Rome via Brooklyn

Word count: 451 words

Time to read: 3-4 minutes

We started the day off at the farmer’s market, conveniently located closely to our apartment. I was exhausted from a night of no sleep (thanks, club blaring music into the early hours!). Nonetheless, it was amazing to learn that the family-first nature of Italy even permeates shopping culture at farmer’s markets. I learned that it’s best to find your vendor and just stick to them, at least if they’re in the same area you’re shopping in. It’s considered very gauche to not build a rapport with your vendor, and I can absolutely understand that. Really, you’re supporting their business by shopping with them, and it’s a great thing to support the locals of the places you’re visiting. After all, we chose to visit Rome for a reason; we must love the place, so we should line the pockets of the locals!

I didn’t bring cash with me, but thankfully, Ramon did. We still have those cherries as I write this, and they’re still as sweet and fresh as when we bought them. Also, they’re incredibly large, and the bigger, the better!

After our first meeting of the day, a few of us decided to head to a grocery store. While I know how to cook, this made my first time going grocery shopping alone (as it pertains to filling an entire pantry from nothing). I was overwhelmed to say the least, and seriously questioning why it was so difficult for me to know what to get. Ostensibly, I should just see the product, know I need it, and pick it up. The choices were endless, and I only have two hands! As soon as we got a cart, though, everything clicked. Suddenly the task wasn’t to inundating!

After a brief break, we went to the most amazing museum! Our apartment decided we’d ride Lime scooters instead of walking. I was totally on board, though, slightly apprehensive since I haven’t ridden a scooter since I was a toddler. To say it was a major disaster might be an understatement. I just couldn’t get it.

Maybe it’s my inability to ride a bike making the usual balance one has nonexistent for me. Maybe it was the fact that the “Go” button turned the scooter from 0 to a cannonball in a matter of seconds. Either way, I opted to Uber the way there. While I missed out on some of the views my roommates got, I reached safely, which is of salient important.

Upon reaching the museum, I was stunned. There was so much to look at and love. The reading noted that the etymology of the word Rome is often attributed to Romulus and Remus, but that is inaccurate. In fact, “the names of Romulus and Remus are… both derivatives of the name of the city.” We learned that this concept is called reverse eponymy, and I must admit, I’d fallen prey to the myths, too. The more you learn!

When I came home, I felt inspired and, really, obligated to paint the entryway of the museum; the opening scene that grabs you in and invites you to explore more. Unfortunately, I did not bring any white paint on this trip, so I don’t think I did as much as I could have in accurately representing the real place. That being said, the wash of blue over a bright white page intensifies the saturation that much more. As such, we’re left with the feeling of a bright sky on a hot day. I wanted that sense of haziness included, and I think I was successful enough!