Celebrating Easter in Rome

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Julie Kim

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Julie Kim

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Ciao <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Temple University <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2022 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Rome, italy <i>Program provider:</i> Temple Rome <i>Major/minor:</i> Communication Studies / Entrepreneurship / Content Creation <i>Demographics:</i> First-Generation, Korean-American <i>Future career aspirations:</i> Further down my professional career, I want to work in an advertising agency that would allow me to travel and work digitally, specifically in content creation. <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1. Learn how my identity as a minority exists in Italy, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is important for me to overcome the stereotypes of American tourists and have difficult, but necessary, conversations about the increased fear of Asians since the outbreak. 2. Volunteer as an English tutor at one of the three local high schools Temple Rome is associated with. 3. Get experience with an advertising agency to learn about persuasion techniques used in Italian media and society.

Italy went into a national red zone lock for the 2021 Easter holidays, from April 3rd to 5th (including Easter Sunday and Pasquetta). Pasquetta is “little Easter” or Easter Monday. Back at home, I usually spent the whole day at my church with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We dressed in white and spent the day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus!

This Easter, I celebrated with my friends by attending mass at the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia. While I am not Catholic, I thought it was a great experience! I have never kneeled during my service, but this church has a comfortable pad for kneeling when praying or participating in the service. My friend, Addie, told me that these were the most comfortable ones she has ever knelt on; sometimes, it is just wood. The priest came around to spray the worshipers with holy water from a short broom-like item near the end of worship, which I was not prepared for! The water got on my face and hair, but it was refreshing.

After mass, my friends and I prepared to eat all day since we could not go out unless it was for a religious reason or we had valid reasons to. Every Sunday, I have been attending worship virtually with my family at home. We read Luke 24:1-12 and talked about the purpose of the resurrection of Jesus, which we believe gives us hope for eternal life! Our meals consisted of two charcuterie boards (assortment of fresh cut meats, cheeses, fruits, and nuts), La Colomba (traditional cake), a giant chocolate egg, homemade lasagne, meatballs, and baked veggies!