21 Days, 3 Credits, Eternal Memories

Rome via Brooklyn

    jahmad's avatar

    jahmad

    1–2 minutes

    FIRST IMPRESSIONS

    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?

    One of the things I’m most excited about is getting to experience the culture of Italy in real time and not just from books, documentaries, or social media. Walking through the city and turning the corner to see something as grand as the Italian Supreme Court was surreal. The architecture is insane, and it immediately reminded me how deeply history is built into the everyday surroundings here.

    From the readings, I was surprised by how efficient and developed the rail system is. One quote stood out to me: “the rail system in Italy is extensive and comfortable and there is a system of high-speed trains with regular services linking major cities.” That line gave me some relief, since I was a little skeptical about navigating transportation in a new country. Now I feel more confident about visiting cities like Florence or Venice during the weekends.

    While at the airport, I had a brief, unexpected conversation with an older couple also heading to Rome. They shared stories about their past trips to Italy and gave me two solid pieces of advice: never skip gelato (especially pistachio), and don’t be afraid to get lost on foot it’s part of the magic. That stuck with me, and I’ve already started wandering around and letting the city guide me.

    Before I left, my neighbor told me, “Don’t be the tourist who just looks be the person who notices.” That’s been in the back of my mind ever since, and I’ve been trying to pay attention to little details, like how people greet each other or how locals interact at cafés.

    4 responses to “FIRST IMPRESSIONS”

    1. khadijafall905 Avatar
      khadijafall905

      That was really good advice you were given! I think it’s very natural to want to have everything figured out when coming somewhere new to not be stressed or anxious, but letting yourself discover more of the country because of your lack of knowledge of the Rome and Italy can be super enlightening. Having taken the public transportation in Rome now, I actually greatly prefer it to NYC because of how clean, efficient, and easy to navigate it is.

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    2. moussatonicisse Avatar
      moussatonicisse

      Word Count: 440

      Great read! I really enjoyed your four points: excitement about Italy, Rail-System, Conversation with the older couple, and finally the piece of advice from your neighbor. They tied together in a coherent manner and made sense. I also really like how structured you wrote this piece and that’s coming from someone who maniacally cares about reading comprehension and the structure of a piece–a lot of the time it still ends up a mess! So, it was exciting to read a well structured paper. 

      Further, I deconstructed your main points under this section, giving each a title and a short response on why I connected and enjoyed reading it!

      1. Excitement about Italy

      I really enjoyed how you made a distinction between experiencing Italy in “real time” versus just viewing it through a screen. The beauty in visiting any place is the impact it can have to deconstruct or reinforce any stigma a person might carry. Visiting is extremely important, though it is a double edged sword–one that can help but also hurt you. Further, have you ever wondered how insane it is to share a space with the same people we study religiously in Classics? Personally, this is what makes this experience so powerful. 

      1. Rail-System

      I really like how you introduced a favorite word or mine: skeptic! I think being skeptical is unique to human beings and it comes with the power to be able to rationalize. To be skeptical and to be able to rationalize is almost a super power. It can make us both confident–like how you’re confident in the train system now–but also wary, by making us eschew from participating in certain behavior. 

      A famous skeptik is David Hume. Here is a citation to one of his works that can get you access through Brooklyn Colleges library: Hume, D. (1911). A treatise of human nature. J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd.

      1. Conversation with older couple

      This is a very interesting conversation that I wish I could have had! Older people are undoubtedly wiser and have much more experience from us. This ties into Classics! We learn from past Classicists, who in turn did the same. That is the beauty in the academy; it is not a solo adventure, but a collaborative project! 

      1. Piece of advice from your neighbor. 

      This was some amazing advice from your neighbor! I would say that what they said never truly crossed my mind. Sightseeing versus experiencing are two completely different things. To be able to immerse yourself fully within a culture is nothing short of a “super power” making the advice given by your neighbor even more powerful!

      Again, great read!

      –Moussa Toni Cissé

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    3. moussatonicisse Avatar
      moussatonicisse

      Oh, and now I want to get to read any famous ancient skeptics! I guess Socrates could be considered the “first skeptic”, but I would like to get someone specifically in Rome. And that does not mean all philosophers or ancient thinkers were skeptics!

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    4. Tina Avatar
      Tina

      I loved your description of unexpectedly seeing Italy’s Supreme Court on a street corner – these spontaneous moments make a trip special. So glad you followed the advice to shop around and pay attention to detail; that mindset will enrich your experience. I’m also glad the rail system gave you confidence – weekend trips to places like Florence and Venice sound great!

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