Rome via Brooklyn

DOUBLE POST

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?

One of the most aesthetically pleasing contrasts between the old and the new that I saw today was in the jewelry display. The gold and bronze necklaces, bracelets, and earrings looked so stylish that I could honestly see someone wearing them today and getting compliments. It was wild to think that people thousands of years ago were making pieces with such good design and clean craftsmanship. The detail in the pieces was so sharp that I actually think their build quality might be better than some of the jewelry sold in stores now. Seeing something so ancient look so modern gave me a new appreciation for how advanced these cultures were in terms of fashion and art.

I also really liked looking at all the different pots and vessels. They were made from various materials like clay, bronze, and what looked like other kinds of metal. What stood out the most to me was the design on one of the cups in the photo below. It had large circular shapes that looked like eyes with red and black colors. The two figures standing in the middle almost looked like they were being watched. I thought that was such a cool design choice. I kept thinking about what it was meant to represent. Were the eyes meant to protect the drinker or scare off bad spirits? Or was it just a fun and creative way to add personality to a regular object? It reminded me how much artists back then liked to mix meaning with beauty.

Something else that caught my eye was the decorated plate with the elephant in the center. I found it really interesting because elephants are not native to Europe. So whoever made this plate must have either seen one brought over from somewhere else or heard stories about them and tried to draw it from imagination. It is kind of like ancient fan art. I wondered if people back then thought elephants were as cool and rare as we do today. The plate also had tiny leaf or flower symbols around the edges which gave it a peaceful and playful feeling.

On a more personal note, I realized how much growing up in New York shaped how I move through the world. Taking the metro here in Italy feels natural. It is way cleaner and quieter than the MTA which was a pleasant surprise. I did not find it confusing at all and even helped someone figure out what stop to get off at. It was a weird but funny feeling to be comfortable in a totally different country just because I have already learned how to navigate a big city system.

Culture Smart helped in small ways. Some of the tips about greeting people and knowing what to expect with food and timing made certain moments less awkward. I also found the apps to be useful for directions and museum guides. Google Translate came in clutch when I wanted to understand signs or figure out what something meant in a restaurant. It made me think about how people used to travel before smartphones. I probably would have been lost without them.

What I still wonder about is how many of these designs and items had deep meanings behind them that we might never fully understand. Were the symbols on the plate religious or just for decoration? Did the jewelry pieces belong to everyday people or were they only for the rich?