Losing Things

In the last several weeks I have traumatically lost my scarf twice.  Both instances, however, had happy results:

Vienna Kunsthistoriches Museum.  Enthralled in art, dazzled by Breugel and Velázquez, unawares I dropped my scarf in the second floor portrait wing and didn’t realize it was missing until I had gotten all the way to Vermeer!  Luckily, the lost and found is an actual thing in Austria.

Ponte Sant’Angelo.  Not ten minutes ago I unwittingly abandoned my scarf somewhere along the trek from my friend’s apartment in Prati (a neighborhood north of the center, across the Tiber) to my home.  I found it puddled politely at the epicenter of the bridge, surrounded by angels.

So why am I talking about a scarf.

Some tokens carry a lot of meaning for people; I would go (maybe halfway) to the ends of the earth for that scarf.  Over the last semester I’ve seen my classmates collect tokens from their experience in Rome, and I can empathize with their attachment.  It’s a type of transference, perhaps, of their memories and attachment to their study abroad experience onto a physical object.  It helps alleviate the fear and sadness of departure.  And all of this is relevant to fact that we have

ONE WEEK LEFT.

- – -

Or at least they do.  Now is as good a time as any to tell you that not only am I studying in Rome for the full year, but I am delighted to be continuing this blog next semester.  And in the spirit of sharing I have a few notes about what comes ahead, since holding myself accountable to you is a good way to make sure I produce what I have planned:

1) Vienna – look forward to a video about the mind-blowing Christmas markets!  I had a lovely time in this elegant, albeit slightly cold & damp, capital of culture.

2) Reflection on my internship at the archaeological study collection of the American Academy in Rome, a leading institution supporting graduate research in the classics and fine arts.  We created an exhibit on the collection, which opened last Wednesday!

3) Thoughts about wrapping up the first semester, the relationships I have formed so far, and my apprehensions and expectations for the spring.

…and lastly THE GLOBAL SUMMIT of NOBEL PEACE LAUREATES!!!  I am extremely fortunate to be part of the Youth Delegation to the 14^th World Summit, here in Rome during the weekend of December 12-14^th.  I’ve been documenting this surreal experience as best as I can and hope to compile some video footage.  The summit opened this morning and already I have been challenged to think more critically, engage more deeply, and been inspired more passionately than ever before on topics of human rights and peace.  I cannot wait to share this with you!

Oof that was a lot of information.  Thanks for sticking with me.  Talk to you soon!