Introduction

First and foremost, if you have chosen to learn about life in Rome by reading this blog, thank you for taking the time to do so!

This region is home to my dream vacation. This is because one of my best friends, Beatrice, happens to be a Native of the region who lives there with her family. I met her during our senior year of high school (she was a foreign-exchange student) and we have been great friends communicating via Facebook and WhatsAp ever since. I promised her that some day I would go visit her in Rome…but for now, I am a college student attempting to make ends meet to pay for school, therefore, this blog is the closest I will get to Italy for a while. Regardless of my inability to pay the $1,000 for a plane ticket, this blog will give me the opportunity to study life in Rome so that I will know exactly what I would like to do the moment I step foot there.

My goals for this blog are both personal and involve you, as the audience. Like previously stated, I would like to learn more about the region in order to prepare myself for a future trip to visit Beatrice. On a larger scale, however, my goal is to help educate my followers through this blog so that if they plan to travel to Rome, are thinking about planning a vacation, or need an emergency get away from college/final exams, they will be adequately informed about the region.

Brief History

If you know anything about Rome from your schooling, it is likely that you know Rome’s history is anything but brief. I will do my best to summarize it in a short paragraph or two for you.

Basically, Rome was one of the greatest empires there ever was- if looking at it from an ancient sort of perspective. As you can see from the timeline, Rome lasted a bit longer than the average civilization back in the day. This is largely due to the fact that Rome was home to many powerful leaders, conquerors, and other highly intelligent individuals. Just a few of these include: Ceasar (his war tactics are still studied and taught today), Augustus (built many roads, aqueducts, and buildings), and Mark Antony (had an intimate relationship with the Egyptian ruler Cleopatra-he stabbed himself for her, she let a snake bite her for him-it’s a long story for a different time). In summary, the Romans were a power you didn’t want to threaten or mess with. You would only be setting yourself up for defeat-unless, of course, you were the Franks from Germany who defeated them between AD 406–419.

So what is it with the Colosseum as a Roman symbol?

The Colosseum, as pictured at the top of this blog post, was built following the rule of Nero, an extra crazy ruler who basically ran the morale of the Roman peoples into the ground. The ruler who followed Nero, Vespasian, decided that building the Colosseum for the purpose of free entertainment (gladiator games) would benefit the people of Rome by bringing up their morale, and that it did.

Today, the Colosseum still stands with a few alterations and additions after its original design in approximately 73–75 A.D. It is noteworthy that the Roman architecture and design techniques used to build the magnificent building are still being used in various buildings in the modern world.

Rome Now

While ancient Roman culture is still evident in this amazing city, Rome has modernized itself to keep up with the current times. If one were to visit today, it would be something like…

What to Do

Vatican City

Vatican City, while it is technically a city state and not a part of Rome, falls within the Roman boarder. It is home to approximately 840 people, one of those being the Pope, the leader of the Catholic Church. This city state also happens to contain some of the main tourist attractions in Rome including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums.

“The Creation of Adam” as seen in the Sistine Chapel. Painted by Michelangelo

Shopping

According to http://www.rome.info/shopping/, when one is shopping in Rome, they can expect to break the bank. One positive side to shopping in the tourist city, however, is that leather products such as purses, shoes, and belts, are commonly found for a fair price. (Being a purse-lover myself, I now know I need to save up for more than just my plane ticket!)

Another important thing to remember if you are used to the United States’ way of shopping is that the hours are generally a bit off from what you may be used to. Evidently, they open around 9:00AM and close again for lunch around 1:00PM. They then open up from 3:30PM-7:30PM. These hours are different, however, for Sundays and Monday mornings and may also be different depending on the type of shop.

*Note: If the purpose of your trip is heavily dependent upon the shopping, do not go to Rome during August. During this month, most shops and restaurants close for about a two week period while shop owners take their annual holiday.

Restaurants

Yes, Rome happens to be in Italy so you’re probably thinking, “Well duh! While in Italy, order Italian!” If you love spaghetti or pizza, then I can see why you would prefer to purchase the “real deal.” One thing I will tell you, however, is make sure to order some gelato for dessert!

Gelato, the Italian version of ice cream, is made with milk, cream, different sugars, and nut and fruit purees for flavor. Generally, the consensus is that gelato is amazing and American ice cream comes second. If you are a bit of a health nut like me, you will also be happy to know that gelato tends to contain less calories, fat, and sugar than typical ice cream.

How to Communicate/What to Say

According to http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-rome-language, the main language spoken in Rome is Italian. Luckily, if you are an individual who is not bilingual-like me-and English is your only language, Rome is a great place for you to travel to a different country without having to suffer the consequences of butchering a new language. (Go to Rome and you won’t have your friends laugh at you for accidentally ordering grilled guinea pig to pair with your pasta and side salad-it’s a thing!) This is because the people of Rome are aware that a large part of their economy depends on tourism so many of them living in the areas known for the tourist attractions speak English. In other words, as far as verbal communication goes you should be able to survive without hiring a translator.

If you do want to throw just a bit of Italian into your experience, however, feel free to say “ciao” (pronounced like “chow” in “puppy chow”). This means “hello” and can also translated to “goodbye,” depending on the context.

In terms of nonverbal communication, however, communicating in Rome is a different story. After spending much time with my friend Beatrice in high school, she became annoyed with my “silly American ways,” as she called them. According to her, Romans are very physical in a way that we Americans might see as boarder-line suggestive/sexual. Apparently, it is completely common to let your friends (male or female) sit on your lap when hanging out, give long hugs to friends, and the custom greeting (even with strangers) is a short embrace with a kiss on each cheek.

Another way the Romans communicate physically is by frequently motioning. Beatrice often coached me (as a bit of a joke) how to “speak with my hands.” If something is delicious, you indicate that with your hands because your mouth is full. If you want someone to hurry up, you tap your wrist like a watch. Basically if you want to go to Italy and your goal is to blend in, you had better learn the equivalent of sign language.

When Italians Chat, Hands and Fingers Do the Talking

ROME - In the great open-air theater that is Rome, the characters talk with their hands as much as their mouths. While…

www.nytimes.com

Final Thoughts

As I sit here and finish up this blog post (while drinking a glass of wine from Italy ironically-Risata il Rosso-you should try it!), my final thoughts to you are this: if you ever want to learn about a country or a culture, the best way to go about it is to go there. Cultural immersion, as they call it, is essential to learning and life experience. While you might be held back by lack of funds or a chaotic schedule, I strongly suggest making a solid effort to get outside of your box. Force yourself to be uncomfortable but most importantly, go into any experience with an open mind. You won’t regret it.