Our final day included early morning yawns, the sound of wheeled luggage on cobblestones, goodbyes to our tour guide, and airport security lines. Linda, Jackie, and Summer took turns playing songs (classical and modern) on the piano inside Fiumicino Airport, drawing applause and smiles from many of those passing by. We all took advantage of opportunities to bring home small pieces of Italy, and some time to reflect on our trip.
Ceci: My favorite moment on the trip was watching and listening to Matteo explain the process of art restoration, because I’m very interested in old art and the methods we use to restore delicate paintings after many years. I also enjoyed reading and translating ancient texts as we sat in the same places they describe. Ashton: I LOVE Pompeii! I was fascinated by it when I was younger, and it was cool to see and walk around the same streets as the ancients. I was also really proud of myself when I could understand the Latin inscriptions we saw! Linda: My favorite moment on the trip was going to the church of St. Nicolas in Carcere, which consists of three buildings stacked atop one another. The last layer is an ancient Roman house. It was scary! Dark and damp and old! I also enjoyed reading an epitaph in Latin inside that church, as well as reading Ovid while sitting on the Circus Maximus. Jackie: My favorite moment on the trip was visiting the Sistine Chapel. It’s impressive to see paintings that I used to read about and see in books. I was also happy to be able to understand some Latin even though I don’t study it. John: My favorite moment on the trip was our visit to St. Peter’s Basilica because of its sheer mass and extravagance. I also enjoyed reading the stories in Latin which I hadn’t read, as well as seeing the paintings by Raphael. I did a project specifically on Raphael for my Western Civilization class, and now I’ve seen his work in person! Rory: My favorite moment on the trip was finding the Mithreum in Ostia (an underground, hidden site of a mysterious ancient cult). It’s interesting that we’re still uncertain about the ways in which the ancients worshipped certain figures. Visiting Rome allows you to experience Latin first-hand, as opposed to a textbook. Hannah: My favorite moment was when Mr. Sheppard chased away a seagull during our picnic on top of the Palatine Hill. He runs surprisingly fast. We also learned a lot about the cultural side of Latin, beyond pure grammar. Sam: My favorite moment on the trip was St. Peter’s Bascilia. Everything had an insane amount of detail, but it was detail coupled with quantity — a mix I haven’t seen before. I also learned a lot about common Latin expressions and idioms used on inscriptions. Summer: My favorite moment on the trip was learning about the history of everything we saw, so that I could understand it more thoroughly than a regular tourist. It’s more meaningful and also joyful when you see it in person. Each statue and painting has a story. Those who say Latin is useless are wrong! It’s everywhere! Zoë: My favorite moment on the trip was our visit to the Vatican (aside from the climb to the top of the dome!). All the churches we saw were beautiful and connected in a spiritual way. I also enjoyed using my knowledge of Latin to decipher words on buildings and in art. Madina: I really enjoyed seeing Roman nightlife when were walking around in the evenings. It was great to see authentic culture, fun and real, in action. Rome is a place beyond just “sights.” I also really enjoyed the readings (when we did them in the shade), despite not taking Latin.
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