The Eternal City

The other weekend I went to Rome with some friends. We were all looking forward to this weekend since the hostel we were staying at it seemed like a lot of fun. They offered pasta classes, city tours, and karaoke nights among other activities. Funnily enough, we didn’t actually spend much time at the hostel unless it was to catch a quick pick-me-up nap before heading back out into the Eternal City.

Rome is a very beautiful city filled with tons and tons of history. There you can find the Colosseum, the Fontana di Trevi, the Roman Forum, the Spanish Steps, Vatican City and the list goes on and on. On our first day there my friends and I decided to go take a look at the Spanish Steps and the Fontana di trevi. It was fascinating to walk along the ever-streching boulevards, massive and intricate buildings, and admirable fountains. On our walk there I also realized how steep the streets in Rome can be. Once we got to the Fontana di Trevi we were barely able to see the captivating fountain. There was a massive crowd of people attempting to take pictures and others were just sitting on the steps taking in the wondrous feat. We hardly got to take in the magnificent fountain and take any pictures at that. We decided we’d return later that night when it was less crowded which turned out to be a whole adventure on its own.

Wondering through the streets of Rome on scooters at around two in the morning is definitely an experience. For some reason it makes everything seem much more grand and enchanting. Even around this time the Fontana di Trevi still counted with a handful of visitors. However, at least now we could comfortably sit down and take in the stunning fountain it was without a doubt a surreal sight.

Another intriguing thing about Rome is its nightlife. It’s much more different than nightlife in the U.S. which is characterized by house parties, booze, clubs, and the fun of it all ending early. At least this stands true for college nightlife. Nightlife in Rome or perhaps even Italy in general is much more social and conversational. It’s about going to the piazza, grabbing a few drinks with friends, and talking the night away. While in Rome we met some friends up at Piazza San Lorenzo which turned out to be quite the social hub. There were tons of other young people filling up the chairs and tables outside the bars and pubs, chatting away. That night we met other international students coming from France. We spent the night getting to know each other and cracking jokes. That’s the thing about the culture around nightlife here. It’s more about talking to people, and meeting strangers some of whom are often international. It’s in this ambiance that I’ve come to learn about other people’s perspectives, cultures, and lifestyles; widening my view of the world.