The vibrancy is what brought everything to life. No
need for plans or timetables; instead the streets, the sights, the sounds, the
people were enough. Walking outside meant being faced with the world and when I
say the world I mean the world as it should be. It was a world of people that
coexisted and interacted, living with both intention and relaxation. I enjoyed
most the days when I walked the streets, viewing people in everyday acts,
disappearing into the environment almost like an actual citizen. Nothing is
more amazing than that. Being able to reflect on what I have witnessed, from
incredible churches, winding cobbled streets, friends enjoying piled-high cones
of gelato, historical works of art, and elderly men enjoying morning espressos,
I realize the simplicity of life that exists everywhere and the differences
amongst cultures that make these mundane acts suddenly fascinating. The effect
that traveling has on my perspective is incredible and I would recommend to
anyone from an avid traveler to one that has never left the state to go forth
and see something new. There’s no better way to learn than by immersing oneself
in the foreign because in order to survive one must grow and adapt. It’s this
ability to adapt that stays around even once returning to the U.S., giving one
a new perspective to what was once obvious. And by viewing things in a
different way we learn to ask deeper questions and make more important
realizations. The most impactful for me was all of the viewing I did, the way
that one can soak up so much by just being someplace new. When I came home, and
the transition was slightly difficult, I again viewed what was around me and
made connections and observations that would otherwise have been impossible.
And this growth I cherish as I hope everyone can experience.
One of the many cultural observations I made while
in Rome was the existence of an unspoken expectation of how one conducts
oneself, a level of forwardness that dissolves when crossing the ocean
westward. In America individuals expect service but elsewhere it is the
responsibility of the customer to get what he wants. Passivity does not work,
which is important in stimulating confidence in the individual. American
tourists often assume it rudeness or laziness of their waiter when he does not
check up on them, but that is the waiter giving the customers their privacy, a
privacy which they can break by getting the waiter’s attention. Forwardness is
necessary in a productive society and I began to despise the tourists that
whispered their disgust for European style. One must learn to conduct oneself
with intention, a concept that is being lost in a business world run by
pleasing the customer. I think these types of social differences, especially in
Europe, are important for Americans to witness and partake in. My shyness
wouldn’t do me any good in the restaurants or when trying to find my way, so I
had to change my tactics and attempt to be more forward. Again, it is this type
of growth that makes the biggest impact in an individual when traveling.
|
Another aspect of Roman culture that I now cherish
is how socialization exists outside the home, which creates a connection
between individuals and their surroundings. There is an understanding that
people go out to meet other people, unlike America where people are invited in.
The difference tells much of the cultures being explored. In Rome it is
important to escape one’s isolation by immersing oneself in the outdoors, even
if it be a cityscape. Stepping out brings people and history closer together,
for around every corner is a story that dates back hundreds if not thousands of
years. Nothing compares in America, for most of the areas have been so overrun
by commercialization; what existed before, however, dates back nowhere near the
history of Europe. Proof of man’s ability to think and to create harasses you
constantly. History accumulates and never deteriorates. The Romans have learned
to cherish it and savor it by living in its presence. Old buildings face new
ones and the two coexist. By studying the structures that make up the great
city allowed me to appreciate it even more. Not many people get to walk in the
shadows of greatness, but in Rome it’s a daily occurrence.
One of my favorite places to go was the Pantheon.
The area around it bustles with people, especially tourists, but despite the
number of internationals walking the streets the Italians still felt like the
majority (whether they were or were not). Just around the Pantheon are
incredible shops and restaurants that exist just past the main piazza. It is as
though the tourists have made an impression in the square but only a short walk
past it and you’re back in traditional Italy. The atmosphere is what makes it
amazing. It is no longer a shot in “Roman Holiday” or a description in “Angels
and Demons,” but an actual building with real people scattered around, filling
up the steps around the fountain. Somehow the old world still exists as new
people come to greet it.
What may have been the most frustrating aspect of
the trip was the location of our apartment. I definitely enjoyed our apartment
and everything about it was great except for the fact that it was a little far
from the center itself. Getting past the Vatican seemed an easier concept than
it was to execute. Although public transportation is incredible in comparison
to most American cities, the metro doesn’t run late enough and the night buses
are pretty difficult to negotiate. We found going out at night to be more of a
burden than anything, which cut back on our outings unfortunately. But in
general you learn to adapt and get the most out of it. If you want to go out a
lot then you will and dealing with night buses may be frustrating at first but
hopefully you can figure it out. Everyone chooses how much effort they wish to expend
and the nightlife will definitely pay back what you put into it.
Rachel is a junior at UCSD (Sixth College) studying mechanical engineering. She participated in Math in Rome 08.
|
