My Image of Rome

When I came home I immediately cracked open a can of Diet Coke, savored the crisp taste that soaked my throat with a burning sensation. I fell on to my couch and laid without movement for what felt like the entire day. I ate meats, watched American TV and talked to my family until the late hours of the night. This was everything I had wanted, it was what I imagined my first days back to be. It ws relaxing, it was simply and it was comfortable. Within a few days though I began to see what Rome had done to me.

I was out to eat with my parents and realized that as my meal came to an end I still had half of my original soda in my glass. I was use to savoring each sip so that I would have a few remaining to enjoy after my meal that I had nearly forgotten the wonderful "free-refill" policy here in the States.

When I was waking up in the wee hours of the morning, when my sleep had still not been adjusted to Seattle time I found myself lonely. I missed finding one of the girls up in the apartment awake and dressed to mentally encourage me to continue my morning routines. I didn't have 9 girls in the house anymore, it was hard.

When my dad and I traveled to Paris after our Roman experience unfortunately I was surprised to learn that my camera's awful malfunction had resulted in the lose of 53 photos consisting of the last week of the program, my trip to the Coloseum, Trevi Fountain and Campo photos. I was devastated. But this of course forced me to think, think hard about all that I had missed.

What helped me the most were my blog entries, I read them and re-read them and thought about each individual image that had created that thought or each moment that I had experienced that had cause me to view and explain something the way that I had. The loud noise that Trevi offered but the silence it created when you stood and stared in awe. Or the crowd that consumed the area around the Coloseum but how it had the ability to make you feel so small and alone in the shadow of the massive structure.

I could go on and on about the Italian food but I wouldn't even be able to describe it in words.I have found myself craving very unique things here that I never did at home. For instance, I have a new love of vegetables, I even go so far as to order sandwiches that have no meat and ONLY contain veggies. They all individually taste so incredible, when they are together its simply a melody in my mouth ;). The bread I think we all couldn't forget. Fluffy and thick and about a million different versions. AND the forno with its always fresh taste. AND the eggs! US eggs are farmed to have thicker shells to with stand time and smells, the eggs in Italy were so fresh (and cheap, 6 for a euro)!

I can live with out the cigarette smoke consistently blackening my lungs but I miss people sitting out after dinner for hours simply talking, thinking, smoking, just being people. I miss Italy but I am happy to be home. My life won't be anything like it was before I left but I feel older, wiser and I feel like I have the ability to appreciate the things I didn't before. I'm glad I went and I will never forget Roma.