I'm finally getting back into my sort-of-normal studio routine. Work, learn, work, learn some more, work, eat, procrastinate a bit... work, work, sleep. Sketch, erase, repeat.
The only difference is that I'm in Rome (yes, I still don't think I've fully realized it). And my classroom is the city.
Really, though.
We had our first History class on Monday with Doctor Higgins -- and let me tell you. She knows her stuff. For 3 straight hours, she brought us around the now familiar sights that we've seen almost every day since we've been here, including the recognizable Tiber Island that we pass by every morning and every evening. So far, it seems that this class ties together history with mythology. I am beyond excited about this; I used to love reading about Greek and Roman mythology when I was little. It's wonderful to learn about it all over again and see it with new eyes.
After studio on Monday, we were given a new assignment for our sketching class: get lost in Rome.
No, I'm not exaggerating.
We were split into groups of 2 or 3, given a specific Metro stop to travel to, and told to find our way back.
Here are the rules:
1. Look at a map once. After that, you must put it away and navigate using things you know, such as major sites or the sun. (I didn't bring a map, and neither did any of my group members)
2. You must spend at least 3 hours getting back. (We were back in the neighborhood of Campo in a little less than 3 hours; we even took our sweet old time getting there. Whoops.)
3. Don't take the straight route back. Get lost. Get distracted. Explore. (My favorite part)
4. Document the journey through photographs, sketches, or things found along the way. (The three of us were given roses -- sort of against our own will)
5. Have fun! (How could we not?)
6. We have about 3 weeks to work on compiling all of our gathered pictures, sketches, and roses into a presentation for the class.
Where were we assigned to go? The Spanish Steps. Unfortunately, I wasn't well-prepared for the trip. I took pictures, but then realized my memory card wasn't in my camera. :(
This is what it looks like, though. Gorgeous, is it not?
But when we got there, that's not the first thing that we saw.
"Where are these steps....?"
"Are we at the top....?"
Then we reached the end of the block and the sky was opened up to us again, and --
Yes. Yes, we were.
Beyond the obelisk standing proudly in front of the basilica, I spotted some trees covering a neighboring hill. Have I been there yet? I don't know, I don't think so.... All around, we could see majestic domes forming the beautiful Roman skyline. Who needs skyscrapers?
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Earlier in the week, I was walking around the Campidoglio to get some pizza with my friends. As I ate outside, I watched seagulls flying around the top of the Altare Della Patria. Wings and walls were flooded with light. Reminded me of bats in flight.
While we were still walking, we passed by a window that read: Museo Nazionale Romano.
And I couldn't help but laugh when I saw a few remnants of Corinthian columns sitting on pedestals. First of all, that's not where they belong. Secondly -- and this, I said aloud -- who needs a museum in Rome?
Rome is a museum.
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