Reflections

When I first applied to Reading Rome/Writing Rome, I was merely doing it because I wanted to travel, and because it seemed like something that I normally would not have done. However, over the course of the semester, I've become very interested in the eternal city. I entered Reading Rome without prior knowledge about Rome, besides from the very basic facts of its mythological foundation, as well as a few bits and pieces of the lives of various emperors. I was a little taken aback by how much of Ancient Rome we studied, and how in depth we went. I had expected more tales and accounts of travels to Rome, and more discussions of how these accounts differed, and what varied perspectives they offered on the eternal city.

In truth, we did do this towards the end, and I'm very glad that we did learn about the foundation of Rome.  It has given me another reason to desire to visit Rome, as I know want to see the structures that we learned about. Seeing these old ruins and monuments will have a lot more meaning, since I know the history behind them. Otherwise, I think I would have normally viewed them as almost any other tourist would: ruins that I was supposed to go to, and supposed to find cool and interesting, when, in fact, they would have probably held my attention for, at most, five minutes, before I would want to go look at something else. Learning the history and the events that have happened makes the fact that people have walked on that ground thousands of years ago, and built those wonderful things more real (versus a vague thought in the back of my mind.)

I also think that it will be interesting to compare the Rome that I created in my head from all the readings and pictures that we used in this course, with the real Rome. The other desire that I originally wrote about in my essay, (aside from my desire to travel) to see the art in Rome and to see how Rome itself inspires me is still one of my main reasons for wanting to go. In fact, I think it has intensified as I have learned more about Rome, and about the intricate monuments. I've become fascinated by the details that these possess, such as the thirty plant species depicted in the Trevi Fountain, and the various pieces that create the Arch of Constantine. (Alright, I'll admit it; the thirty plant species may have become a slight obsession with me.)

The accounts made by various travelers also helped to prepare me for the idea that Rome may well be very jarring at first, merely because it will be a different country with a different culture. I'm hoping that I will either not be affected by that, or will adjust quickly to being in a different place.