This summer, I had the opportunity to take a Writing Seminars course in Rome at John Cabot University, taught by Johns Hopkins’ Professor Gabriella Fee. The course, Exploring Rome as a Writer, included nine other Hopkins students from different majors and class years who were interested in learning more about writing poetry and/or prose. The course focused primarily on workshops and included built-in excursions. In addition to Professor Fee’s course, I also had the opportunity to take an introductory Italian course with John Cabot Professor Gina Siddu Pilia, in which I learned more about Italian culture.
Without further ado, here are a few snapshots from the five weeks I spent in Rome!
1) It’s May 21, my first morning in Rome. Jet lag is losing the battle against excitement, and I practically jump out of bed to throw open the windows and let sunlight flood the room. It’s summer orientation weekend, meaning classes don’t start until next week. The day is mine until I have to attend one of the mandatory afternoon sessions. My first task: breakfast. I send a message in the group chat for all the students studying abroad this summer and receive five replies!
2) It’s orientation week, and after our tour of the John Cabot campus, which sprawls across the city, I continue my current habit of eating at least one gelato a day. This time, the flavor is mango and guava (or was it strawberry?). The line for this particular shop is exceedingly long. Despite being known for chocolate, this shop ends up being my second-favorite gelato spot of the trip!
3) We are two days into classes, and it’s time for a celebratory dinner! It’s early in the trip, and we are still enjoying the novelty of going out to eat every day. Our group has grown by three. The bright yellow tablecloths and the vibrancy of the room match our excitement; we still can’t believe we’re here.
Before our food arrives, we sit enraptured as Jazz (my roommate in Rome) recounts the Roman history lesson she received earlier in the day and explains the architecture of the Mussolini era. The food and my mango lassi (almost as good as the one at my favorite restaurant back in Baltimore) are delicious!
4) When our class with Professor Fee ends early, Rebecca and I decide to try the “American” breakfast at Mammo before our introductory Italian class. I do my best to order in Italian (I mix up the words for “hot” and “cold” and end up getting an iced matcha rather than a hot one). Although my matcha is a bit watery, the bacon and eggs are perfect. I tell myself I have to come back before I leave, but as time goes on and classes get busier, I forget. I’ll definitely go the next time I’m in Rome!
5) We are on our first excursion for the Exploring Rome as a Writer course. The Pantheon is towering, and people from all over have come to see it in person. Inside, we circle around before standing in the center, where a large opening lets in the sunlight. I wonder, “What was it like to watch this being constructed?” Next, we visit nearby churches. I stare in awe at the ceiling’s architecture and the detailed statues. It’s here that I spot the sculpture that will inspire my favorite piece of writing from my time in Rome.
6) We have just finished our walking tour of Testaccio and are dreading the long trek back to Trastevere when a building catches our eye. We’ve heard that Testaccio was the Roma football team’s first home, and now we find ourselves outside a sports bar that appears to be closed. A man approaches us and says something to our professor in Italian. She translates for us: “This place isn’t open yet, but you’re in luck!” It turns out the man is the owner of the bar, which is opening soon. He lets us in to tour the place and shows us the football players’ signatures on the wall. We all agree that we have to come back one day to retake this photo when the bar officially opens.
7) Six of us decide to go to Florence. We have to catch an early-morning train, which means getting transportation to the station. Unfortunately, our FREENOW (the European equivalent of Lyft) is delayed. By the time we make it to the station, we’re rushing to figure out which train we should be on and accidentally go to the wrong terminal. The six of us fly across the platform, a flurry of yellow, blue, and green fabrics—clothes intended for leisurely strolls, not sprints. One moment, I’m breathing a heavy sigh of relief after spotting the correct train; the next, I’m sprawled on a platform in front of who knows how many people, with a scrape on my hand that doesn’t fade completely for two months. Still, it’s one of the most fun side quests of my time in Rome! The trips to the pharmacies are definitely worth it—they’re an adventure in and of themselves!
8) During our time in Rome, two of our classmates have birthdays. For Reshmitha’s birthday, we take a trip to Paris! There, I face my fear of heights and go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Despite being a roller-coaster lover for as long as I can remember, I have always hated heights. I used to cry whenever I rode a Ferris wheel, and looking down from one of the upper floors of the mall makes me uncomfortable. Still, I decide I want to go up the Arc. Jazz talks me through the climb: We’re almost there. Don’t look down. When I reach the top after what feels like an eternity of climbing, the view is stunning: the city stretches out beneath us, the sun is setting, and the clouds are dreamlike. I’m glad we make the climb and get to see that sight.
9) Hadrian’s Villa is otherworldly in its beauty. If someone told me that all the trees there were secretly nymphs, I would believe them. I could also believe that the statues sometimes leave their posts to roam the grounds. As I wander without a map, I wonder what it would have been like to live in the villa—and what it’s like to maintain it. As someone who loves the outdoors, this is my favorite of our class outings.
10) As our time in Rome nears its end, so do our courses. Jazz has one final thing to do for her research on gentrification, and I’m excited for one last spontaneous excursion. So off we go into the night! On our journey, we ride the most interesting and eerie subway trains I’ve ever seen. The curved structure of the train makes it feel as though you’re looking down an endless passageway, giving you the sense that you’re seconds away from falling into a dream.
11) Our last meal in Rome is a lovely gathering meant to bring the trip to a close. We’re laughing, reminiscing, and dreading the long flights home, all while trying to escape a bee that has decided it wants to eat with us, too. We know it’s our “last supper” in Rome, but it doesn’t feel like the end. Little do we know that a few months from now, most of us will be sitting around another table, this time in Baltimore, once again discussing that summer as it grows farther and farther away—all the while growing closer to one another.
