In Retrospect

Aside from the excitement of returning home, I took a minute to reflect on my seven weeks in Rome. Looking back it is hard to believe how much I have learned and grown from my experiences. Through the blogging assignments, I have in particular learned a lot from my themes, Roman churches and gelato and also my place, Trastevere. From just my research and my writing on these three topics you can gain a good understanding of what I got and took out of my time in Rome.

Gelato, quite obviously, was a big part of my diet and enjoyment in Italy. Simply by seeking out different gelateria’s it has taught me not only how great the Italian ice cream is, but also a lot about the city. I had to travel around to all different parts of the city to complete my gelato tour. Also, surprisingly, I learned that gelato is actually better for you than American ice cream, which of course gave me a good excuse to eat more!

Roman churches not only strengthened my Catholic faith but also taught me a lot about the Italian architecture, artwork and the aesthetics. I enjoyed comparing and contrasting the differences between the churches I visited. From smaller local churches in Santa Maria in Trastevere to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, each church has something unique that I took away from them. Although I didn’t get to see the four hundred plus churches in Rome, I feel as if I visited a good amount and I can’t wait until I am return to Rome to see more.

Trastevere, my place, was my home for seven weeks. I will always remember when the cab drove us up to our front door. We said to each other this couldn’t be right. In a back alley with no idea where we were was a bit horrifying. However, only days later we called it home. We grew to love it and really got to know it. There was so much to see, restaurants and shops lined every alleyway and down the main street Viale Di Trastevere. Trastevere, “across the Tiber” was its own little world, separated from the center city of Rome by the Tiber River. I enjoyed how it was filled with a lot of locals and was away from a lot of tourist traps. Overall, looking back on my two themes and my place, it really shows how much I was able to accomplish in such a short period of time. I hope you have enjoyed learning about my experience and adventures in Rome!