Rome via Brooklyn

I’m going to try to post along side all of you but I might break the rules a bit–professorial privilege and all that.

The day zero prompt:

“What are you most excited about? Did anything surprise you in the Readings? Did you have any impromptu conversations in the airport? Did any family or friends give you advice before you left? What is the funniest quote from the reading?”

I’m most excited about actually making it to Rome. I was supposed to fly out yesterday and after an hour in a taxi to the airport my flight was cancelled I had to ask the driver to turn around and take me home so I could try again today.

So far so good, the plane is packed to the gills of course, but for a little art (i.e. the art we see!) there must be a little suffering. I got to the airport ridiculously early and am enjoying the wait. I like the in-between time and space feeling airports exude.

My funniest conversation was probably with the guy in the candy store. I had a 15 dollar voucher from the airlines because of the cancellation, which purchased me only two small packets because airport prices are outrageous. The seller was so angry he has 5 hours left in his shift and overshared about his diagnoses and swore blue murder about entrying the voucher code, even entering MY signature as “F**K Y*U” without consulting me. And yet at no point was he mad at me. The whole interaction was a delightful slice of real life.

The family advice was very niche: check on the Giro, a major cycle race, like the Tour d’ France but Italian, which happens to be passing through the Vatican the day I land. So for a minute I panicked I wouldn’t be able to check into my apartment, but I’ve been now assured after checking that it will not be a problem, perhaps a slightly longer taxi ride but nothing more.

Since then I’ve sat next to where everyone orders their drinks making small talk with all the travellers who cannot read the menu and helping where I can. Only one inappropriate comment and I had the fun of looking up for the bartender and customer the recipe for a Singapore Sling to see if all the ingredients were on offer. I finished off a piece of writing for a deadline (tomorrow midnight) and am ready to be fully in ROME mode.

The big shift ahead is that the Villa Guilia the highlight of day two has an extra ordinary closure that particular day and our reservations have been cancelled. So I had to re work the syllabus.

We’re going to Montemartini Museum and the Prati Markets on Tuesday (lunch in between). We’ll make it work. Wednesday (day 3) we meet at the temple of Portunus at 10 am. AND, this is the big excitement, a major archaeologist and photographer, Dan Diffendale, will tag along as our resident expert. I’m a little nervous as he knows far more about all of these sites than I do but he’s also one of the kindest people I know in the field. Click his name for his magnificent Flickr stream. We’ll break about noon and then have entry tickets at the villa Guila at 4pm. Plenty of time for you to go home eat lunch and have a name or power through some extra sightseeing as your fancy takes you.

Because of the Day 2 shake up we have been looking for new restaurants. Its not confirmed but I’m looking to book this place for Tuesday lunch after the museum–we’ll see, I’ll find some place nice.

What else? I’m looking forward to seeing my apartment tomorrow and sending you updates on what I find as it might be indicative of your own. I’m also eager to scout supermarkets and atms.

Monday as you’re checking in to your apartments, I’ll be getting my tour guide goodies! These include headset that you will wear to hear me when I’m talking in public places. You will have to regularly tell me to not shout in your ear as I am 1) always over enthusiastic and bad at volume regulation 2) very used to projecting my voice in the classroom.

After you are all checked in to your apartments the Paideia Reps will walk you to meet me at Fontanella di aqua pubblica – Nasone (see map below) near these steps in the grounds of Castel San Angello. This is probably about 2.30 but we’ll stay in contact in case this needs to change.

We’ll have some chatting in this location including a little talk about the national holiday that is being celebrated. After that we’ll walk towards the Spanish Steps hitting many highlights before and after. At the end of our major walk of big sites we’ll stop at a local grocery store for some basics.

That’s what I know. Please remember this is THE FIRST BC faculty-led Rome study abroad. I’m going to be learning along side of you.

Remember, we gotta be flexible.