Saluti!
Today was our first “real” day of class, but when I compare today to other classes I have taken at UW, I realize how blessed I am to have the opportunity to study for an entire quarter in the eternal city. We started class at 1 today, but this gave us a free morning to do whatever we pleased. I chose to venture into the city to find a specific supermarket, but ended up getting lost in the sketchier part of town. I finally found my way back and decided to pick up some fruit in the campo.
During class we talked what constitute a border and who decides where it is drawn. Borders can be physical (like the Tiber River in Rome) or psychological (the divide between pure Italians and immigrants). They cause globalization, and they are places of separation, but also integration. They are often the outcome of conflict, which is illustrated by the fact that physical borders often correlate with cultural borders.
After class, we went on an excursion to see the Jewish ghetto. Julie has emphasized with us the idea of being a traveler, not a tourist, and to do this by slowing down, returning to places more than once, traveling alone, and observing how YOU create or cross certain borders. The Jewish ghetto is still today a place where Jews thrive. The Jews were confined to live in this neighborhood during the times when they were persecuted, including during WWII. Living in this area they were required to wear orange caps and work menial jobs, and they had a curfew at night.
Julie then sent us off by ourselves to explore and write. Personally, I was terrified and getting lost in the city all by myself, so Erika and I teamed up to explore. We ended up wandering our way to the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. I am continually amazed by the beauty and diversity of the city, and how you can walk a hundred meters from a modern shopping area to ancient ruins, right in the middle of the city.
When we got back, we all got together to cook up some crepes for dinner. Tomorrow we have our first Italian class (which will really come in handy in the next few months) and will be talking about the mythical foundations of Rome and visiting the Piazza del Campidoglio.
Ciao!
Stephanie Tougas
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