Feeling refreshed after a solid amount of sleep, I was ready to take on Rome.
Before free time to explore, we had breakfast at the hostel. Italian breakfast is a new concept to me, and it doesn’t feel quite like breakfast. An Italian breakfast typically consists of pastries or something sweet and is a rather smaller meal. There were croissants, different pie-esque pastries, breads, and cereal. I settled on a chocolate-filled croissant and lemon cake. Both were delizioso.
After our breakfast, a group of us wanted to return to the areas we visited the previous evening, so we could get pictures and a better feel for the place. I am happy we did, as I feel like I missed so many different restaurants and shops. One of the things I loved about the area was the amount of street art and murals that graced the streets. Our group even had a mini photo shoot when we discovered an alley that was decorated with vines.
We concluded our adventures and met up with the group to visit the American University of Rome. I no longer need to feel worried about not being able to work out much on this trip- the amount of stairs we climbed and the distance walked to get to the university easily could count as a workout in itself for the day.
At the AUR, we listened to a lecture by Dr. Andrea Bini, a professor at the university. The main focus of his lecture was on the history of Italian media. My biggest take-away from the lecture was how intertwined Italian politics and media are. Most media companies are owned by politicians or other political figures, and family members or friends also end up running these companies or working for them. This is a sly way for politicians to ensure that particular media outlet will say nothing negative about him/her.
Another sad and disgusting thing I learned was how women are portrayed in the media. Women are often degraded, expected to look a certain way, and have to act on the pleasure of males. With all of the issues happening in today’s time, one would think a nation would recognize this problem and try to correct it.
From the university, we took public transportation to the Colosseum and Forum. Seeing the Colosseum was breathtaking, and I had to just observe the enormous building for a second until I could believe it was real. Our tour guide, Katya, was extremely informative with both the Colosseum and Forum, and I enjoyed the additional myths and stories she discussed with us.
By the end of our excursion, my Fitbit read that I had over 20,000 steps and walked roughly 8.25 miles. The craving for margherita pizza was real, and I think a “treat yourself” moment was in order. Asking Matteo for pizza suggestions, he strongly suggested and by this, I mean he said it was the best pizza, Ai Marmi. He also strongly encouraged us to get an appetizer that consisted of a fried rice ball stuffed with mozzarella. Again, it was a good decision and by the end of my trip, I think I will come to realize Matteo is never wrong.
On our way back from dinner, we discovered Fonte della Salute, another gelateria. I did not believe anything could top last night’s gelato, but I wrong. This was the best gelato and tasted so fresh. If you ever make your way to Italy and end up in the shop, I highly recommend the apple and cinnamon flavor. You won’t even feel like you’re eating a dessert.
