Hui Li '21

November 9, 2019January 1, 2020

Keeping Up with the Capitoline (Museum)s

As I settle into the second half of the semester (how time flies!), I would say that my favorite part of studying abroad is getting to learn through direct experience. I love learning new things both in and outside of the classroom.

For my Race in the Ancient Mediterranean course this semester, I am learning about the ancient world through not only examining the histories of understudied people in the ancient Roman Empire, but also through seeing artifacts with my own eyes in Rome.

On our second trip of the semester, we went to the Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini in Italian) on top of the Capitoline Hill. The museums are the oldest in Rome, built in the 15th century during the Renaissance, when ancient Greek and Rome were the main themes of European culture and art. The first exhibits were made of bronze statues that the Pope offered to the city of Rome, and from here came the museums as they stand today.

I was in awe even before I got to the museum. Instead of heading to the classroom that Thursday morning, I took the Metro to the Colosseo stop and admired the huge monuments all around me. In addition to seeing the Colosseum outside the Metro stop, I caught a few glimpses of the Roman forum on my walk to the Capitoline Hill.

Aerial view of the Capitoline Hill, which is around the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.

I found Professor Bessi and my classmates on top of the hill (which was not too taxing for my legs; all the stairs at Holy Cross have prepared me well for my semester abroad). After getting into the museum for free thanks to the Musei in Comune (MIC) cards we got at the beginning of the semester, we walked into the courtyard.

We looked at a collection of stone slabs with images of women carved into them. Professor Bessi said that these were originally from a temple in the Campus Martis that was erected in the memory of the emperor Hadrian, who ruled the Roman Empire in the 2nd century C.E. The carvings came from the base of the temple and represent the different provinciae (plural of the Latin word provincia, from which he get our word “province”) around the empire.

Hadrian was known for being a Roman emperor who spent little time in Rome. He was fascinated by other cultures, especially Greek culture, and strove to integrate even the most remote provinces in the empire and instill a sense of common Roman identity among all the people. The temple honor him captures this aspect of his personality by featuring each of the provinces, represented by women (nouns have genders in Latin, and provincia is feminine) depicted in the Greek style.

Personifications of the Roman provinciae in the courtyard of the Capitoline Museums.

We headed indoors and stopped at the massive Palazzo di Conservatori. I was awestruck by the gorgeous paintings that lined the entire room from wall to wall. There was not a single part of the room that was not decorated with art.

The room, whose name means “the Conservator’s Palace” in Italian, was built in the 16th century. All the artwork in the room was inspired by the ancient Romans and features scenes from Roman history as told by the ancient historian Livy, who wrote about the origins and history of Rome in his Ab Urbe Condita Libri (Books from the Founding of the City) in the 1st century B.C.E.

Art. Art everywhere, in the Palazzo di Conservatori!

All around the room, I saw painting of the foundation stories of Rome. I felt like I was going back in time, back to the first time I saw Latin in middle school. One of the first stories I read in class was the myth of the twins Romulus and Remus and how they were raised by a she-wolf. Romulus, after whom Rome is named, is said to have founded the city in 753 B.C.E.

I learned more about the earliest days of Rome as I continued into more advanced levels of Latin in high school. Now, as a college student, I got to see all of what I learned in front of me!

The paintings continued into the next room, where we saw the famous bronze statue gifted by the Pope!

The art depicting the story of Rome continued into the next room, where we stopped to look at one of the bronze pieces gifted by the pope in the earliest days of the museum. The bust of Lucius Junius Brutus, the leader of an aristocratic revolt that drove out the last king of Rome, represents a major shift in Roman history: the shift from monarchy to republic in 509 B.C.E. The bronze portrait of him, however, is certainly not from the 6th century B.C.E. It was much more likely made centuries after in a retelling of the tale.

Another wave of nostalgia hit me as we walked into the next room and stopped at a piece that my teenage self would have recognized from her books. I got to see the famous Lupa Capitolina (Capitoline Wolf) with my own eyes! The detail on the piece is remarkable: such a sharp contrast between the roughness of the she-wolf’s fur and Romulus’ and Remus’ skin!

These were things I didn’t notice when I first saw a picture of the Capitoline Wolf in my seventh-grade Latin textbook. Eight years later, I am going on a field trip to the Capitoline Museums, where I can see the sculpture in person!

The iconic Capitoline Wolf! The story of Romulus and Remus being raised by a she-wolf has lingered for millenia and shines in this middle age (!) piece.

It is amazing to see that story of Romulus and Remus and the she-wolf has lingered for so long after 753 B.C.E. What amazed me more was the story about this piece that Professor Bessi told us at the museum. It turns out that the Lupa Captiolina did not always look the way it does today. In fact, it was really only the wolf! The twins were not added until the 16th century C.E.!

It was thought that the wolf was an ancient piece while the smaller sculptures of Romulus and Remus were Renaissance additions. There was a conference years ago at which chemical analyses on the base of the piece revealed that the she-wolf was sculpted in the middle ages!

In the next room, we saw a piece that was actually ancient: a Greek krater (a vessel for mixing wine) dating back to the 7th century B.C.E. The Aristonothos krater, as it is called because of the potter’s signature visible in the ancient Greek inscription, depicts a scene from Homer’s Odyssey, an ancient Greek epic about Odysseus’ journey home after the Trojan War. I had read about Odysseus outwitting a giant one-eyed cyclops when I read the Odyssey in class, but seeing the scene on a vase in front of me was a different experience in itself!

This krater (an ancient Greek vase designed for mixing wine) dates back to the 7th century B.C.E., when Etruscans were the dominant power in the area.

The vase was uncovered at a site where the ancient Etruscans used to live. The Etruscans were a dominant force in central and northern Italy before 753 B.C.E., and they engaged in a lot of trade with the ancient Greeks. Greek pottery was in high demand for the ancient Etruscans, and through the acquirement of physical goods came the spread of Greek language, culture, and religion.

The inscription and imagery on the Aristonothos krater captures this perfectly. And it shows that ancient people had a wicked sense of humor – the cyclops met his downfall because he drank his wine unmixed, and now he is on a vessel designed for mixing wine!

We headed toward the recently-renovated part of the museum, where the original bronze statue of the emperor Marcus Aurelius is on display. There is a replica of this piece at the top of the Capitoline Hill, just outside the museum.

Professor Bessi mentioned that when the statue was uncovered in the Middle Ages, people thought it was a sculpture of the emperor Constantine, who ruled the Roman Empire over a century after Marcus Aurelius did. The funniest part about this room is the fact there is actually a statue of the real Constantine across from the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius and the marble sculpture of the lion and the horse!

Ancient pieces (including the original bronze statue of the 1st Century emperor Marcus Aurelius) in a modern renovation of the museum!

The newly-renovated part of the museum also houses some ancient ruins found in the area. There are pieces of an ancient temple dedicated to the Capitoline Triad – the gods and goddesses Jupiter (or Jove), Juno, and Minerva. It was interesting to catch a glimpse of the excavation process in the middle of a modern renovation of the Capitoline Museums. There is even a wall of the Capitolium Jovis (a temple for Jupiter; there was one of these at every Roman colony) standing inside with a smaller-scale replica beside it!

Ruins preserved in the museum! A firsthand look at the excavation progress.

A reconstruction of the temple wall next to the actual wall!

After our walk through the remnants of the temple, we visited the Horti Maecenatiani, or the Maecenean Gardens. Maeceneas was a friend of the emperor Augustus in the first centuries B.C.E. and C.E. and was known for his wealth and love of art. He was also involved with the ministry of culture and displayed lots of Greek sculptures in his gardens on the Esquiline Hill. A lot of the statues are Roman copies of Greek originals, but some of the pieces are made of real Pentelic marble, which comes from an area north of Athens.

Artifacts from the Horti Maecenatiani! Maecenas was famous in the 1st century B.C.E. His wealth is clear from the ancient sculptures he had in his gardens!

One of the most memorable statues for me was a sculpture of the mythological satyr Marsyas, who made the grave mistake of boasting that his music was greater than that of Apollo, the god of music. As his punishment, he was skinned alive. I found the contrast between the pale marble of his skin and the sheer redness of his raw flesh very striking. It really gets the message across: don’t be a braggart!

One of the sculptures from Maecenas’ gardens. Marsyas, a satyr from ancient Greek mythology, was skinned for his hubris against Apollo. Remind me to never get too full of myself – let’s not invoke the wrath of the blog gods!

In addition to the wealth of statues in Maecenas’ gardens, there is also a large collection of jewelry in the museum. The golden pieces and their sparkling gemstones were in such good condition that I thought they were modern accessories in the fashion district of modern Rome! You can hardly tell that they’re from the first century C.E. And it wasn’t only people who wore these: the ancient Romans used jewelry to decorate pillars as well!

One can imagine that the jewelry was not necessarily meant to be worn by humans – they make great decorations for pillars! And for paintings depicting fashionable pillars as well.

We walked through the basement of the museum and looked at some gravestones. The inscriptions were still legible on most of them, and I had a lot of fun practicing my ancient Greek and Latin! According to Professor Bessi, Greek was the universal written language of all the ethicities in ancient Rome. We spent a longer time looking at the gravestone of a Jewish woman who had the majority of her funerary inscriptions in Greek but the last part of it in Hebrew. Amazing to see cultures overlap!

Walking past grave monuments in the basement of the museum.

We were in for quite a treat when we got to see the Roman Forum from a good vantage point in the museum! I loved seeing all of the space outside the museum from one spot! It was my first time seeing the Forum, and it was a wonderful experience to process the breathtaking view!

What a view of the Roman Forum! Imagine how busy this place would have been millenia ago!

Our last stop was at another famous piece in the Capitoline Museums: the Dying Gaul. The ancient Gauls were a Celtic people who lived north of Italy in the alps and to the west where France is today. Julius Caesar waged war against several Gallic tribes and recorded his battles in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentaries Regarding the Gallic Wars) in the 1st century B.C.E. I read part of Caesar’s work in high school. I was excited to see the artwork in person!

For a decade, the Gauls were his enemies, yet he chose to respect them by featuring a piece depicting them gracefully in defeat. The Dying Gaul is a Roman copy of a Greek original thought to have been commissioned by the King of Pergamum, an area to the east, centuries before Caesar was born. The man in the sculpture is identifiable as a Gaul by his hairstyle and jewelry around his neck. He is about to collapse, but keeps most of his composure despite the pain of defeat.

It fascinates me how of all the ways Caesar could have represented his fallen enemies, he chose to display this piece in his private estate. No caricature of the Gauls or humiliating trophies in this statue! Talk about sportmanship!

The famous statue of a Gallic soldier, found in Julius Caesar’s estate.

I left the museum very pleased with what I saw. For years, I have been studying the historic and cultural contexts of the ancient world, but have very rarely seen them outside of paragraphs of text. Seeing all the artwork in three dimensions and with my own eyes – now, that’s what I call an enriching experience! I cannot imagine another place that can offer such a fulfilling expansion of my knowledge in this way as the Capitoline Museums.

October 28, 2019November 4, 2019

Lessons at Piazza Vittorio

I have never taken a political science class before, so I didn’t know what to expect when I enrolled in Immigration, Race, and Identity in Contemporary Italy. The topics and discussions in the class really challenge me to consider perspectives and ask questions I wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.

I’m always excited to learn new things from Professor Rinelli and from my peers in the classroom. For the session before our midterm exam, however, I was in for a bigger treat: a field trip to Piazza Vittorio in the middle of the city!

One of the readings we did for the class focused on the experiences of people who migrated to Rome, both from within and outside of Italy. We read a book titled Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio. The book is a murder-mystery organized into testimonies from different characters, with each one coming from a different place and having a different story to tell. We examined the characters’ histories and prejudices and analyzed them in the context of broader questions such as why people migrate (and what separates different types of migrants – immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers – from each other), what stereotypes develop about certain groups, and what kinds of challenges do migrants face in Rome today.

Before our trip to Piazza Vittorio, we read and discussed the themes of Amara Lakhous’ Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio.

Our guide worked for Migrantour, a non-government organization (NGO) that strives to raise awareness about the cultural diversity of Europe by organizing tours of multicultural cities. She introduced herself as an Albanian immigrant who lived in Rome for 16 years. I was excited to learn from a migrant in Rome, especially when discussing migration and diversity!

The tour focused on the Esquilino Square, which is the most culturally-diverse area in the center of Rome. Unlike the districts filled with the remnants of ancient times, the was developed as a way to modernize the city after Rome became the capital of Italy in 1871. Italy was not a unified country since the end of the Roman empire until the mid-19th century, when Vittorio Emanuele II, the king of Sardinia, became king of all of Italy. The area called Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (near the Vittorio Emanuele Metro station, right after the Termini stop), called Piazza Vittorio for short, is named after him.

We left our meeting-point at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in downtown Rome and walked a few minutes past Termini station. Roma Termini is the largest station in Rome and is the major center for buses, the Roma metro, trains, and rides to the airport. I’ve been there multiple times to transfer to the Metro B or to catch trains to places outside of Rome, but I have never learned about the history in much detail until our class trip that mid-October morning.

Roma Termini, the most important station in the city! Buses, trains, and airport express lines all meet here.

We stopped at a place near the station, which Professor Rinelli described as a crucial location for migrants, since it was at the center of the city and held its main point of transportation and movement. It was a center for migrants that offers several different services for people who migrated to Rome from different places. Not only is this place a school where migrants can learn Italian (similar to the place my parents and sister took ESL (English as a second language) when they first moved to the United States), it is also a place where migrants can find legal advice for their status as immigrants or asylum-seekers and obtain medical assistance, a crucial service for the survival of vulnerable people.

It appears to be run-down, but this is only because it is very difficult to run a center like this one. The organization is not funded by the government or the church – in Rome, when it comes to helping human beings, a lot of things need to go through the Vatican. Furthermore, it is especially difficult for migrant women, especially Muslim women, to integrate into Italian society. Professor Rinelli added that this is an issue of marginalization because of religion and gender.

A glimpse of the migrant center nearTermini.

Around the migrant center were murals by a street artist named Sgarbi. To the right of the building, painted on the corner, was a portrait of Alberto Manzi. He was a teacher who taught Italian to one million people through television in the 1960’s. To the left was a larger painting of Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine Comedy, which includes Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso (the first of which is what we call “Dante’s Inferno“) and widely considered the father of Italian language and culture. That is the reason why Dante is facing an African woman: the mural is a message and commentary on the multicultural society gravitating around the center.

Sgarbi’s work around the migrant center is one of the most moving things I’ve seen in Rome. I’ve always known I was an immigrant: I noticed that my family and I looked different from most people in Boston since I was in elementary school, and when I was a little older, I learned about my family’s journey to the United States. However, it wasn’t until I started taking this class that I learned what it means to be a migrant.

Sgarbi’s portrait of Alfredo Manzi, an Italian teacher who taught millions of “students” through TV.

From a young age, I’ve understood how important it is to learn the lingua franca of a place. I was luckier than the rest of my family because I never needed to learn English as a second language: I grew up in Boston and learned English at the same time as the other children. I do not speak with the same accent as my parents or my sister and did not have the same struggles with reading and writing as they did. I remember being around my parents when they got phone calls in English and sometimes explaining what the person on the other end of the line was saying. I remember speaking on the phone in English myself when my parents got too confused to understand what the other person was saying.

Seeing the picture of Manzi and learning about who he was and what he did for a million people really touched me. The fact that he was able to teach so many people the valuable skill of communicating with, understanding, and creating bonds with others through television is amazing. Learning about the meaning of the mural also brought me back to my childhood. My mother told me that when I was little, she and I would watch children’s programs on TV. Most of my family’s exposure to English at home came from the television back then, and I grew up watching the same shows as my classmates did. We got better at English through watching TV, and I think I learned a lot of my English from the kids’ shows that focused on vocabulary and grammar. I could relate to the people who learned Italian through watching Manzi on TV in the 60’s.

Another one of Sgarbi’s works: Dante (who wrote Inferno) face-to-face with an African woman. A very important piece around Termini!

Professor Rinelli mentioned that adding the image of the African woman facing Dante on a wall around Termini was also a strong statement in favor for integrating migrants in Rome. I thought about his point about how migrant women in particular struggle to integrate more than migrant men do. I felt sorry for migrant women in Rome after hearing that – I am a migrant woman myself – and found solace in seeing the woman in the mural juxtaposed with the one and only Dante. The deeper meaning of Sgarbi’s piece gave me hope that integration is happening right here and now, and made me fully realize that this progress is unfolding right in front of us thanks to the power of these artistic representations.

We concluded our time outside the migrant center learning about the general time periods of migration in this part of Rome. The first major wave of immigration from places outside of Italy happened in the 1970’s. Italy was first a nation of emigration, but we also learned that in the late 19^th-century, after the unification of Italy, Piazza Vittorio has always been a melting pot of cultures and languages from the workers who built the area after they moved here with hopes for better lives. It wasn’t until decades later when more people started moving into Italy from other countries.

We learned about emigration out of Italy in the late-19th and early-20th centuries through this film.

The first groups of immigrants were from North Africa, in particular Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia, countries that Italy once colonized and were part of the Fascist Empire during World War II. There were also people moving to this block in Rome from southern Italy. This part of the city was fairly empty at the time because of an economic crisis, and the new immigrants opened small shops in the properties, which were later purchased by Chinese immigrants.

We headed further downtown toward the Mercato Esquilino. In 1991, it was an open market that was a setting for The Bicycle Thieves, one of the most famous neo-realistic Italian films that was also hit in international cinemas. The Mercato was then moved into a new closed space in 2001. It is the largest and the most important market in Rome, with roughly 150 shops, most of which are food and grocery stands.

On our way, we stopped by a garden that was once part of the department of Asian languages at the Sapienza University of Rome, a few minutes north of Esquilino. There, I was surprised to see a statue of Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, of all people! Professor Rinelli described the piece as something “unique” to Rome and in Italy overall. He said that the art in Italy is mostly euro-centric and that there are almost no references to other religions or cultures, so a piece of Asian art on display in a public space is rare to see. I’m glad I got to see it on this field trip!

A statue of Confucius! Professor Rinelli told me that this is unique in Italy, which is usually euro-centric in its artistic displays. This used to be the department of Asian languages at Sapienza University.

We made our way to the market and entered to see a bustling area inside. There were too many shops to count, and I saw people selling things from different types of clothing, accessories, food, household essentials…you name it!

We walked through the first part of the market and headed outside to the newer part of the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino. We learned about an initiative to give unsold goods to marginalized people in the area. So far, the market has donated a lot of food. I was happy to hear that everything is going to good use, even if unsold. It feels nice to know that people are helping those less fortunate than they are in this way.

We turned around and saw another one of Sgarbi’s pieces: a mural of a woman and a child reaching toward a scene of different fish in the ocean. On the top left were the words “Diversita Elemento Di Vita,” which means “Diversity is the element of life.” A powerful message that added to his other works around Termini!

More art from Sgarbi with a powerful message: “Diversita Elemento Di Vita” means “Diversity is the element of life.”

Heading into the newer part of the market!

The new part of the market was even busier than the first part. I saw a lot of fresh grocery stands selling produce, meat, fish, spices, and condiments. I walked past a display of bok choy and Chinese eggplants and got hungry. These are things my family and I always buy at Asian supermarkets back home. The stand made me think of my mother and her cooking. I could almost imagine smelling fresh eggplants cooking in our wok with some soy sauce and garlic. I think I’ll call Mom and ask for her recipes so I can make use of the nostalgic vegetables I saw on this trip.

On our walk through the market, I heard some of the people greet me with not “Hello” or “Hi,” but with the standard Chinese “Ni hao!”

Fresh produce in the market! I’ll buy some bok choy and Chinese eggplants here one day. The soy sauce looks good, too! Man, I miss my mom’s cooking!

Professor Rinelli told me that a lot of the people working in the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino were migrants or descended from migrants, and that they know “how to treat a Chinese.” I asked him if people in Rome saw me as American or Chinese, and he said that if I don’t speak, I am Chinese. I am 100% Chinese by blood, so it makes sense. Wait until they hear me speak Italian with an American accent!

Our last part of our adventure in the market was a short talk with one of Professor Rinelli’s friends, Omar. His family has run several butcher shops in the area for 39 years. He surprised me by speaking to me in Chinese. It turns out that he is a polyglot, speaking Spanish, French, Tagalog, Romanian, Chinese, and English! We also met his father, who told us about the importance of selling halal meat in Rome. Butchers like Omar and his father provide a valuable service to the Muslim community in the city.

Islam is not the only Abrahamic religion that is part of Italian society. There is a long history of Judaism in Rome, with services that offer kosher food is important in the city. Islam’s entrance into Italian society is fairly recent compared to the centuries of Jewish history in Rome. Learning about the cultural history at the butcher stand was a unique experience. I found Omar’s father’s explanation of how to prepare halal meat fascinating – I really learned a lot from him! Right behind us was a Chinese butcher stand that also prepares halal meat. I was amazed by this additional layer of cultural diversity in the market! It makes me happy to see people from different cultures cater to each other.

A Chinese butcher stand in the Market. The characters on the left say “Wenzhou Fresh Meat.” The owners were nice enough to let me photograph them. It feels nice to use some Chinese in Rome!

We said goodbye to Omar and his father and headed outside. We said another goodbye to our Migrantour guide and met in a square for a little bit to discuss the last part of the book. After a discussion on how the author captures the experiences of migrant women, I learned more about the history of the place.

The Esquilino square is, as Professor Rinelli said, “what you might call a melting pot in the United States” with people speaking different languages. In a way, he added, it was like a Babylon. In the 1990’s, the market was spread all around the square. I can only imagine what that must have been like, a square surrounded by markets stocked with international goods! Luckily, I can visit the old Esquilino through The Bicycle Thieves, the movie Professor Rinelli mentioned earlier. I can’t wait to watch such a famous film!

Finally, we learned about the architecture in this area and how it reflects the multi-layered soul of the ancient city. The psychology major in me was excited to recall that Professor Rinelli mentioned Sigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams and likened it to Rome: he wrote, “Dreams stand to childhood memories, in the same relations as some baroque places in Rome to the ancient ruins, whose slabs and columns have provided the material for the construction of modern forms.”

I found it hard not to laugh when Professor Rinelli said that the architecture around us “makes no sense in Rome.” He himself is a Roman, and many parts of Rome do not look completely Roman. There was structural influence from northern Italy and from models categorized as the “Parisian style.” There is also a lack of balconies, which I hadn’t noticed until then. Fascinating how much you notice after learning about it firsthand!

This trip captures my favorite parts of studying abroad. Not only do I get to take classes on topics I had never tried to learn before, but I can also get am immersive approach through experiencing the topics in the real city. I’ll admit that Immigration, Race, and Identity in Contemporary Italy is one of the hardest classes I’ve ever taken, but it is a very fun challenge I am eager to take on. I look forward to learning more about the world around me through further adventures in Rome.

October 17, 2019November 23, 2019

A Weekend in Florence

And so ends another week at Temple Rome! Midterms are done! The semester is flying by quickly.

Looking back on my experience so far, I would say that one of the best parts of studying abroad is the fact that I can walk around Rome, but also experience other cities in Italy as well. Two weeks ago, I took up a classmate’s offer of spending a weekend in Florence with her and some of her friends. I bought my train ticket, packed my bags, went to Termini, and headed north.

Florence, called Firenze in Italian, is a city in Tuscany, which is a province in central Italy. It is almost two hours north of Rome and has an area of over 100 square kilometers (40 square miles; Rome is an area of almost 500 square miles) and has been around since the time of the ancient Romans.

Firenze is known as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance (15-17th centuries C.E.) and was home to the wealthy Medicis, a family who held power in northern Italy. One of the Medicis commissioned works from artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michaelangelo.

My train ride from Roma Termini to Firenze S.M.N.

Buongiorno, Firenze! Quite a first impression you made there!

I was in awe when I exited the train station on Friday morning. Everything I saw was like looking at a painting. Such grand architecture and brilliant colors complementing the beautiful Florentine sky!

Caught a glimpse of a merry-go-round in downtown Florence.

My classmates and I stopped at a local restaurant, where I tried a maiolona pizza. I thought I liked meat-lover’s pizza in Boston, but let me tell you, when it comes to pizza, the original really is better!

I managed to finish the whole thing in one sitting and decided to sleep it off at the place we were staying afterward. After I woke up, we went to see the Arno river to see the Ponte Vecchio, which is Italian for “old bridge.”

And this is no misnomer: it really is an old bridge, dating back to medieval times! Hard to imagine that it was the only bridge not destroyed during WWII. It is currently a major center for jewelry shops in Florence.

What a view of the moon over the Arno river!

The Ponte Vecchio is not only one of the oldest bridges in Italy, it is also a hotspot for jewerly shops.

For dinner on Friday night, my classmates and I tried some Tuscan cuisine: charcuterie! I tried a lot of different breads and cured meats. I never had charcuterie in the United States, so it was good to try it in Florence!

Enjoyed some Tuscan cuisine with a Florentine charcuterie board! From left to right: bread with olives, slices of mortadella, bread with tomato-chili paste, some olives, slices of prosciutto, some sheep’s cheese, pieces of spicy salami, and some roasted vegetables.

The next day, I took another train north, this time to the city of Ferrara. We had a guest speaker one day in Immigration, Race, and Identity in Contemporary Italy, one of the classes I am taking a Temple Rome this semester. Sara Prestianni is a photographer and advocative for migrant rights. She focuses the effects of migration policies in north Africa. I was fascinated by her talk and heard that she and her colleagues would be presenting at an International Festival at Ferrara on Saturday afternoon.

Went further north to Ferrara on Saturday afternoon.

I knew I was going to be in Florence for the weekend, and it was only an hour away via train, so what was there to lose? Unfortunately, by the time I got to the venue, I asked one of the festival staff about the event and she said that the place was full and could not fit any more people.

At least I got a cool-looking program about the Internazionale a Ferrara! I hope I can read it in its full Italian one day.

Heard about the Internazionale a Ferrara in class – it was so popular that the venues were past capacity!

I wasn’t going to let my efforts to get from Florence to Ferrara go to waste, so I walked around the city for an hour. I was happy that I got to see a new place on a sunny day. The famous Castello Estense, which is a medieval fortress surrounded by a moat in the center of the city, was so beautiful in the sunlight!

At least the sun was shining on the major sights of Ferrara, especially the Castello Estense!

Got to walk around and take in all the architecture and art!

I bought some postcards at a local gift shop. I love collecting postcards everywhere I go; they make great decorations for my bedroom wall! I brought the postcards from Ferrara to class along with the Internazionale a Ferrara 2019 program to class after I went back to Rome. I showed all my souvenirs from Ferrara to Professor Rinelli, who teaches Immigration, Race, and Immigration in Modern Italy. He said that it was unfortunate that I couldn’t see the festival, but he looked amused when I showed him my postcards from the city.

I walked back to the Ferrara train station and went back to Florence. I met my classmates for dinner at another restaurant. There, I tried a maialino – pasta with pork sauce. Two for two with the good food, Firenze!

Tried a maialino – pasta with pork sauce – for dinner back in Florence.

On my last day in Florence, I decided to do a bit of shopping. Florentine leather is known for its high quality and high demand in the global market. There are leather good everywhere, sold both in the vast outdoor markets around the city and in smaller indoor shops along the sidewalks.

San Lorenzo Market – bustling and full of leather, as always!

I strolled through the San Lorenzo market, a major outdoor shopping space in Florence. I got curious about the large building in the middle of the market, so I went inside and was surprised to find in the bustling Mercato Centrale (pronounced mur-cah-toe chen-trahl-le) of Firenze!

Entering the Mercato Centrale of Florence! What a crowd.

I was fascinated by all the food stands. It reminded me a little of the food court at my local mall, only each shop had its own unique history of being founded and run by artisan chefs. I stopped by a fried food station, where I grew curious about one of the items they had on their menu: fried rabbit.

I got curious about the fried food stand in the Mercato Centrale. They sold fried rabbit! Bought some just to try it out (and got some fried chicken and vegetables to go with it as well).

I spent €10 on a special combination of fried foods: fried chicken on the bottom with some fried rabbit on top, sprinkled with bits of fried vegetables and a few lemon slices. (Don’t worry, Mom: I’m eating my vegetables!) To this day, I’m impressed that I didn’t get any of the batter crumbs on me as I ate it while sitting on a bench near the market entrance.

This was my first time trying rabbit. I’ve had boar and venison in Titignano last month, but fried rabbit was really quite something! I could tell it was rabbit because it was the meat that didn’t taste like chicken; trust me, I know what chicken tastes like. It had a mild flavor but a strong aftertaste.

After my spontaneous lunch in the Mercato Centrale, I resumed my stroll through the shops at San Lorenzo market. I stopped at a few outdoor stands to buy some gifts for friends and family in the States (get ready for some real Florentine leather from Hui!) and to buy some new accessories. I think the felt hat and silk scarf fit me quite well after I take off my ponytail!

Got a new hat and a scarf! I think Florentine fashion fits me. I’m sure the gifts I bought for my friends and family will look good on them, too! Can’t beat Florentine leather.

I decided to spend my last hour in Florence seeing the Arno one last time. As I headed toward the Ponte Vecchio, I noticed something I had missed on my first visit on Friday evening. There was a statue of a pig that I looked up on my phone a bit later. It is a bronze statue called Il Porcellino (Italian for “The Piglet”). I saw people placing coins in its mouth and rubbing its nose. Turns out this is a tradition in Florence, and feeding the Porcellino some coins before touching its snout is supposed to bring good luck!

Il Porcellino (“The Piglet”) in the middle of Florence. I saw people putting coins in the boar’s mouth. I read that rubbing its nose brings good luck. No wonder why the bronze looks a bit different on its porcine snout!

The river looks absolutely stunning in the afternoon sun! I’m glad I decided to revisit the bridge and enjoy the view at a different time of day. Time seemed to stand still by the Arno that afternoon, and I could have sworn I was there for hours until my phone screen lit up with a reminder that I had agreed to meet my classmates to pick up our luggage at the hotel half an hour before catching our train back to Rome.

It was a wonderful weekend in Florence. Such a rich culture and history in a small city! Very different from Rome in its atmosphere and scenery. I’m happy I got to experience it firsthand. I bought some things for myself as souvenirs. I think of Florence every time I wear my leather jacket. It is the first leather product I’ve ever owned, and the shopkeeper said that it will last a lifetime. Just like the memories of this weekend in Florence.

One last view of the Arno River. Arrivederci, Firenze!

Sporting my new Florentine leather jacket (and haircut) back in Rome! Nice to get a fresh look abroad.

October 17, 2019December 11, 2019

A Discussion on Race in Italy

I’ve enjoyed attending guest lectures since I was a first-year at Holy Cross. I love not only learning about our visitors and the work they do, but also listening to the community discussions and engaging in the Q&A sessions afterward. I was excited to hear that we were getting a visitor on campus for a discussion on an important topic: race in Italy.

I signed up to attend the event right away. I knew from the start that this discussion would enrich my experience and goals at Temple Rome. I am taking two classes relating to race in Italy this semester. These were the courses I wanted to take since the moment I saw them on Temple Rome’s website last semester. One is a political science course called “Immigration, Race, and Identity in Contemporary Italy.” The other is a Classics course called “Race in the Ancient Mediterranean.”

I was thrilled to secure seats in both of the classes and was excited to compare and contrast the role of race and identity in Italy from both ancient and modern perspectives. I knew my family’s story of moving to the United States from a different country. I know how my race and identity have shaped my experience as a minority from an immigrant family. And now I have the chance to learn someone else’s story through a discussion on race in Italy.

Our guest was Susanna Twumwah, a local activist who will be graduating soon with a degree in International Relations and Development. She is part of the association QuestaèRoma (Italian for “This is Rome”), which addresses racism and discrimination through activities involving art, sports, and cultural heritage. QuestaèRoma also advocates for a more inclusive definition of Italian citizenship. Susanna hosts workshops for communities who arrived as part of a diaspora into not only Rome and other places in Italy, but also in different places abroad as well.

Benedicta Djumpah, who works as a student life assistant at Temple University Rome, is an activist as well and hosted the discussion alongside Susanna. I see Benedicta a lot on campus and enjoy talking to her in my free time. We have conversations about growing up as minorities in our communities and how we empower ourselves to find our own paths and adapt to the world around us. I am grateful to Benedicta for her orientation speech on how the Italian concept and perspective on race are different from how American students see race and racial issues in the United States. The information in her presentation was useful and helped me adjust to living in Rome.

Benedicta (left) hosted a discussion with Susanna Twumwah (right) on Race in Italy. Photo by Jesse Gardner, Temple University ’21, taken and used with permission from the Temple University Rome Facebook page.

Both Benedicta and Susanna are of Ghanaian descent and are part of the Afro-Italian community. Benedicta spoke about how she became “aware of her blackness” at age 6. She was proud of her Ghanaian heritage and learned her parents’ languages and ancestral culture when she went to Ghana at age 10. In her teens, Benedicta felt more proud of and identified as Italian more than she did Ghanaian. It was only a few years ago that she understood herself as an Afro-Italian.

Susanna had a similar story about the “moment of realization” regarding her identity. When she was a child, her classmates asked her, “Are you Italian?” She had an Italian passport and said that she “felt Italian.” She didn’t like using her Ghanaian surname and was afraid to speak English and Twi (one of many local government-sponsored languages in Ghana); she wanted to be “100% Italian.” Currently, she speaks about herself through both an African and Italian view.

Benedicta asked Susanna about her thoughts on the concept of race in Italy. Susanna responded with an explanation how the Italian lacks the vocabulary on the topic. The word “race” is more commonly used in the United States than it is in Italy, where the equivalent razza is rarely used. When the concept of “race” is used in Italian, it refers to “whether a person is white or black.”

In “Race in the Ancient Mediterranean,” I learned that the word “race” is unlike many of the words in the English language. Professor Bessi, a Classical archaeologist who is teaches the course, said that it does not have roots in ancient Greek or Latin. Instead, it comes from “raca,” a word from an early French dialect dating to the 12th or 13th century C.E. “Raca” (and later “raza” in an early Italian dialect) referred to horse breeding and was extended to humans during conquests from the 16th-17th centuries. It took me some time to process this when I learned this story.

One of the questions Susanna hears a lot is, “How do you want me to call you? Person of color, black, or African?” I was surprised that the term “person of color,” which is what I would be considered in the United States, would not apply to me in Italy. As a response to the question, Susanna replied that she would prefer to be called by her name: Susanna.

I learned a lot from this discussion. Photo by Jesse Gardner, Temple University ’21, taken and used with permission from the Temple University Rome Facebook page.

Susanna then spoke about her physical appearance in relation to her identity. She cut her hair one year ago; she used to wear wigs before then. She wore what she called a “natural hairstyle” four years ago as well. She described how people approached her differently after she adopted her new hairstyle, and she found the experience empowering. She felt comfortable in her own hair and gave us some sound advice: finding your identity takes time. It took years for her to embrace herself in this way.

Benedicta and Susanna also spoke about stereotypes of Africans in Italy. There is a misconception that Afro-Italians are “all the same,” even though individuals and families in the Afro-Italian community come from different backgrounds, identifying themselves as different ethnicities, tracing their ancestry to different countries of origin, and speaking different languages. There is also an assumption that people of color in Italy don’t speak Italian; I almost laughed when I heard this, because I’m sure that Benedicta and Susanna can speak Italian, given what they do.

Both Benedicta and Susanna added stories about their experiences embracing their families’ languages, homeland, and cultures. They stated the importance of knowing where they are from and to learn the culture and history, even if much of it has been lost through imperialism. (Ghana was one of the places colonized during the European “Scramble for Africa” in the late 19th century.) One needs the language to understand the culture, so both Benedicta and Susanna learned the local languages in Ghana.

A map showing were Italy and Ghana are on the Eastern Hemisphere. Ghana is in Western Africa.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, European powers colonized most of Africa. The area labeled “Gold Coast” is where Ghana is today.

I was intrigued by the stories about learning local culture in Ghana. It vaguely reminded me of how my family and I used to visit relatives in China, where no one spoke English. I learned to use Mandarin Chinese from a young age and learned about my ancestral culture firsthand from my parents and from local people in China. I also remember learning about my heritage through museums in both my hometown of Boston and in my parents’ homelands in China. My mother tells me about the historic and cultural contexts of the Chinese artifacts we see in exhibits.

I asked Susanna about learning about her heritage through visiting not only Ghana as a whole country, but also through seeing smaller parts of her ancestral culture such as through Ghanaian exhibitions in museums. I was especially curious in how she perceives the presentation of Ghanaian artifacts in Italian or Ghanaian museums. She said that she liked the Ghanaian museums better. There is a clear difference in how much one culture would understand another one compared to a culture representing itself on its own soil.

I also asked a question about the earliest Afro-Italians. I remembered how Professor Rinelli, who teaches me in “Immigration, Race, and Identity in Contemporary Italy,” described Italy as a country of mass emigration before it became a country of mass immigration. He stated that there were more Italians leaving than there were people from other countries moving into Italy until the latter half of the 20th century, when larger waves of immigrations occured. I wanted to learn about the history of Africans in Italy and how the term “Afro-Italian,” vague as it is, came to be used as a prominent description in the modern day.

Susanna helped me understand that the term “Afro-Italian” is a fairly recent one and is difficult to apply to a more historical context. The closest people who we can all the earliest Afro-Italians were in Italy since the late 18th century. These “Afro-Italians” were born and grew up in Italy. In the community today, there is a difference between first-generation immigrants and their children, who are referred to as the “New Generation.” Those part of the New Generation have a large responsibility for the contributing to the terminology on the topic.

Glad I could relate to Susanna’s story about being from a different culture and ask her questions about embracing her heritage. Photo by Jesse Gardner, Temple University ’21, taken and used with permission from the Temple University Rome Facebook page.

Some of the other students asked about the social-political challenges the Afro-Italian community faces today. I have a lot of respect for my peers – they were not only listening to Susanna’s story, but also considering the more current and widespread implications of the situation. One of the other students asked about the political scene more specifically. Susanna’s answer was what I think one of the most important take-aways from the discussion.

Not only is it difficult to have a national conversation and discussion about race in Italy because of the lack of terminology (the Accademia della Crusca, a key institution that focuses on the Italian language, isn’t listening to Afro-Italian communities on the topic), but also because movements of anti-racist sentiment in Italy are not unified and not strong compared to the more racist beliefs of the larger political parties in the country. Furthermore, there is a lack of representation of Afro-Italians in the media. When there are people from the Afro-Italian community in TV programs, they are usually based on stereotypes. Susanna said that some people “think there aren’t black Italians” or harbor misconceptions about the community because of this.

This event was a fascinating and eye-opening experience for me. Even though Benedicta and Susanna have a different cultural background than I do, I could relate to their stories. I could relate to hearing myself described in generalized terms (in particular “Asian-American”) while I identify as a Chinese-American and to growing up in an environment where people used to ask me, “Are you American?” I was also self-conscious of my foreign name (both “Hui” and “Li” are Chinese) and what I “want[ed] people to call” me. I could also relate to how I rarely saw people like me on TV and didn’t feel represented in the media.

I stayed after the end of the discussion and thanked Susanna for coming. I learned a lot from her talk and said that even though I could not identify as a “person of color” in Italy, I understood and could relate to her experiences. I went home feeling empowered and not alone in my experiences as a woman of color in the United States.

The discussion “Race in Italy” took place on the evening of Tuesday, October 1. Photos from the event were posted on Temple University Rome’s Facebook page on Saturday, October 12.

September 27, 2019September 28, 2019

A Day in Pompeii

I am pleased to share that after my unexpected delay and improvised adventure (hence my previous post), I made it to Pompeii on Saturday, September 21! Glad that went according to plan, at least.

After a three-hour bus ride, I arrived at Pompei (spelled with one “i” in Italian) at 3:10 p.m. I got to see the central and southern Italian landscape we drove into and past the city of Naples (Napoli in Italian).

My non-stop bus ride from Rome (Roma Tiburtina station) to Pompeii.

I walked thirty minutes to the Parco Archeological di Pompei (Archaeological Park of Pompeii). Almost two millenia ago, in 79 C.E., Mt. Vesuvius erupted and destroyed several ancient Roman cities in the area of southern Italy (which is now the Gulf of Naples).

A Google Earth view of Mt. Vesuvius and Pompei. The Parco Archeological di Pompei was established on the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii.

Pompeii was one of the cities wiped out during the volcanic eruption, but the ruins of the city and eyewitness accounts from the ancient Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder still exist today and tell us the story of the place both before and during the eruption. While the volcano that buried the city in ash was a destructive force, it was also a protective one by shielding the ruins from erosion on the outside.

I learned a bit about Pompeii in Classical archaeology. My professor said that the site has been excavated, studied, and visited since the 18th century – it was a stop on the “Grand Tour” during the Enlightenment. Men from wealthier families, who studied the Classics as part of their education, travelled around the Mediterranean to see the ancient world. In the 19th century especially, Pompeii was a common destination for the “Grand Tour-ists.”

The rich were not the only ones who stopped by Pompeii after its rediscovery. In addition to the city itself, people have also found tunnels dug by robbers who looted valuables from the site. I wonder which areas of the park were excavated by trained archaeologists or looters first.

A closer look at Pompeii on Google Earth.

I was fascinated by Pompeii even before I came to Holy Cross. I took a course on ancient Roman history in high school and learned about Pompeii. We read a well-researched realistic fiction book about the city before and during the eruption of 79 and wrote our own short stories set in 1st-century Pompeii. My classmates and I used the names of actual people who lived in Pompeii at that time and reconstructed their lives and final moments during the pyroclastic flow of the eruption.

I first saw images of Pompeii through images on books and screens and learned more through videoes and documentaries. I was curious to see Pompeii firsthand when I researched aspects of daily life in the city and found interesting details about the eruption. It was one thing to see and learn about Pompeii in two-dimensions when I was younger: now, I got to see the real thing with my own eyes as an adult.

I thought about Mr. Blake, the teacher who first introduced me to Pompeii in high school, during this trip. He is the Head of the Classics department at Noble and Greenough School, which is a few minutes south of Boston. I graduated from Nobles over two years ago. He taught me Latin and ancient Roman history in high school and was my academic advisor. Mr. Blake and I have stayed connected and we talk as fellow Classics majors on occasion. I also come back to Nobles sometimes to give guest lectures to his students.

I knew quite a few things about Pompeii before I even planned to study abroad, but I was still blown away by my first view of the archaeological park. For years, I had seen Pompeii through pictures smaller than I was. I was amazed by the sheer size of the place – these were the ruins of a full-size city in front of me!

Now that’s what I call a first impression of a place!

I walked into the entrance of the park after buying a ticket (I paid the adult fare, or €15) and saw bright colors still on the stones they were painted onto two millennia ago. Impressive how colorful the place is!

Splashes of color at the entrance to the ruins!

After I had recovered from my mini Pompeii-shock, I walked into main sites within the site. The Basilica and Forun were huge, open spaces which would have been the equivalent of a central square in a modern city today. There would have been a lot of busy buildings and people walking about in antiquity – now, it is like the remains of a ghost town of sorts. Stunning, but also haunting, with the fragmented pieces of Pompeii standing on site with the currently dormant Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

Modern people walking in the center of an ancient city.

Here I am! With Mt. Vesuvius looming in the background…

On my walk around the Forum, I found a fence that separated the site from a storage area where I saw a lot of artifacts organized into shelves and displayed on ground level. Interesting to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the archaeologists’ work in Pompeii.

Some artifacts in storage next to the Forum. Got a closer look at the work behind the scenes through a fence.

Like I did on my first day in Rome, I walked around the city. There is something about walking on the cobblestone paths that makes it feel like I’ve gone back in time. Pompeii is a city frozen in time, after all!

I love walking on the streets of the city – Pompeii is no different!

I headed toward the enigmatic-sounding Villa of Mysteries after exploring the streets. I walked past some tombs and grave monuments once I exited the central part of the ruins. I had learned to read some grave inscriptions in Latin when I was at Nobles and knew what some of the abbreviations stood for.

A tomb with bright flowers stood out to me. I couldn’t read all of the text because of the lighting, but once I returned to my apartment and enhanced the photo, I recognized enough of the words to read the inscription. I did some more research online for the pieces I was having trouble with and found out that this was the tomb of a man who was a major leader in Pompeii. He had an expensive funeral and a monument dedicated to him in the Forum.

Here lies an important man. I did a bit of research on this tomb: a lot of abbreviations in Latin! A(ulus) Umbricius Scalus, son of A(ulus) of the tribe of Men(enia), was a duumvir, one of two political leaders in Pompeii. He had a grand funeral and a monument in the Forum!

The Villa of Mysteries was farther along the path. It is a large building separate from the rest of the houses in Pompeii. The “mysteries” in its name do not come from the literal sense of the word. The ancient Romans had many gods, but some deities has more of a cult following than others. The rituals of these worshippers are more obscure than the more common religious practices. I have seen the activities of certain cults referred to as “mysteries” in my studies.

From inside the Villa of Mysteries. Having a hard time imagining what went on in here millenia ago.

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius claimed the lives of many Pompeiians, and several of the bodies were buried in volcanic ash. As time passed, the ash hardened and preserved the spaces the people once filled. Archeologists have been able to create plaster casts from these voids and gain insight on the final resting positions of the victims.

The villa also houses colorful paintings on the walls. I learned about the four styles of Pompeiian wall paintings in Mr. Blake’s class, and I recognized some of the paintings as art in the Second Style, which features realistically-proportioned architecture similar to those in the backdrops of theatres. The Second Style is an older style that was in fashion a century before the eruption. This is a good indicator that the Villa of Mysteries is an older building in Pompeii.

A plaster cast in the Villia of Mysteries. The volcanic ash which engulfed Pompeii and its people created natural casts over the bodies of people and animals. Archaeologists have been able to recreate the physical positions of the victims using the voids preserved by the ash.

“Is it just me, or am I being watched? From the outside, on a two-dimensional surface?” A very relatable question, person on the wall!

A colorful mosaic inside the Villa of Mysteries. This is in the Second Style of art in Pompeii – a good indicator of an older building in the city!

The park was about to close by the time I stepped out of the Villa of Mysteries. I also had to catch my ride back to Rome: couldn’t stay out too late because it would already take more than three hours to get to Roma Tiburtina. I bought some souvenirs. I’m particularly excited to read an interactive book about Pompeii in the past and present! I bought a copy in English and another in Chinese (so I can learn to describe Pompeii in my other language).

Perfect souvenirs from Pompeii! Bought “Pompeii Reconstructed” in my two native languages : English and Chinese!

I wish I could have spent more time at Pompeii. There was so much more I would have liked to see, but I was happy that I finally saw the ancient city I had learned so much about since I was younger. I got to see Pompeii come to life in three dimensions.

I emailed Mr. Blake and told him about how, years after I was vigorously reading about Pompeii for my Roman history project, I got to live my dream of studying abroad in Rome and seeing Pompeii with my own eyes. I thanked him for teaching so much about the ancient world and asked if I could mention him in an anecdote in my blog. He was pleased to hear from me and to follow my adventures online. He said that I could mention him and his history class.

On my way back to Rome, I watched the sun set over Pompeii. The colors of the sky over the deep blue of the sea and the black silhouette of the coast were beautiful. Like Pompeii, it is a sight I want to see again. I think I might revisit Pompeii sometime and see more of the place.

Until then, dear Pompeii! May we meet again. As Mr. Blake would sign his emails to me in Latin: cura ut valeas! Take care, so that you are well!

And so the sun sets on my day in Pompeii. There is so much more I want to see – until next time!

September 20, 2019September 21, 2019

Ancient Artifacts in a Modern Metro

As a city person, I appreciate the conveniences of public transportation. I was pleased to find out that both the Residence and the Temple Rome campus are short walks from Metro stations in the city. I bought my first monthly pass from a local Tabacchi for €35 during orientation. It has really come in handy: unlimited rides on the bus, tram, and Metro for an entire month! Just have to remember to pay another €35 at the Tabacchi when October comes.

I’ve been taking the Metro to class every day. The Cipro (pronounced “Chee-proh”) stop is five minutes away from the Residence.

Using my monthly pass to ride the Metro! €35 a month, value renewable at local Tabacchi (by giving money to the cashier, who will refill the pass).

Here comes the train in the Metro! At Cipro Station, five minutes from the Residence.

I also ride the subway to other locations in the city. The Spagna (pronounced “Spahn-nya,” Italian for Spain) Metro station (one stop away from Flaminio, which is a 10-minute walk from Temple Rome) in particular is a convenient location for sightseeing. I see a lot of tourists taking pictures of the iconic Spanish steps and of the famous Trevi Fountain all the time – most of them walked from the Spagna stop. It’s a busy station!

One of my housemates who explored the city more than I did told me something interesting about the Metro. A lot of the main attractions are accessible from the subway stops, but was I interested in an archaeological site that was literally INSIDE a Metro station? You bet I was!

The San Giovanni Metro station, which is three stops away from Termini in the center of the city, is a significant station on Linea A of the Roma Metro. It is one of only a few stops on the entire subway system with a connection to the new Linea C of the Metro.

I was surprised to hear that Rome didn’t have that many subway lines – I thought a large city would have at least five lines. My hometown of Boston, which is much smaller than Rome, has more lines on the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority) than the eternal city does. (There are four subway lines in Boston.)

Here is the Rome Metro! Three lines: Linea A, Linea B, Linea C. (Pronounced “Leen-ee-ah Ah,” “Leen-ee-ah Bee,” and “Leen-ee-ah Chee” in Italian, respectively.)

The city of Rome has wanted to add a new Metro line for years. However, construction was delayed fairly often. Every time the city dug underground, chances were that people might find ancient artifacts buried there. It is important to preserve the archaeological context of any artifact so any research on the found material can be more accurate and give us a more complete understanding of the past.

San Giovanni has been the site of several of these ancient artifacts, and the city of Rome decided to install an exhibit inside the Metro station, displaying artifacts where they were found. The city even added artwork of the objects and timelines that indicated what time period and depth beneath the ground (in meters) they came from near the stairs and escalators. The first time I saw the station, I thought I was daydreaming about Classical archaeology in the middle of a Metro stop!

First view of San Giovanni station – can’t tell if this is a museum or a Metro stop!

The artifacts on display! There is also a chart on the wall with a timeline of Roman history.

Artwork and timelines on the side of the stairs and escaltors.

I took Classical archaeology at Holy Cross as a first-year student. One of the concepts I learned was the Law of Superpostion. Layers of earth form on top of each other for passing each time period – the oldest layer hidden deeper underground while more recent layers are closer to the surface. I got to experience this firsthand riding down the escalator at the station.

I kept track of how far underneath the surface I was going and what time period the layer of earth at that depth corresponded to. The lower the escalator went, the further back in time I went. There were artifacts from the Middle Ages to times of the Roman Empire to the Roman Republic to the Roman Kingdom and even to prehistoric times!

In Classical archaeology, I also learned about how modern people react when they encounter ancient artifacts while digging underground. I learned that in Athens, Greece, there is a Metro stop that is like San Giovanni in Rome. In fact, there is an entire collection at the Syntagma Metro station in central Athens! It is called the Syntagma Metro Station Archaeological Collection and is on display in the busy subway.

The collection at the Syntagma Metro Station in central Athens. Image found on Wikipedia. Funny how I found an analogous station in San Giovanni!

I’m grateful to my housemate for telling me about the hidden gem of San Giovanni. I’ve gotten to know my housemates over the past three weeks, and they have gotten to know me. They know that I love Classical archaeology and would love to see remnants from antiquity. I was thrilled to see the exhibit in the Metro with my own eyes! I now have a better sense of what it’s like to live a city that has been around since ancient times – I surely won’t find anything like this back home! Speaking of home, time to go back to the Residence! Going back up to the modern era by walking back up the stairs to 2019!

Returning to the modern time by going back up to the surface, toward the uscita (exit in Italian)! That’s the Law of Superposition!

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019

A Day Trip to Santa Marinella

I am entering Week 3 of my semester in Rome! And what a busy two weeks it has been! I was as excited and exhausted after my first week of classes at Temple Rome as I was when I started my first classes at Holy Cross.

The biggest difference is the temperature: I got to experience the Mediterranean breeze at the beach in mid-September! Not expecting any New England weather here!

At orientation, we got plenty of tips on travelling around Italy and Europe during the semester. I took one of the Temple Rome staff’s suggestion of taking a train from Termini station (in downtown Rome) to Santa Marinella, which is northwest of the city. I heard that the beaches close in mid-September, when students go back to school, so I wanted to see a Roman beach before it closes.

I bought a ticket for last Saturday. The ride was an hour long. As the train moved closer to the coast, I noticed the stark contrast of the bustling city and the quietness of the seaside.

My first glimpse of Santa Marinella, after a one-hour train ride from Roma Termini.

The beach was a 10-minute walk from the train station, and once I stepped foot on the sand, I felt like I was in a completely different time of year. The sea breeze, the smell of saltwater, and the soft sands reminded me of hot July afternoons on the other side of the Atlantic, where I would go to the beach with my family from a young age. I couldn’t believe that this was what I was feeling in the middle of September, of all times!

I loved looking at the rows of umbrellas planted on the beach like a bright orange and red forest by the sea. It surely made my day even brighter!

I walked further inland away from the seaside restaurants and sat in the shade at a local park. I enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and cool breeze under the trees. I also enjoyed seeing a name I recognized: J.F. Kennedy, of all names! I did some research on JFK in Rome, and it turns out that the 35th president of the United States went to Rome in the 1960s! The park also has a pizzeria and bar further along the road. I found a sign that said “Funny Park” on it. My thoughts, exactly!

Stopped to rest at a park – J.F. Kennedy Park! Thought the “Kennedy” in “Kennedy Park” looked familiar…turns out JFK visited Rome in the 1960s!

The park also has a pizzeria and a bar. And it’s also sometimes called “Funny Park” as well!

I walked south again toward the shore and walked past a curious site called Castrum Novum. I caught a small glimpse of the sign. I did some research on the place and found out that the archaeological site, whose name means “New Camp” in Latin, was first identified in the 1600s.

The most recent archaeological dig was an international effort in 2010. The report I found online said that the researchers found pottery under the sea near the site and that there is evidence of an ancient settlement that used a very worn Roman road.

A small glimpse of Castrum Novum from the road along the shore – wonder what else they’ll find here! The most recent international excavation started in 2010.

Looking out toward the sea, I saw wooden paths to little sunbathing spots above the water. If only I weren’t so keen on finding dinner at the time! I would have loved to sit on a chair and read above the sea.

I found a ristorante (restaurant in Italian) on my way back toward the train station. I got to practice my improving Italian with the waiter, who smiled at my attempts to read the menu and order food in an unfamiliar language. I still had to stop and think for a bit before I spoke, but I think I’m getting better at forming sentences.

And what timing: we learned about food in Italian class! I learned that the primo (primi in the plural) is usually a pasta, rice, or soup dish, and the secondo (secondi in the plural) is usually meat or seafood. I think I did well with my Italian – I got exactly what I ordered, and I loved eating fresh seafood by the shore! I enjoyed my Spaghetti alla Pescatora (Seafood Spaghetti) and my Frittura Calamari e Gamberi (Fried Calamari and Shrimp).

Ordered my first dinner in Italian! Got to experience a real primo (pasta, rice, or soup) and secondo (meat or seafood) for the first time.

What better way to enjoy dinner at the beach than with a primo of Spaghettii alla Pescatora? Squid, mussels, clams, and shrimp all fresh from the sea!

The secondo: Frittura Calamari e Gamberi! Fried squid rings and whole shrimp…fresh and crispy!

The food was so good that I ate until I was stuffed. I ended up taking some calamari home with me. The waiter was happy to give me a box for my leftovers at the cash register and to give me the bill when I said “Conto!” (“Bill!”) afterward. This was a word I learned at orientation, when Temple Rome staff told us about Italian culture in eating out. I paid the bill, thanked the waiter, and went to the train station as the sun set.

I turned back for one last glance of Santa Marinella. What a view, with the colors in the sky! So different from the view I captured in the afternoon. I stopped to enjoy the breeze one last time.

Finally, it was time to go back. My train would be departing the Santa Marinella station at 7:41. I made the 10-minute walk back to the platform and waited for the train. Back to my home in Rome I go!

Here comes my ride back to downtown Rome! Riding away from the sunset.

September 14, 2019September 17, 2019

Midautumn Night in Rome: A Holiday Away from Home

What an eventful week in Rome! I’ve been very busy getting used to my classes and new routines in Rome. Time flies when you’re abroad!

September 13 was a special day for me: it was Midautumn Festival. Called “中秋节” (zhōng qiū jié, “zhawng chee-you jyeh”) in Mandarin Chinese, it is a holiday I celebrate on the eighth full moon on the lunar calendar. The exact date of the Midautumn Festival varies every year, but it always happens between September and October. This year, it happened at the end of my first week of classes.

My family and I are Chinese immigrants who moved to Boston in 1999. We brought several traditions with us. Many of them involve all of us spending time together at home. I’ve almost always returned to my family home in Boston to celebrate Chinese holidays, but this year, I am outside of the United States. This is my first Midautumn Festival away from not only my family, but away from my homeland.

I called my family for the first time since I said goodbye to them at the airports back in Boston. I’m starting to miss them and am feeling a bit homesick. I miss my mother’s Chinese cooking the most. I also didn’t know how I’d feel about celebrating Midautumn Festival away from home.

On Wednesday, I decided to explore more of the city after my classes. I heard that the area around Termini station, where both lines of the Roma Metro (yes, there are only two routes on the subway, Linea A and Linea B – every time the government tries to dig a new subway path, they find ancient artifacts and have to stop to preserve the archaeological context!) intersect and people can catch buses and trains to other parts of Italy, is culturally diverse and houses a lot of international markets.

I was told that the area around the Vittorio Emanuele stop, directly after Termini, had a few Asian markets. I found a small but well-stocked place in the area and was thrilled to see my favorite Chinese products on the shelves! I spoke to the cashier in Chinese (I was juggling English, Italian, and Chinese in my head this week!) and found a key component of celebrating Midautumn Festival: mooncake (饼, yuè bǐng, pronounced “yoo-eh bingh”).

Found an Asian supermarket! Easily accessible from the Linea A of the Metro.

Found some mooncakes (月饼, yuè bǐng, pronounced “yoo-eh bingh”) at the Asian supermarket!

Mooncakes are made with different types of filling, usually red bean or lotus seed paste (I’m bigger fan of lotus seeds), and sometimes contain an egg yolk to represent the full moon. The reason my family and I celebrate the moon on this holiday is to respect the Moon Goddess, who, according to our folklore, was once a mortal woman who floated away to the moon. I heard that Americans see a “man in the moon” when they look at the sky. I think the craters in the moon look more like a rabbit. In the myth, the Moon Goddess has a pet rabbit to keep her company in the sky.

I messaged one of my housemates, who is also a Chinese-American studying in Rome, about the supermarket and bought some Asian spices and sauces for her. We’re both excited to be making our own Chinese food in the apartment soon! We also agreed to celebrate by going to a Chinese restaurant for dinner that night. Another one of our housemates came along as well. We had a great time together!

My housemates and I went to a local Chinese restaurant for dinner. How I miss my family’s homemade Chinese food! We walked around the city and enjoyed looking at the moon. I brought my camera and took some pictures of the full moon at different sites in Rome. It always makes me happy to look at the moon – my parents told me that whenever I miss them, I can look at the moon because that is where they are looking, too. This is especially true on Midautumn Festival: my family is celebrating in the States, enjoying their mooncakes as well.

The Piazza del Popolo looks stunning tonight!

The moon shines bright in the night sky above the Piazza.

The moon above the buildings on top of the Spanish Steps, a short walk away from the Piazza.

We returned to the apartment later that night. I feel much better after celebrating an important cultural holiday in Rome. I’m glad I can celebrate my heritage, even when I’m so far away from my family in America. I can’t help but wonder how other immigrants feel when they celebrate traditions that are not commonly acknowledged in the places they live in.

I was too young to remember my family’s first Midautumn Festival when we moved to the United States. My mother, father, sister and I are the only ones from our family to leave China. The four of us are the only ones in America. I now know what it’s like to be away from close family that I’m used to seeing often and celebrating holidays like Midautumn Festival with every fall. I’m very thankful for my housemates for celebrating with me while I am away from my family – I feel inspired to help other students feel more at home by celebrating cultural holidays with them, as well.

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Tag: Culture