Now I understand.

I should be up and ready to leave for Campo de Fiori right now, but I have to admit it's nice to lay in bed and relax after days of walking and attempting to absorb everything.

Yesterday morning, we went to see some of the Seven Hills of Rome, starting with the Campidoglio on Capitoline Hill. From there, we overlooked the Roman Forum and saw the Colosseum in the background. Ruins, almost as far as the eye can see.

We stopped by a couple of churches, slowing down our pace to sketch for an hour or so inside San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane. I took a picture of what I was sketching when it was time to leave, but then I remembered. . . .. . ... I could go back anytime in the next few months and finish it there.

I talked to Matt later in the day, it being a little past noon back at home, and told him about my experiences when I realized something very important to me:

Italians are proud of their heritage and I always knew why, but I never fully understood it until I saw what I saw today.

Ruins, almost as far as the eye can see...

Why would they ever turn their back on that...?

The language barrier's not that bad. I know enough that I can understand what someone is saying to me, but I'm not far enough to hold a conversation yet. It helps that my Italian teacher will only speak Italian for the majority of our 2-hour-long class.

There is an old man who living next door who tried telling me one day that we (the students living here) can eat the mandarin oranges from the tree. He laughed a little when he realized I don't speak his language, but we tried to communicate anyway. I intend to be able to actually talk with him before the semester is over....

Now that I'm looking at these pictures from yesterday, I'm thinking, "What am I doing, wasting time on the computer and not exploring the city?? I need to be out there!"

Homesickness, I will not let you get the better of me.