Writing assignment # 5 - My "Rione" - The Vatican

My Rione is not really even a Rione. It’s not a neighborhood, but rather a separate country within Italy, and Rome. It is Vatican City, and it’s different. The culture, the governing, the post office, even the money are all Vatican, and all the Catholic Church. My Rione is very interesting because it is also the smallest “country” in the world, actually only 110 acres, with only 800 inhabitants. Because my Rione is so different from any other in Rome, it’s very interesting to look into its inhabitants, its visitors, but mainly its purpose in Rome, and all over the world.

Vatican City is the center of the Catholic Church. The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the worldwide leader of the Catholic Church. Vatican City is also home to the Holy See, which is the governing body of the Catholic Church. It is interesting to see the Vatican’s influence over everything in Rome for hundreds and hundreds of years. Religious inscriptions and images are on nearly every ruin and historic monument in Rome. The church has a huge influence in Rome, more than any other place in the world, because the Vatican is here.

Because it is the center of the Catholic Church, tourism and visitors to the Vatican are numerous. When focusing on my Rione I cannot help but think that whenever I am in Vatican City, the vast majority of people I can see are visitors to the city, and aren’t the inhabitants. This is why the culture of Vatican City is very hard to define. Is it holy? Yes. Is it religious? Yes. But what do these things mean? The Vatican’s way of life is simply to govern the Church, and that is it’s sole purpose. That is why it is distinguishable from every other neighborhood in Rome. The cultural aspect of Vatican City is very hard to define because of this. There’s no other cultural aspect other than religion. In any other neighborhood I would look at the residents, the restaurants, the shops, the parks, and other venues to identify the differences between neighborhoods. In Vatican City, all I have to look at is the religious aspects, for example, the churches, Papal apartments, and the Piazza San Pietro. This is why it is hard to say that Vatican City has a distinct culture, or way of life, because it does not. That is why it is easy to define what Vatican City is, but it is hard to define its culture.

The architecture and buildings are one of the special parts of the area. The walls and columns surrounding Piazza San Pietro enclose the area to define the space that is the Vatican, but also to showcase St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as for security. I like how the walls define this plaza and area, and the Basilica is like the stage that everyone looks at, raised up at the end of the piazza. The architecture is very representative of the Catholic Church. The walls have statues of 140 saints lining the whole piazza, and Jesus and his apostles are depicted on the façade of the basilica. This architecture represents the home of the Catholic Church.

Another theme that I think is really important to recognize is the control that the Church wants to exhibit. I am not sure why Vatican City cannot simply be a “city” within Italy. Why does the Church need to be separate and have absolute control of everything within the city? It is interesting that Vatican City even has its own postal system, because they want to be in control of their territory. This makes me think about why the church wants this control. Is it because they want to separate church and state? There could be any number of reasons why the Church has chosen to do this but it is very interesting to think about because it is unusual.

Because my Rione is so small, it is really difficult to get a feeling for the area and its inhabitants. When visiting Vatican City, I realize that it is different, because it is the home of the Catholic Church. Other than that, the only part that stands out to me is the fact that it is highly religious. The Pope is an inspiration to thousands of people, and a physical life here on earth that people can look to for guidance. He is a representation of God, here on earth. Being Catholic, I realize that it is important to have a place where people can visit, like the Vatican, and know that the Catholic Church is governed in that specific area. Although hard to define a specific culture within Vatican City, the area is very distinguishable, and a beautiful representation of the Catholic Church.

"Multicultural Literature" Reading Notes

"The Egyptian Lover"

This story is about a character, his wife, and a woman named Cleopatra, whose real name was actually Semiha Husein. Cleopatra's parents were descendents of a scribe of the King of Egypt, and the wanted to make neorealist film. She also does not trust men. The narrator of the film discusses many topics, some of which include his estranged wife, sex positions, and going to Egypt to see pyramids. While in Egypt his wife leaves him but he writes her everyday. It is extremely hard to follow this storyline and who is who. The narrator went back to Cairo with his wife, but when he left him he called her a hore and an old witch. This story is very very confusing. I think it is mainly about leaving Italy and going to a foreign place, but also about the love of two different women.

"The Village Telephone"

This story is about leaving Italy and realizing what really matters in life. The narrator of the story leaves Italy for his home-country of Ethiopia. When he is there he is with his friend Zeggu. He does not really know what he is looking for, but is searching for some identity and more information and memories of his heritage. He is on a pilgrimage in search of his old life. This pilgrimage is unsuccessful and he just gets frustrated with himself, so Zeggu convinces him to go to Kechene where there's one phone, and everyone knows about him and wants to meet him. The narrator agrees, and enjoys Kechene. It is a small town with kids, dirty people, a drunk priest, a witch, and a home with only one telephone for the whole village. The phone is always ringing and people are coming in and out of the house. He wraps the story up by talking about what all the different women end up doing with their lives. He also embraces the slow pace of this town, and realizes that he no longer thinks waiting is bad, and patience is important. When he leaves back for italy the priest blesses him and the witch gives him some dirt. Back in Italy, he is more at peace with himself because of this trip.

Writing assignment # 5 - Rome: My Home Away From Home

I’ve enjoyed my travels here in Italy. They have really helped to broaden my perspective because I have seen so many new cultures, and a completely new way of life. My travels have helped me realize aspects of my life that I want, need, and also don’t need. What I mean by this is that a change in my way of life (my move to Italy) has helped me realize what’s really important in my life. In leaving Seattle, and my normal lifestyle, I have realized that I can live a more simple life. I do not need so many possessions, and I can basically just live off of what’s around me. I have also realized that removing myself from my normal environment allows me to focus on my surroundings more. I have found that when I’m at home, I have so many distractions. I am constantly worried about all my responsibilities, and making sure that I am involved with all of my friend’s lives. In coming abroad, I have realized that I definitely need to focus on what’s important, and let distractions detract from my schoolwork and my personal health. I also like what leaving Seattle has done to me. I have been able to focus on learning new things about a new place, while knowing that I can always return to Seattle with new knowledge. I have not only left Seattle, though. I realize that living in Rome has created another “home” that I have since left and returned to. At this point on my trip, I have left Rome three times different times, and have come back each time even more appreciative of my surroundings and the comfort that the familiarity of Rome provides me.

Seattle means a lot to me. I cannot tell you how many times I have felt just a little homesick on this trip because I miss certain aspects of my hometown, whether it is my house, my fraternity, my friends, my family, and especially food back in Seattle. When coming to Rome, I have realized how much I miss these things, and more importantly, what is actually important to me back home. As much as I miss it, I am happy about this experience, because I have never had this type of an opportunity before, where I could leave my home and live far away for an extended period of time. These are my experiences in regards to Seattle, but what I think are even more interesting are my experiences in temporarily leaving Rome.

Because I have been here in Rome for over a month now, I feel like I have adjusted pretty thoroughly to my surroundings. Aspects of life that were keeping me from adjusting here in Rome in previous weeks no longer affect me. I feel like I can now really get to know the city and enjoy the city so much because of this. Some things that were affecting my ability to adjust were the language barrier, the overwhelming feeling that I needed to see everything, and the memories from back home. When I first got to Italy, I thought that not knowing the language was going to affect my ability to navigate and get to know the country. I have now realized that I am not going to learn Italian as much as I thought, and I do not really need to. Not knowing Italian has not prohibited me from “experiencing” Italy to the extent that I want to. Leaving Rome and returning here has also engrained this. When I come back to Rome, I feel like I can communicate better, mainly because more people speak English than other places that I have been in Italy, but also because I am familiar with my surroundings, and therefore do not rely on the language as much.

My time is now limited here in Italy. I have less than a month and a half until I return to Seattle; so at this point I am less impatient to see “everything.” What I mean by this is that I realize that I don’t have a lot of time left to see sights in Italy, and am no longer overwhelmed and frustrated that I will not see it all. Basically I have gotten over the frustration of my inability to travel extensively and see as many sites as possible in Italy and Europe. The reality is that I only have a few weekends left, and I have planned my trips, and time accordingly. Each time I return to Rome, I am even more fulfilled because I have just seen more of Italy, and experienced more new and beautiful things. Upon returning home to Rome, I can reflect on the new experiences I have had, and feel even better about my trip as a whole. The barrier of memories from back home has gotten much better. I have been able to adjust well in Rome at this point, because I no longer really miss my family and Seattle, and am just happy to be here. I know I will be home very soon, and see everyone that I initially missed when I arrived in Rome. I guess my feelings now are that I need to savor my time here because it is coming to an end, where in the first few weeks in Rome, I was overwhelmed about how long it would be until I would return home.

Rome has become my new home, so naturally I have been able to adjust and feel comfortable here. I am definitely the type of person that needs “comforts” around me at all times, whether it be possessions or just a bed to call my own. I know everything is safe here in my new apartment, and I have a place to go whenever I need to gather my thoughts. In this way, Rome is my “temporary” home, but I did not really begin to think of Rome in this way until I left it for the first time. After a little over three weeks of being in Rome, I went to Florence to visit some friends. I had a great weekend, but on the train ride home after 3 long days, I realized that I truly missed Rome because it was comfortable to me, and because it was my home.

I do not think I really had this feeling before I left Rome. This is probably because I still felt like I was on some sort of extended vacation. While I was in Florence, I wished I could sleep in my own bed, like I do when I go on vacation from Seattle. This feeling represented a transition in my trip. It took three weeks, but I finally feel like I belong here in Rome. It does not feel like a vacation anymore, but really like I live here in Rome. As well as having a place to call home in Rome, I have also developed a comfort level in my surroundings similar to how I would feel back in Seattle. I know my surroundings, how to get around, and where to go for what I need. It was hard for me to feel confident in navigating the city for the first few weeks, but now I can get around without any trouble, and know places for food, groceries, etc.

After returning to Florence for a second visit, I was familiar with my surroundings, and felt comfortable in the city. When we left Florence for a day, and went to Prato, I felt as if I was really overstepping my boundaries and going to this foreign city. Maybe the reason I felt this way was because Prato was not as exciting, and different from both Rome and Florence, but it seemed like I just wanted to leave and return to a place where I was more comfortable. In coming back to Florence, I didn’t notice a lot being different about the city, but I did go straight to a specific place I knew for dinner, and then went straight to my hotel room to Skype with my Mom. I felt like these were signs of reaching out for something more familiar.

This past weekend I traveled to Venice for Carnival. I noticed how different Venice was from Rome. Venice is a truly amazing and beautiful place. Their churches are a little more ornate and colorful. Their roads are even smaller than Rome’s, and the city is even more confusing, especially with water canals as roadways. I liked Venice, but do not think I could live there, or feel comfortable like I have in Rome. It definitely feels more tourist-oriented. I had a hard time believing that people actually lived there; it just seemed like Disneyland to me. I could not imagine trying to give directions to an apartment there, or even meeting someone for lunch, because there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to their road system. Upon returning to Rome, I felt thankful that I was living in a place that I knew, but again, where I felt comfortable.

My travels have helped me learn a lot about myself, and what I need in order to feel comfortable in certain situations. I have created a new home for myself in Rome, and this has proven itself every time I return to Rome, and feel like I have returned home. Even though I do not know much about Rome, I feel like I do, and I feel comfortable enough, now, to call this foreign place a second home.

Writing assignment # 4 - Why Does Returning Feel So Good?

I’ve enjoyed my travels here in Italy. They have really helped to broaden my perspective because I have seen so many new cultures, and a completely new way of life. My travels have helped me realize aspects of my life that I want, need, and also don’t need. What I mean by this is that a change in my way of life (my move to Italy) has helped me realize what’s really important in my life. In leaving Seattle, and my normal lifestyle, I have realized that I can live a more simple life. I do not need so many possessions, and I can basically just live off of what’s around me. I have also realized that removing myself from my normal environment allows me to focus on my surroundings more. I have found that when I’m at home, I have so many distractions. I am constantly worried about all my responsibilities, and making sure that I am involved with all of my friend’s lives. In coming abroad, I have realized that I definitely need to focus on what’s important, and not be so distracted that it hinders my schoolwork and my personal health. I also like what leaving Seattle has done to me. I have been able to focus on learning new things about a new place, while knowing that I can always return to Seattle with new knowledge.

Seattle means a lot to me. I cannot tell you how many times I have felt just a little homesick on this trip because I miss certain aspects of my hometown, whether it is my house, my fraternity, my friends, my family, and especially food back in Seattle. When coming to Rome, I have realized how much I miss these things, and more importantly, what is actually important to me back home. As much as I miss it, I am happy about this experience, because I have never had this type of an opportunity before, where I could leave my home and live far away for an extended period of time. These are my experiences in regards to Seattle, but what I think are even more interesting are my experiences in leaving Rome.

Rome has become my new home, so naturally I have been able to adjust and feel comfortable here. I am definitely the type of person that needs “comforts” around me at all times, whether it be possessions or just a bed to call my own. I know everything is safe here in my new apartment, and I have a place to go whenever I need to gather my thoughts. In this way, Rome is my “temporary” home, but I did not really begin to think of Rome in this way until I left it for the first time. After a little over three weeks of being in Rome, I went to Florence to visit some friends. I had a great weekend, but on the train ride home after 3 long days, I realized that I truly missed Rome because it was comfortable to me, and because it was my home.

I do not think I really had this feeling before I left Rome. This is probably because I still felt like I was on some sort of extended vacation. While I was in Florence, I wished I could sleep in my own bed, like I do when I go on vacation from Seattle. This feeling represented a transition in my trip. It took three weeks, but I finally feel like I belong here in Rome. It does not feel like a vacation anymore, but really like I live here in Rome. As well as having a place to call home in Rome, I have also developed a comfort level in my surroundings similar to how I would feel back in Seattle. I know my surroundings, how to get around, and where to go for what I need. It was hard for me to feel confident in navigating the city for the first few weeks, but now I can get around without any trouble, and know places for food, groceries, etc.

Not only did I get this feeling when I came back to Rome, but on a different level, when I returned to Florence the very next weekend, I felt something similar. After returning to Florence for a second visit, I was familiar with my surroundings, and felt comfortable in the city. When we left Florence for a day, and went to Prato, I felt as if I was really overstepping my boundaries and going to this foreign city. Maybe the reason I felt this way was because Prato was pretty boring, or maybe because it was different from both Rome and Florence, but it seemed like I just wanted to leave and return to a place where I was more comfortable. In coming back to Florence, I didn’t notice a lot being different about the city, but I did go straight to a specific place I knew for dinner, and then went straight to my hotel room to Skype with my Mom. I felt like these were signs of reaching out for something more familiar.

My travels have helped me learn a lot about myself, and what I need in order to feel comfortable in certain situations. I have created a new home for myself in Rome, and this has proven itself every time I return to Rome, and feel like I have returned home. Even though I do not know much about Rome, I feel like I do, and I feel comfortable enough, now, to call this foreign place a second home.