I sit here writing this blog post on the plane from Rome to London. What a dream it is to say that. This week was very different from the previous weekly schedules because on Tuesday we packed our bags and hopped on a train to Rome for an extended class field trip. And per usual, we hit the ground running once we got there.
The first day in Rome, we toured what seemed like the whole city in three hours. Getting to see monuments such as the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain in person, was truly incredible. Our tour guide, Alessia, was my favorite we have had yet. Not only was she so personable and entertaining, but she was very stylish with her wide-leg corduroy pants. After the tour, we were on our own for dinner so a group of us found ourselves at a nicer Italian restaurant right by the Spanish Steps. Never anything less than delicious.
The following day we visited the Colosseum for a few hours then we had the rest of the afternoon to explore on our own. Vaughn, Sydney, and I, wandered around the main streets of Rome and made our way to the Monument of Emmanuel. We climbed the white marble stairs to one of the best views of Rome. We grabbed lunch, revisited the Trevi Fountain, and fit in a much needed nap before dinner.
Our final day in Rome would have to be my favorite. As a group, we entered Vatican City and spent a few hours walking through the beauty that is St. Peter’s Cathedral. I truly have no words to describe the experience. I felt very blessed to say the least. Once we were free to explore on our own, a few of us took the lift to the top of the church. Although the view didn't compare to the view from the top of the Duomo, the fact that I was standing at the top of St. Peter’s Cathedral overlooking Vatican City was an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. Later that afternoon we had the opportunity to meet with the Dean of Communications at Pontifical University Santa Croce and have a tour of the building. Religious Communication is a course I will be taking the second term so the visit at the University was only a preview of everything I have yet to learn. Within Religious Communication, we also talked a bit about rhetoric within the church, specifically surrounding the Pope. I was very interested in Religious Broadcasting, because it is something I haven’t devoted much thought to before. The church has become more and more present on media platforms as technology continues to develop. The Pope has his own Twitter account for goodness sake.
Our Rome trip flew by and enjoyed every minute of it. Florence still ranks as number one in my heart, but I will definitely be back to Rome sometime down the road. In fact, I’ll be back in a few days when we return from London. But until then, my “ciao’s” will turn into “ello’s” and pasta to fish n’ chips. Cheers!