Rome via Brooklyn

DOUBLE POST

With Quote, Words: 954

Without Quote, Words: 919

Read Time: 5 minutes

What contrasts of new and old did you find aesthetically pleasing?  What contrasts of old and new did you find too visually jarring and/or confusing?  What did you learn on your own about life in Italy?  Perhaps reflect on eating lunch or riding public transportation?  Did Culture Smart! Help? What about the apps?

What contrasts of new and old did you find aesthetically pleasing?

This WHOLE place is a contrast between new and old! Aesthetics is an interesting topic and an even more interesting study. For something to be aesthetically pleasing, for me at least, it must first function as an object that induces emotions. I then conclude that the function of something that is aesthetic is the process of inducing or extracting emotions. When just walking around the city, we have this norm of just walking and not focusing on our surroundings. I have forced myself to look up, turn my head both ways and take in the city. What is interesting is that everything is combined, commingled, and intertwined. On the left BAM there is some important historical monument, and on the right it seems as if it were a modern office building. Further, I enjoyed that the architecture between the old and the new are pretty similar. Side note: Imagine if the brutalist aesthetic were to enter Rome, it would be a disaster! (This is a joke because it already happened)

Additionally, there is something uncanny about this whole experience. The mixture of modern and ancient sometimes dilutes our attention and makes it harder for us to critically think of the past. I wonder if there has been any studies on the possibility of deconstructing antiquity purely for what it is, without modern biases? I guess my previous question is more of a psychological question! 

What contrasts of old and new did you find too visually jarring and/or confusing?

AH. Kind of answered this already, though adding some more things would not hurt! I was astonished that some of the structures of antiquity were closed off. The act of gating something up is twofold: keeping X in, and keeping Y out. X and Y are subject to change and are usually contingent on time. But the gates are not. They usually transcend it. From this I conclude that gates and walls may be very dangerous. I further find issue with the: walled off past from the citizens of Italy. This can produce a sense of alienation from their own country. I think that this is simply WRONG, though I do understand that the government needs to take action in protecting its history.  

What did you learn on your own about life in Italy?

I cannot come here and say life in Italy is great or not-so-great but what I can say is that life in Rome is not slow. The accepted stereotype–Italian people take their time–seen in CultureSmart!, seems to be far from the truth. Honestly, I reject this notion from my experience in Rome so far. Cars are fast, motorcycles are fast, those little delivery bikes are fast, people are fast. This is a direct contradiction from what one could conclude about Italy from reading the book. I should’ve raised an eyebrow when I saw the juxtaposition in the book. You can’t claim Italian people are slower and calmer when they drive fast, aggressive, and erratic. I DON’T THINK THOSE MIX, specifically Rome.   

Perhaps reflect on eating lunch or riding public transportation?  

Public transportation is interesting. The guys and myself have taken the bus before, but usually sit in the back. This time coming back from the museum, I decided to stand near the front of the bus and observe. What I observed made me come to a very interesting conclusion…I will never try and drive in Rome. Italians are “good” drivers but also “bad”! They are the former because they are able to control their vehicles in a hectic environment. They are the latter because they ARE the hectic environment. I understand the contradiction in my writing but they just are. 

I also found eating lunch as a group an amazing experience. It was interesting how they gave a lot of us “to-go” bags, which is not the norm in Europe. It seems to me that the latter is not so true anymore. It shows us how cultures, norms, and understandings change ALL THE TIME! I would like to inquire whether this is an economic move due to the tourists or if it is something else. Wonder if this change would happen without a Western influence–America. 

The following text from CultureSmart! I did not find it very helpful “You can get on a bus or tram at the front or back through the doors marked Entrata (entry). The middle doors are used for getting off, and are marked Uscita (exit).” (142) Actually, now upon further inspection of my memories of entering or exiting the bus, the author is probably correct. I say this because the pay “thingies” are at the front or back of the bus and never in the middle. Further, the smaller doors are at the front and back while the larger one, is in the middle. I have imposed my NYC will on the entering and exiting of the bus. I wonder how much people were annoyed by this.  

What about the apps?

As for the apps, I found google translate amazing. It has helped me read instructions in Italian as well as the ingredients used! I have also found that trying to understand Italian by just trying to read what is around helps a lot. For example, today on the bus there was a sign in both English and Italian. Also just snooping around and listening in can help, though this can be dangerous!

–Moussa Toni Cissé