A few days before my birthday, I received the one of the best presents of my life-the news that I was going to study in Rome for the summer. By coincidence, a good friend of mine gave me a birthday card that not only made me laugh, but also stayed with me during my experience at the Classical Summer School of the American Academy in Rome. It goes like this:
“If I had a talking hamster, on his birthday I’d take the little guy to the carnival to see the Big Wheel. Upon seeing it, he’d be speechless, simply letting out little gasps of joy. (Inside) I hope your day is full of little gasps of joy.”
Upon my arrival in Rome, the parallels between the card and my trip manifested themselves. The first dinner at the American Academy, with its saffron cortile decorated with ancient inscriptions and a fountain that begs to be frolicked in, initiated us into a new world. The summit of the mountain overlooking the gorgeous Lake Nemi was breathtaking, especially after the long climb! The endurance of concrete at the Parco degli Acquedotti reminded us of the awe-inspiring contributions of the Roman engineers. We even got to visit Alexandria, Egypt–at the set of HBO’s Rome. After seeing so many ruins and so much bare opus reticulatum, seeing what the buildings might have looked like in color was unforgettable. This experience is especially poignant because a portion of the set burnt down a few weeks later. Wherever I went, I felt like that little hamster seeing the Big Wheel, gasping with joy and gratitude for the opportunity.
Rome is like a carnival, a feast for the senses. The city glows with rich colors and is a pastiche of time periods. Once you go into many of these places, you might discover that there are foundations of a temple in the basement! You are surrounded by the sound of the people and their laughter. The Eternal City hums with constant construction and the melodic and distinctive sirens. At times, the heat is oppressive but then there are brief breezes. When away from Rome, you notice the fragrance of wildflowers. In the city, the air smells of coffee, pizza, and the occasional, but inevitable dog turd. Thinking of the food at the Centro still makes my mouth water. Did I mention the gelato?
Professor Myles McDonnell, assisted by Lisa Mignione, were our carnival co-leaders. Their enthusiasm, expertise, and pure endurance helped us to navigate Rome throughout history, sequentially. This meant that a slew of statements like “pretend that wall isn’t there” or “think that building away for a second,” but our imaginations were up to the task. To round out the experience, guest scholars added their knowledge and spin. We climbed into Etruscan tombs with Professor Ily Nagy. To explain the sometimes risque choices of the tomb painters, she posited, “Perhaps that they thought it might be funny to put dirty pictures in grandma’s tomb.” Professor Joanne Spurza lead us on an extensive tour of Ostia. Her passion was evident as she was still going strong after 8 hours in the sun with only one stop at the “excellent snack bar.” I will be sure to include the city when I bring students.
Not every experience was pure euphoria. Our day at Cosa, a coastal town north of Rome was aptly named “Che Cosa?” (Italian for What?) because of a few navigational issues and an endless uphill climb. In the end the all-encompassing view of the blue green ocean made it worth it! The fashion designer Valentino invaded both the Ara Pacis and the Temple of Venus and Roma, leaving behind a slew of ballroom gowns and plastic columns to contend with. Sometimes the heat made a siesta reflex kick in at inconvenient times, but with each new site there was a rush of adrenaline. The group as a whole dealt with every situation with perspective and a great sense of humor and each person’s savvy and probing questions added just that more to each site visit. I’ll miss the camaraderie and plan to keep in touch-we’ve already planned our two year reunion in Vegas!
I’m
still processing the summer, and each time I look through my pictures,
a feeling of elation overwhelms me. I feel so privileged to have been
able to attend this program, and I’m eager to share it. How could the experience not influence my teaching? One
obvious point, but one that becomes evident through a real visit to the
Eternal City is the realization that rise of Roman civilization is
inseparable from the city itself. Whether
my students like it or not, the projector will be humming with frequent
pictures of sites that we visited replete with historical and humorous
anecdotes. This spring, I hope to take my budding hamsters to the carnival to see the Big Wheel. Doubtless, everyone will be letting out gasps of joy. Anyone who teaches Classics should apply for this program so that you can experience Rome for yourself.