks parked in specific locations at certain times and drop off the properly sorted recyclables or disposables in the appropriately colored bags.

(Credit:  Flickr)

Say buongiorno to the lady in the funny looking, bright-orange jumpsuit smoking a cigarette and you're off to enjoy a coffee.

(Credit:  Flickr)

That wasn't too bad.

Not All Fun and Games: Getting Gyped and Clubbin'

Yesterday was interesting.  I started the day off by heading over to the Spanish Steps and the Piazza di Spagna. I took a whole batch of pictures on my way.  Here's my favorite.

Everything about it is strange.  First, and most obviously, the guy photo bombed with out me noticing... congrats to him.  Secondly, the girl just looks adorably embarrassed.  And finally, the drawing has the girl and guy on opposite sides.  Many artists do street portraits here to make money and I just wanted to photograph the phenomenon.  This is what I end up with.

It's exceedingly difficult to capture people candidly.

While atop the Spanish Steps, the view was spectacular.  I felt like I could see all over Rome.  The Sistine Chapel rose up brilliantly in a haze, far off in the distance.  It was striking.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult to capture the experience with a camera.  Of course, I tried.

Also atop the Spanish Steps, I got Gyped... literally.  He was slick.  He started talking to me, asking me where I was from.  I thought, Italians are friendly!  Then he says, "show me your hand real quick."  In hind-sight, obviously I shouldn't have.  He tied a string around my finger and quickly began making a bracelet.  I knew right away.

Actually, he was quite talented.  He finished up and his buddy asked for 10 euro.  I laughed and said 2 euro at the most.  Then he said ten-five, which either meant 15 euro and that he didn't understand bargaining or that he would drop it to 5 euro.  I said no way, 2 euro.  He said ten-five again.  So, I gave him a 2 euro, he took our picture, and I left.

I thought I was the smart American.

I was upset at first, but I thought I might as well just let it happen and enjoy it.  I think the sad part is that this guy is talented, nice, and speaks English well, but is stuck scamming stupid tourists.  It says something about the employment situation in Roma, which is bleak.

Later that evening, after Skyping with my Mom and Dad (adults using Skype below... hilarious), I met some friends and had some coffee right across the street at Tazza d'oro.  According to Rick Steves, this is the best coffee in Rome and I've been going there just about every day.  It's pretty delicious.

Then, we went to the store and bought some bread and Peroni with the sole intention of consuming our purchase in the Piazza Rotunda outside the Pantheon.  We sat down and we reached a consensus that never in a million years did we think we'd be doing anything like this.  Ancient Roman monument, modern beer, bread, friends, and fun.  Something special.

(Credit:  Samantha Weiss)

I cooked some dinner and got ready to go clubbing.  (Parents look away)

Picked up a couple bottles of wine on the way over to our friends.  We took the tram, Rome's favorite public transportation... which nobody pays for (more on that later).

The clubs we went to were in a district called Testaccio, south-east of the river.  The way the clubs are set-up is the coolest part.  The clubs encircle the base of a small hill.  They are man-made caves with run-down brick and stone facades and terraces with neon lights.  They are lined up, one after another.  Only clubs.  Nothing else.  Each club is bumpin' there own house DJ music.

(Credit:  Google Maps)

There is parking all around with drunken, Italian teenagers and young adults everywhere.  Food stands selling pastries line the streets (not really my idea of drunk food).  The atmosphere was exhilarating.  

As Americans, we couldn't get anywhere without having to pay a cover charge of 10 to 20 euro.  So, we didn't really 'go' clubbin' last night.  We did find an American club which didn't charge a cover and we spent the night there.

We left around 3:00am and things felt like they were just getting started around us.  On our way, I had a cigarette butt thrown at me from the back seat of a car (it bounced off my hair and I was fine).  Maybe it's because I'm American, maybe it's because I'm blonde, or maybe it's because they were just hammered.  In any case, I came to realize that as a middle-class, white American, I had never experienced anything remotely close to hate before.  It made me understand and empathize, ever so slightly, with those who have struggled through hate.  And, I must emphasize, ever so slightly.

Basically, it's not a good feeling to be different and have shit thrown at you.  Something for everyone to remember.

I trekked the rest of the 45 minute walk home and fell right to sleep.

A Day by the Pantheon

The first week of classes is over.  My classes look like they are going to all be very interesting.

Yesterday, I spent the day hanging around the Pantheon.  I walk by it everyday to get to class.  This is easily my favorite Roman monument and it has an extensive, extraordinary history.

It is interesting how the city has built itself around the Pantheon.  It is surrounded by cobblestone streets and tall Roman apartments, shops and restaurants.  It freakishly blends in to its surroundings.  I have to remind myself everyday that I am walking by an 1800 year old monument.

The piazza is populated by a fine mix of Italians and tourists from everywhere.  Many couples get a bottle of wine to share on the steps of the fountain.  Groups of Italian teenagers walk-by puffing their cigarettes and socializing.  The Roma (commonly known as Gypsies) try selling you flashing light gadgets and roses for your date.  Street entertainers provide an aura of music and activity.  It is a very great experience.

Directly in the center of piazza is a fountain which does a wonderful job in symbolizing the evolutionary history of the Pantheon.  The water feature itself is most recent and was introduced in the 16th century.

Atop the fountain is an Egyptian obelisk which was taken from Egypt by the Roman Imperial Army and erected in the piazza at the construction of the Pantheon in the 2nd century AD.  After the Pagan religion was eradicated, Christianity took precedence.  So, a bronze cross was placed at the top of the obelisk. (Can't quite see the obelisk or the cross, sorry)

This history mirrors the history of the Pantheon.  Originally constructed as a temple to all the Roman gods, it became a church in the 7th century.  In becoming a church, all statues of Roman gods were replaced, but the building itself was preserved.

All this history worked up my appetite so I went to a gellato shop nearby.  This is the largest gellato shop I have seen so far, and I can't imagine they get much bigger than this.

I had craeme di Baileys.  Yummy!  Breakfast time.

Roma, You Left The Water On! (The Nasoni)

I think one of the most interesting and unique parts of Rome, that I have encountered so far, are these little guys.

There are literally thousands of them scattered across Roma.  They are called "nasoni," which comes from the Italian word nasone, or big nose.  They are running 24/7 and supposedly provide the best drinking water in all of Italia.  High in calcium, ice cold, delicious.

They have been around since 1874 and most are hand-carved in stone.  It looks as though you would have to bend over and drink it, like some sort of confused gorilla (or American).  Actually, you put your palm on the spout and then water is forced out of a small, upward-facing hole, thus providing the perfect, chest-height arc for drinking.

(Credit: http://www.aglioolioepeperoncino.com/2009/07/h2oh.html)

Quite handy... get it?