A lot has happened since my last post. My friends and I have been enjoying our time in classes at The American University of Rome (AUR), exploring Rome, and making our way through Italy. Taking public transit to many places in and around Rome provides a chance to mingle with all sorts of people. The Romans are polite and accustomed to newcomers and often will ask where I am from as I get my morning coffee at our favorite shop, set on the first floor of our Trastevere neighborhood apartment building, not far from the Tiber River, and the center of Rome beyond. Locals are always eager to guess where you’re from. So far, I’ve been mistaken for Australian, Russian, and Swedish. I find such interactions a great way to use my limited Italian language but an even better way to promote the respect and affection I have as an individual and especially as an American citizen studying abroad on a Gilman Scholarship. Italy and AUR have given me many opportunities to see the commonalities we as Americans have with the Italians and others, I’ve been fortunate to meet.
Venice
My friends and I took a weekend trip to Venice, known to everyone around the world for its unique canals, architecture, style, history and food. We were able to experience Carnival and even purchased traditional handmade masks for the festivities. The Venetian form of the Spanish tapas is the cicchetti, a culinary discovery I was only too happy to make. The cicchetti was fresh, delicious, available with many different toppings, and affordable for a mid-day snack. As is much of the fare in Rome, if you seek to stretch your euros. Going to smaller, out-of-the-way places also affords the opportunity to meet more people who are used to serving regulars as opposed to day-tripping tourists. At a stop into the famous independent bookstore, Liberia Aqua Alta, I met a tabby cat guarding some old Italian language, American style “Western” novels, one entitled “Geronimo – Capo Apache.” There was a time many decades ago, I hear that interest among Italians was so strong, that American westerns were made here in Italy by American actors – including Clint Eastwood – dubbed into Italian. They were called “spaghetti Westerns.”
Malta
Another weekend trip gave me the opportunity to collect a passport stamp from another country, Malta. Just south of Italy, this island nation (once a British colony) is a mixture of Sicilian and North African culture. Another moment to look at myself as a representative of our American culture and to show respect for that of the Maltese. The people were welcoming to tourists and seemed very eager to help us in our attempts to learn about their land, which consists of fortified cities, farmland, cliffs, clear turquoise waters, and rocky seaside formations. The famous Maltase Knights appear on practically every postcard as The Sovereign Order of Malta is one of the oldest institutions of Western and Christian civilization; they transformed the island into a Mediterranean naval stronghold. In a statement from The Sovereign Order of Malta, “The Knights of Malta, known then as ‘Knights Hospitaller,’ established a hospital in Jerusalem to care for pilgrims of any religious faith or origin.”
Florence & Milan
On spring break, we traveled to Florence and Milan, two very different cities. Florence is the capital of Tuscany and a Renaissance jewel, while Milan is a northern Italian city with a Celtic and then Roman past, that today is the fast-paced, fashionable financial capital of Italy. Both cities have much history, art, and architecture to flaunt. In Florence we encountered lots of fellow tourists and study abroad students as we made our way through the grand Uffizi, Academia, and Bargello museums. People were friendly here as well. In Milan, we enjoyed the big city appeal and met some Irish nationals who invited us to a rousing Irish tavern with traditional music and drink. With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner and the Six Nations Ireland Vs. Italy rugby game underway, the common threads between us were clear, and friendships were made. I was happy to claim my Irish lineage as an American overseas in Italy, an opportunity that my Gilman and Salve Scholarships helped to provide.
Home in Rome
Back in Rome, I settled into my apartment more easily as I stopped into our favorite coffee spot to see and talk to my Italian hosts about my travels as an American in Italy. With news of changing political relationships around us, it is a privilege to represent America in the best light possible, with healthy respect for the worthy dignity of my hosts.
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