La Pace Sia Con Voi

     Bienvenuto A Roma. Immediately, getting off the plane it was like a mad dash of craziness. It was not a sense being unorganized but rather it was that crazy feeling that one gets when they are thrown into a different environment. I just wanted to scream "stop" I need to acclimate myself before we go on. We all stopped for a restroom break just because we had to travel a good bit more to campus. To this day,  I still laugh at our first experience in a European bathroom. All of us girls are asking each other how to flush the toilet. We are all so use to having the toilet flush on the tank instead of the wall. It never dawned on any of us that the big button on the wall was used to flush the toilet. Ignorance at its finest in my opinion. hahah
  We had to take the tram over to the main terminal in Fumincino airport so that we could go through customs. As we were entering onto the tram, everyone caught my attention. There was a young woman standing feet away from me that looked exactly like me. She was dressed to the T just like any other Italian but it was like looking into a mirror peering into my own reflection's eyes. I, on the other hand, was dressed in trackies and trainers. Everyone turned to me and said this is going to be an experience for you Emma because you look just like a national. What is the saying "we all have an identical twin some where in the world?" As we were walking through customs Jenna was a little too eager and decided to take a photo of our experience. Out of no where this customs officer snatched the camera out of her hand and walked away. Danilo had to beg the officer to give the camera back. When it was my turn to walk through, my visa picture was smeared and I couldn't see my very first stamp in my passport. Yes, I know I sound like a spoiled brat and all but this is monumentous.

Campus and the gravel Soccer field off to the right

      My first response to Italy is that the trees look so different. They have so much character in comparison to the maple trees and pine trees that I am accustomed with back in Ohio. Even the birds seem to be speaking a different language. While everyone was taking a nap I decided to walk around outside and see what the campus looks like. While in the van from the airport, everything seemed to pass by so fast. This was going to be the moment that I was going to take for myself. My rare moment that I could introduce myself to Italy and Italy could introduce herself to me. As I was walking down the path I noticed to my left this   elevated terrace with a table where anyone could enjoy a moment outside playing cards or just enjoying a moment. I flashed back to a dream that I have been having recurrently these past few months about an ivy covered terrace and everyone from my group is outside sitting under it enjoying the moment. This terrace is exactly how I pictured it in my dreams. I have a moment of awe and then I proceed onwards. Now Walsh University is part of the Brothers of Christian Instruction; an order originating in France dedicating themselves to promoting education to the working classes of France and eventually across the world. The Instituto Di San Guiseppe in Castel Gandolfo is where Walsh University has its campus. The Instituto is also where the Brothers live in Castel Gandolfo. I continued down the path and I was stopped by one of the Spanish speaking Brothers. He stopped me and introduced himself in Spanish. He wanted to know if I was one of the new students for the semester from Walsh. When I replied in Spanish he was so happy. We even had a small conversation. I have to say that my strong control of language is finally becoming useful.

 

The Terrace

 I am a simple person and I look forward to the moments that we will all share around the dinner table. I look forward to the random moments when one is wondering around outside and is stopped not by an Italian speaking person but a Spanish speaking person. I look forward to the moments when every cliche I have known is challenged and my very way of thinking is threatened. I set off to the roof top terrace to read a few cards sent to me by my family members. I found myself staring off into the trees and surrounding area thinking of my grandmother. My grandmother has been dead now for 5 years (as of 2009). Grandma Frances was everything a Grandmother should have been. What made her even better is that she was my Italian Grandmother. I always would ask her about Italy and tell her that I would go to Italy one day. She always told me that I am always too intrigued and she wondered why I wanted to know more about Italy. My mother wrote in her card to me that when she was 22, she was living in the South Pacific with my father. I remind her so much of herself at 22. I realized that I was not in Kansas anymore. I made a promise with myself that I was going to be as open minded as possible. Yes, growing up in an Italian household does give me a greater understanding than most but that is Italian-American, not Italian. There are differences between the two.

Castel Gandolfo Square and San Tomasso

     The group headed up into town with Danilo as our guide. We were going to go to the Sunday evening mass at the church designed by Gian Bernini: San Tomasso. We headed over to the ATM so that we could all have some money to spend in the coming days. When we walked into the church the pews and kneeling bars were made from looks like the branches of trees. Okay, I will go with this. Why be picky when there is nothing to be picky about. This is Italy for the love of God. I should not be complaining.
    Apparently, there was a special event happening that night. We later found out that a couple, Sonja and Stefano were renewing their wedding vows for their 25th wedding anniversary. I felt honored that we could share this special moment with them. I sat in the pew with Matt and Rachel. Jenna sat directly in front of me. We had our very first Italian lesson in the church that night. During mass one is supposed to say: "the peace be with you." La Pace Sia con Voi. We all practiced our Italian the moments leading up to the time in mass that we were supposed to say it.
     A special moment happened to Jenna during mass. We were coming back from having communion and were sitting back down. A elderly woman sitting next to Jenna was being escorted back by a friend. Jenna lent out her hand so that the lady was able to take her seat with ease. The elderly lady grabbed her hand and kissed it and said "grazie mile." Jenna started to cry. At that moment, I knew my decision to study in Rome was a great decision. We don't see this in America. Well, we don't see this moment in America. We would say no problem and the person we would be helping would not kiss our hand.

     After mass we walked around to see Lago Albano and then grabbed an espresso at Cafe Baruffa. This day has been a beautiful day and it is just the first day of this experience.

In the beginning....

My Rome Friends. 

So I find myself calm but strangely at home on this jet to Philadelphia and then on to Rome. Last time I flew on a plane was when I was 14 and headed to Kansas City to play in the National Chess Tournament. Yes, I am admitting I played chess professionally. I am also admitting that my sister was so much better than me. The last time I flew was before September 11th. Things are so much different than they were back then. There was this Muslim woman sitting next to me with her children. Her baby son was so cute and so adorable. I want a baby.....what am I thinking. I don't have time for a child right now. I am 21 years old and headed abroad for the first time in my life. I am headed back to my grandparents country, Italy. My mother has never been. My grandparents only went back once in 1974. That was the only time they had traveled to Italy. 

When we arrived in Philadelphia we had to sprint to the bus that would take us to the next terminal for our flight to Rome. When we arrived at the gate I borrowed Rachel's phone to call my parents telling them that I would be flying out. Getting on the plane I spotted my first Italian man. haha I don't really feel like I am leaving home but going home which is strange. Into our flight, I noticed this Italian woman that resembled my grandmother. She had this distinctive color of hair that only grandma Frances would have, a mix between blonde and an attempt to stave off the greys. She leaned over to her daughter and spoke Italian and I understood it. It is was one of those moments that I will never forget. 

Our group continued on with our conversations. We must have been loud because all of the Italian men were staring at us. In a strange way it was corrective in a polite manner. I honestly couldn't sleep during the flight. I started talking to Matt. This man sitting several rows up from us started messing with his air over head. Every time he tried to adjust it the vent would make this awful noise. Matt and I laughed stating that if that noise sounded when everyone was asleep he may have been thrown off the plane mid flight. We both tried to skip through the movies to watch while everyone else was sleeping and nothing was on except the history of milk. The history of milk....what a show. It put us both to sleep. 

Several things that I am looking forward to during this trip is to stand on the shores of Naples and look out on the same horizon my great-grandparents did before they left Italy. I want to experience everything about Vatican City, the Spanish steps and have those rare moments sitting around the dinner table having a conversation that could last for hours. These are the moments that I look forward to living.