![\"11390041_10153300221982778_8003798161520122779_n\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/whatwedo\/files\/2015\/09\/11390041_10153300221982778_8003798161520122779_n.jpg\")
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Rome was absolutely incredible. Living in the middle of the city was an immersive experience unlike any other, and I even learned to speak a little Italian! Only really important phrases though, like how to order gelato. VERY important. Obviously. (Because let me tell you, I ordered a LOT of gelato.)\u00a0 <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Aside from the hundreds of scoops of gelato I experienced, I also experienced an incredible amount of ancient art and architecture on our group trips to various museums and landmarks. Rome was surprising in that a lot of hugely historic landmarks are just smack in the center of town… the Pantheon, for example, is right in the middle of a residential area. The day we visited was one of our two free days in the three week trip and happened to also be the celebration of a religious holiday–the square was absolutely PACKED to watch the dropping of rose pedals from the oculus! I couldn’t get close enough to get a good photo, but I did get to see them sweep up the petals inside afterwards!<\/p>\n Hi mom!<\/p><\/div>\n Probably my favorite picture from the trip, to be honest.<\/p><\/div>\n Kenzy Sorensen ’15 and Marissa Irish ’16 chillin’ with the Arch of Constantine<\/p><\/div>\n The Fountain of Four Rivers!!<\/p><\/div>\n I took SO many pictures in every museum we went in, but I’ve tried very hard to narrow it down for this post! Here’s some of my favorites:<\/p>\n Raphael’s School of Athens in the Vatican Museums<\/p><\/div>\n Laocoon and his Sons at the Uffizi in Florence!<\/p><\/div>\n A gorgeous church ceiling– wish I could remember which one but there were just so many!<\/p><\/div>\n The inside of St. Peter’s Basilica–absolutely breathtaking.<\/p><\/div>\n Maggie Langford ’17 and I found the fabulous David!<\/p><\/div>\n Gesu Nuovo!<\/p><\/div>\n Modern work at the Venice Biennale<\/p><\/div>\n A sneaky and totally illegal selfie in the Sistine Chapel<\/p><\/div>\n Botticelli’s Birth of Venus!!<\/p><\/div>\n And of course, a gratuitous picture of me actually crying in front of Bernini’s\u00a0Rape of Persephone\u00a0<\/em>— what else are you expected to do when confronted with work by your favorite sculptor\/artist that you’ve studied for years and never thought you’d ever actually get to see in person? (This would not be the last time I cried in front of art while abroad, I promise you. Many happy tears were shed.) The class didn’t just stick to Rome! We also went to Tivoli, Naples, Florence, Venice, and Pompeii. It was truly wonderful getting to experience so many culturally and historically cities.<\/p>\n Group potluck dinner at our apartment in Roma! Good food, good wine, and good company.<\/p><\/div>\n I could spend forever at the Tivoli Gardens<\/p><\/div>\n Napoli!<\/p><\/div>\n The marina in Naples– so pretty it might not even be real.<\/p><\/div>\n Marissa and I atop a castle in Naples. Brilliant view.<\/p><\/div>\n Pompeii!!<\/p><\/div>\n The darling Carly Brock ’16 posing in front of the Venice canals<\/p><\/div>\n From Venice, with love<\/p><\/div>\n Snapped this atmospheric picture of Ally Suarez ’16 in the Venice Biennale<\/p><\/div>\n Venice– like living in a work of art.<\/p><\/div>\n Venice sunset!<\/p><\/div>\n 463 steps later… and I had this view of Florence from atop the Duomo. Incredible.<\/p><\/div>\n I left my heart in Firenze.<\/p><\/div>\n Florence was probably my favorite place we visited (and it had the best gelato!!), but Venice was particularly notable because I got to meet up with my now housemate and bff Maia Raeder ’16! She’d been studying abroad in Granada, Spain the semester previous, so it was but a hop, skip, and a jump to Italy to meet up with us!<\/p>\n Me and my bella Maia!<\/p><\/div>\n Maia contemplating in the Venice Biennale<\/p><\/div>\n Ally and Maia enjoying the Venice view<\/p><\/div>\n As we neared the end of our trip, our final assignment was upon us. During our last week in Rome, our class had unlimited access to the studio space to work on a sustained art project dealing with the themes of architecture and space. Here’s all the brilliant work everyone presented!<\/p>\n Ashley Dyas ’16 — Pompeii poppy<\/p><\/div>\n Marissa Irish ’16 — inspired by the Venice waterways<\/p><\/div>\n Olivia Turner ’15 — residential watercolors<\/p><\/div>\n Paris Ebersviller ’16 — real flower stained glass windows<\/p><\/div>\n Maggie Langford ’17 — an eclectic mix of portraiture and pop-up artwork<\/p><\/div>\n Ally Suarez ’16 –arch and oculus<\/p><\/div>\n Rachel Kalman ’16 — graphite sculptures<\/p><\/div>\n Carly Brock ’16 — watercolor landscapes<\/p><\/div>\n My own work — watercolor flowers of Pompeii, Venice, and Rome<\/p><\/div>\n Aliyah Boucher ’15 — a spacial representation<\/p><\/div>\n Overall, the experience was incredible. Being able to witness in person the art and architecture I’ve studied for so many of my years as a student was something I never thought I’d be able to do. Needless to say, I am very blessed to be going to a university where a trip like this is possible and affordable. After my trip to Italy, I flitted around Europe for ten more days with my friends Marissa and Ashley–but that’s another post altogether! One day, I’ll make it back to Italy, and this time with more language skills besides, “I’d like chocolate gelato please!”<\/p>\n Ciao! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n All the bellas and Elise!<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hello first semester of senior year! It’s good to be back. This summer was particularly eventful; I spent the first half of it living that Lizzie McGuire life abroad in Italy! Last semester, I was lucky enough to have made … Continue reading <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>