Halfway Point

Ciao, belle! I cannot believe that I have reached the halfway point of my trip in Rome. The first three weeks flew by, and I am eager to encounter the events of the remaining three. Each day has been filled with beautiful weather and with even more beautiful cites. My art history class, Rome as a Living Museum, visits different monuments and museums during our weekly field studies. The latest visits include the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Roman history becomes more interesting and easier to remember when experiencing the subject first hand. It is fascinating that Emperor Caesar Augustus walked the same streets as I walked in the Roman Forum thousands of years ago.

With the end of the third week came midterms. We survived! However, I found it much harder to focus on studying when surrounded by the activities of the bustling city. It was a struggle to sit indoors on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon, but my friends and I persevered together, and in the end we were successful.

The day after our exams, our program took a field trip to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Though incredibly hot, Pompeii was fascinating. The view from the top of the mountain was beautiful. To our right stood Mount Vesuvius, which villainously loomed over the city’s ancient ruins. Our tour guide entertained the group throughout our tour, even taking us to the remains of Pompeii’s brothel. This was a crowd pleaser, to say the least. After concluding our visit to Pompeii, we next ventured to a vineyard at the base of the volcano for a wine tasting. The food and wine were abundant and delicious. After tasting six different wines and eating six different courses, the group waddled back to the bus with contentment as we next traveled to the Amalfi Coast. Our hotel was in Positano and overlooked the ocean and mountainside. Both the hotel and the view were beautiful. Our group swam in the pool and enjoyed another wonderful meal together. On Saturday we drove down the coast and spent the day in Amalfi. We took a boat ride along the coast, spotting the homes of celebrities and of some of the world’s wealthiest people. The homes and hotels along the coast were beautiful and sat amongst a flawless background of mountains and lush vegetation. We spent the remainder of the afternoon on the beach before heading back to Rome.

The Amalfi Coast is now at the top of my list of places to revisit. I had the best day swimming in the ocean and exploring the town with my friends. Though I am sad that half of my trip is over, and I am excited that I have another three weeks to explore the incredible city of Rome. Each day brings new surprises and adventures. My journey is only halfway begun!