What a Difference a Day Makes

What a difference a day makes. After having been on the road for the past seven weeks, it feels nice to finally “settle in” here in Rome. Although my accommodations are lack luster, they are a step up from the Czech Management Center (CMC) in Celakovice. It reminds me of the story that one of the staff from the CMC told when he mentioned that several T-birds had been complaining about their stay at the CMC prior to a trip to Russia. After the trip to Russia, once they returned there were no more complaints. Since I was a participant, I can very much see the irony of this story.

As I’ve written in a past blog, the Pellegrino tag line of “whatever language you speak, live Italian” is so appropriate. Roma or the “Eternal City” is a marvelous place. Today I bought a couple of books: 1) a Spanish/Italian dictionary (I find it much easier to “think” in Spanish and translate into Italian) and 2) a Best of Rome city guide from Lonely Planet. According to the Publisher, the author of this book, Abigail Hole, “came to Rome for a month, and liked it so much she stayed.” I can certainly understand and appreciate why she did so. I’ll leave it to her words for how to describe Rome: “Its caputi mundi´- capital of the world – days may be over, but Rome is still the world’s greatest capital. It’s cityscape as theatre, filled with monumental spectacle. Here history thrusts through the walls of the present, but it’s not a heritage city pandering to the past: it’s chaotic, relaxed and frantic, filled to the brim with its stylish, traditional, anarchic, conformist, self-centered, charming and ebullient inhabitants.”

I began my “big” day by wandering over to the # 8 tram line. I couldn’t recall which direction, Ruth, my host-mom had mentioned to go towards the city center. As such, I looked for a friendly face and found an elderly woman with whom to try my Italian. I said, “Scusi, Largo Argentina?” She pointed the direction and I said, “Grazie mile” to which she responded “prego.” There, it couldn’t be so difficult, could it?

After about a 30 minute ride to downtown, I got off the tram and tried to locate where I was on the map I had borrowed from Ruth. It was hard not to gaze at the wondrous buildings, rich with thousands of years of history. There is no other city like Rome in all of Europe and arguably the world. I’ve only been in Rome for a little over a day, but I already feel like it is one if not the most favorite city of mine.

My first day of class was great. Not to brag, but I was one of the best students. However, other students were pretty sharp, despite the fact that it was a beginner’s course. My instructor is named Rossana and she is the typical Italian woman. She speaks loud with a “mama mia” tone and gestures as if she were mimicking Bruce Lee’s Kung Fu.

After class I wandered around the city, gazing at the sites and people watching. I was counting down the days until I got here. Now that I’m here I need to be productive and really get out and see the city and all of the things that make Rome, Rome.