Il Viaggio (The Journey)

I know I just posted a blog post last night but after the adventures of today, I feel like another one is necessary...

A few of us decided to take a day trip and head up a little north to Assisi. We got up bright and early this morning and headed out to catch the 40 bus to take us to Termini, the train station in Rome. We got to the train station, and got our tickets for the 7:45 am train to Assisi however, we did not realize that it was 7:37 am when we bought our tickets. So the 5 of us frantically searched for the screens to lead us to the correct track. Of course, our train was leaving from track 2 east and we were at 30 west. Why not run with our backpacks through the train station... Just as we got up to the correct platform, we watched the back of the green train slowly pull away. We all had a rush of sadness run through us as we watched our day trip slowly move further and further away from us. 


My Gram always says, "it's called makin' memories" when something goes wrong. So as we silently walked back down the mile long platform, we had a decision to make; what do we do now? The next train wasn't leaving until 12:30. So we asked the very kind lady at the information desk if she had any suggestions on cities to visit that we could use our ticket for. Her recommendation was Orvieto. The five of us looked at each other a little puzzled but we all had the same feeling, why not go to Orvieto? None of us had ever even heard of it. So we exchanged our tickets, and caught the 8:43 am train to Orvieto. 


I truly believe that everything happens for a reason because I would have to say that this was one of the best days I have had so far since I've been in Italy. If we hadn't missed our train, who knows if we would have ever gone to this town. Orvieto is a hilltop town about an hour and a half north of Rome. We stepped of the train and luckily, there were students and their professor from a school out in California and he had been to Orvieto before so he showed us the direction to head to in order to get up the mountain. You have to take what is called a fumiculare (a tram that takes you up the side of the mountain). Once we got into the small town of Orvieto, the views were breath-taking. You looked out on the snow-covered mountains and vast green pastures below. It didn't even feel like real life. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. After we picked up our jaws from the ground, we headed into the town to explore. They are know for the variety of Gothic/Medieval churches, hand made pottery, and white wines. I think we were able to make it from one side of the town to the other in about 20 minutes. That gives you an idea of the size. 

We spent the day exploring the various churches, studying the different piazza's, and enjoying an unbelievable pasta lunch at a local trattoria. It is amazing that we ended up in this small remote town. When we looked out upon the vast openness of the country side, it was really peaceful. Everything just seemed so simple. We always try and complicate things for ourselves all the time. With people, with stuff, with ourselves. Everyone in Orvieto just seemed so simple. It was a total change of pace and something that I think the five of us really needed. 


Now it is back to class tomorrow, project one jury on wednesday, and our trip to Northern Italy on Friday!

Nelle mani di Dio

Steady Now

I successfully completed my first load of laundry in Roma! Lets just say the washers take a good 2 hours to wash one load of clothes... 


Project one has commenced. Our first jury in Rome is on Wednesday and I really like our work so far. We are working on a project that analyzes urban space. We were assigned a Piazza in Rome to study and examine. Within this piazza we were looking for different elements that make it successful; Do people congregate there? Is there a market that attracts visitors to the site? Not only do we have to explore in depth our assigned piazza and determine its faults, we also have to synthesize and determine what, in theory, would help make this piazza a better place within the city. Piazza's are very interesting in Rome because they are a small void within the mass of the city. The other interesting part of the project is the group aspect. I think we all have differing opinions of working in groups. Especially us architects who think our way is the best way! However, it is great practice for us for the future. Very rarely will we be assigned a project in the real world and complete it on our own. There are too many facets to a design that you need the input of others to better the project. It can be challenging working with others. Differing in opinions, strong personalities, and tension can make it difficult to get the work done. But in the end, the end result is something that you can be proud of as a pair or as a group.

This idea of working in a group does not just apply to architecture projects. I feel like it has a very strong impact here in Rome. If you think about it, we have to work and interact with others on a daily basis. Especially those of us from the States and we are trying to buy groceries or a slice of pizza. It is fascinating to see the interactions of Romans. We are so used to a way of life in America that you tend to forget that there are other cultures out there. It is a different way of life. You have to learn when to tip, who to tip, what to order, what not to say. No one wants to look stupid or look "American" but its hard not to. We are so used to a certain way of life and acting in a certain manner that its hard to just up and leave that. I think for the most part, Italians have been very accepting. Of course, some more than others. We all have our flaws but it makes us who we are. I think some people have a hard time understanding that not everyone is going to be like them. It all kind of goes back to this working on a group project. Everyone brings different talents to the table and it is the responsibility of the group to analyze this and determine who needs to do what. 

   


We all judge, its human nature. I like a quote that a recent boss used to say, "we judge because we love". I cannot say that this quote makes sense but it gives light to this idea of judging one another. I thought it was funny the other night, a few of us wanted to go get some gelato but it was ten o'clock at night. We all decided we were going to put sweatshirts on and go get gelato. You hardly ever see people walking around in sweatshirts in Rome. Its kind of saying "hey I'm American!". It didn't matter to us. We were going anyway. Just from the short walk from home to the gelato place, you could see people were judging. I think so far this experience has taught me to be more open to people and less quick to judge. When you are in an unknown city and trying to navigate, you really have to just accept that you will make stupid mistakes and people will judge you. It is all part of the experience. The feeling of the uncomfortable is good. It makes you stronger. 


I am looking forward to tomorrow. Lisa, Corin, Emily, Chris, Brigid and I are heading out to Assisi for the day. Hopefully it will be a nice day! Hopefully I will be able to upload some of my sketches from the day and pictures. Keep an eye out for more pictures to come.


Buona Sera.
  

I will follow

I am having more and more trouble describing in words all that I am seeing. There is so much to see in Rome. I have to say though that so far I am thrilled with our program, they make sure we get out into the city which is the true way to learn. I think one of the best parts about studying in Rome is that it is completely different from the way I am used to studying at home. I have never had a history where we take a three hour walking tour to to learn... there is nothing like it.


Yesterday, I finally got lost! I know, its a strange thing to be excited about but I spent a good 2 hours walking around the city. It was such a good day. I started out at my site for our studio project 1 on the via del corso, a major street in the city with a lot of shopping. I took a few pictures and then decided to weave my way through the small streets of Rome. You know what is great, is that you really feel safe during the day when walking around the city. There are always people around. So i figured, instead of worrying about where I was at the moment, i'd embrace the situation. I had my camera and a water bottle, what more could I need? I kind of just went in the general direction that I thought was right. There are so many small alleys and narrow streets that all look the same. I got some great pictures from my little excursion. 


Next thing I knew, I had been walking for close to two hours. A little tired, and a little sore from carrying my computer, sketchbook, camera, and water bottle, I came upon Piazza Navona. Piazza Navona is not too far from where we study so I knew I couldn't have been too far. So why not grab a salami and mozzarella panini and enjoy my leisurely stroll back to studio.


If you know me, this is very much out of character. I need a plan. I need to know where I am going and how long it will take me to get there. It's kind of freeing being in Rome. David Dawson, one of the directors from CUA here in Rome had said during our Orientation, that this is the time to discover yourself. For some strange reason, Rome causes me to think much more, just ask Corin. He laughs at me all the time because he will catch me staring out the window at our view of the Tiber River and the Aventine Hill, just thinking. It may be a deep thought or I may just be thinking about the Italian girl I just saw pass by my window. Its just really perplexing to think that this city that I am looking out upon is over 2000 years old. 


Tomorrow we go sketching after Italian class. Our assignment is to find our way to Campo Di Fiori from a random place in the city. I feel like I have done an assignment like this before... I never would have thought that getting lost could be a good thing. I guess this is kind of how life is. I plan and prepare and stress about everything but for the first time, I let go and I stopped planning. There are so many roads to travel, but I know that God will lead me down the roads I am supposed to be taking. As long as I keep telling myself that, its going to be alright. He will never let me go. Yes, I may need to make mistakes, but it is those mistakes and those wrong turns which lead me in a different and possible better direction. Ultimately, it is His arms that will lead me home.


Buona Sera.

On top the wedding cake

We survived the first week of classes! And an entire week of being in Roma! What a week... I think I can get used to this whole 3 day weekend thing. Class is totally different than at home. Our studio space has a great view of Campo di Fiori which goes through a full transformation daily from a fresh market to a hot spot in the evening to enjoy food and drink. We also had our first sketching class where we use the city as our classroom. On Tuesday we went out to Sant'Ivo, a church designed by Borromini. I have to say, it was kind of nice to just sit and sketch for a few hours. It is somewhat relaxing. We also started our intensive Italian class this week as well with Alessandra. She is a character and thinks she has some pretty funny jokes... but she is really great and it helps so much just being around Italian all the time. It makes it easier to pick up on certain words as people speak. 


I can start to tell that the "honeymoon" period of being in Rome is coming to an end and culture shock is starting to settle in. We are learning how to shop for groceries in an Italian grocery store, use the metro and bus system, make sure we choose a safe atm, and figure out how to get into the bank. Yes, getting into the bank is no easy task. Its was actually quite challenging and I refuse to go in the ones that make you remove anything you have on you just to take money out. They have double doors and you have to let one completely shut before the other opens but at the same time, you need to remember to push the button before you enter so that the other one will unlock. Yeah, tell me about it... I had an entire bank full of people stare at me as they watched me make a fool out of myself trying to get into the bank. It will take some time to get used to the way Italians do things but I'm sure it won't take long. 


What a day we had today though. We toured the 7 hills of Rome. These consist of the Aventine Hill, Caelian Hill, Capitoline Hill, Esquiline Hill, Paletine Hill, Quirinal Hill, and the Viminal Hill. The hills are populated with buildings, museums, and parks. Before we set out on our journey to the 7 hills, we were able to get a view of them from atop the Wedding Cake, a monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. They just recently, in 2007, added an elevator to take visitors to the top of the monument and the view of the city is unbelievable. Check out the pictures below.


Let's hope the weeks to follow are just as great!

A piedi tour di un giorn

Here are some pictures of our walking tour numero uno. The first of many. 

 Piazza Navona

The Pantheon

 The Coffered Dome of the Pantheon

Yes, there is a whole in the center of the ceiling and yes it does rain inside the structure.

Classe di oggi

First day of classes in Roma! I have to say, this was the best first day of class that I have had. Let me tell you what it consisted of: Un Panino (a panini ham and fresh mozzarella), then a short Orientation and tour of our Studio space, a two hour walking tour, and it ended with gelato (that of which was bought for us). Canella e Ciocolatte (cinnamon and chocolate is my new favorite). 


However, the real people activities such as going to the grocery store and using the bank, did not go so well... Most italian doors open in and not out. That was something I learned the hard way with everyone in the bank starring while they watched me try and enter the bank. The grocery store can be a bit stressful too. Its hard to know what to buy. Lots of pasta and I personally think the coca-cola in Italia is better than in the States but it is a bit more expensive. The check-out line was the most stressful part. They move so quickly and I hate when they ask you something and you look at them with a dumb-founded face and say uhhhh... But they talk so quickly its hard not too. I'm working on it. It will take some time. I am excited for our Italian class tomorrow. Hopefully they will teach us how to use the grocery store, the bank, and the post office successfully.


We really have such a unique opportunity here in Roma to use the city as our classroom. We started out our tour today with learning about the floor. Yes, I was a little confused too. The cobble stones act as the floor and not only do the building help form space but the patters of the cobble stone does as well. There is a reason to every design of a piazza. The form of the buildings create a void in which you enter. At CUA, we typically meet each other say, at the Pryz or out on the Law School Lawn. These spaces act as gathering places within a large campus. Rome however, has small voids within the large footprint of the city. One must weave their way in and out of small alleys to reach these common piazze (piazza's plural). If you think about it, its really an interesting way to solve the solution of a common space. No one would ever be able to find you if you told them to meet you at the pizzeria on Via Santa Costanzo between the bookstore and next to the cafe. The city is too large and the alleys all look so similar. Great architects of the time such as Bernini and Borromini created palazzi to create an urban setting. Causing people to be civic and to share in each others company. A lot of what happens in Rome is exactly that. People eat, drink, and enjoy the company of one another. 


Not only does a palazzo serve a purpose as a functional space, but it also looks beautiful. A large open space with architecture designed purposefully for that area with fountains and statues all about. Great architecture is not only beautiful but also functional. If you take Campo di Fiori for example, a freshmarket for locals in the morning, a open market for lunch time, and by dinner then entire place is cleaned up and restaurants open up for dinner. A space is created that anyone can use and it all because of the architecture which forms the space. It all comes full circle. 


We did get to visit a magnificent church called the Santa Brigida a Campo di Fiori. This was the first building that appeared in the piazza. What we are told is that if you see an open church, go in because each one is unique and you never know whether it will be open at that same time the next day.


What a day. Your feet sure do get a work out in this city and no wonder Romans are so thin, you can eat an entire plate of Ravioli Quattro Formaggio (4 cheese Ravioli) and in two hours walk the entire meal off. 


Pictures are to come. Buonanotte.

Buongiorno Trastevere

There is something special about Trastevere in the early morning. With only a few locals out and the sun just coming up over the small cobble stone alleys, I navigated my way to a local bar for a morning cappuccino and cornetto. Successfully, I ordered in Italian and paid without any issues. Hopefully it continues this way. 




So far, the trip to Rome has been more than I had ever imagined. You can hear about the Vatican and the Pantheon but until you are standing under there massiveness can you truly feel the grandeur of the architecture here. Last night, we decided to head out for some gelato after a nice family dinner with most of the group. I think one of the best parts about going out is getting lost in the city. And with so many small alley ways it is very easy to do so. If you keep the main reference points in 
mind, you can always find your way back home. Being right on the Tiber River helps as well. We found our gelato and just happen to stumble upon the Vaticano as well. No big deal. We met a great Italian family who asked if we could take their picture and talked to them a little bit. 


Just walking between the solid granite columns of the colonnade that surrounds the Piazza, it gives you the chills to see how beautiful they are. Then you come to the front of the Vatican and its indescribable. You kind of just stand there in awe. St. Peter's square, Piazza di San Pietro was inspired by Bernini who had in ingenious idea to split the piazza into two sections with the part nearest to the Basilica is in the shape of a trapezoid. However the uniqueness of this trapezoid is that rather than fanning out from the facade (the front of the building), it narrows. This narrowing creates a visual perspective which makes the building seem closer than it really is from the round part of the piazza. The entire piazza is encompassed by a colonnade formed of double paired columns. The genius of this piece of architecture makes you appreciate it even more. 


What a night, to be able to enjoy Italian gelato, walk to the Vaticano, and have a leisurely drink in Campo Di Fiori with great friends. I am so blessed to have this opportunity. God is Good! I cannot wait to see what this semester brings and all that I will learn from this once in a lifetime experience. Thank you to my family for giving me this opportunity. 

Just a few views on my morning walk to breakfast.

First Day in Roma!

Well, we made it to Rome! All those months back in studio patiently waiting for this day. Rome is everything I imagined and more. From the small bars serving cafe and Danish to the unbelievable architecture everywhere you look, the feeling of being in this city is hard to describe. All these years, we have looked at slide after slide, picture after picture, however nothing does a justice to the architecture than standing next to 2000 year old columns made of solid granite. Columns that were brought in from Egypt during the time of Christ. It gives you chills to stand in such a remarkable wonder. I cannot wait to see what the next four months have in store and remarkable architecture we will witness. I am looking forward to my first Italian coffee first thing tomorrow morning!