This week started out as a usual week. However, we’ve had various classes scheduled and re-scheduled…very weird how it all turned out. But on Wednesday for Marcella’s History claa, we had a lecture for the first hour and then we went to the Foro Romano (the Roman Forum)! I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again- I absolutely love ruins. We did a sketchingdiagramming exercise. Instead of looking at a map to see how the forum was laid out, we had to map/diagram it ourselves. A little harder when the only thing that marks where a building is are columns, but it enabled me to really figure out the relationships that existed between all of the different building types (basilica, arco, piazza, templa, etc). We got the 2-day passes, that allow us to go see the Colosseum, so on Thursday, Marda, Allie, Kristy and I went to the Colosseum. I’ve walked around the outside before at night, but I had never been inside. It’s a completely different experience to be inside and imagine all the gladiators fighting, and see it in the flesh, so to speak. The floor where they fought isn’t there now, so the network of arches and paths below is visible. Arches and columns symbolize power in Rome, and they are everywhere in the Colosseo. On Tuesday, Tiffany taught us how to use conte (charcoal), and I decided to try it, this time sketching inside the Colosseum. It turned out ok….it’s definitely a new medium to get used to. Last night, Mira, Jen, Allie, Karrah, Claire, and I headed out for aperitivi. Aperitivo is our equivalent of happy hour- except it exists every day from 5:30 to about 8:30 or 9 pm. You buy a drink, and can then stack your plate as many times as you want! The place we went to tonight is really close to our Italian class, and served a bunch of delicious cooked vegetables. And I got a Bulmer’s- YUM. Yesterday morning, Allie, Corey, Sarah, and I went to this big, indoor market in Vittorio Emanuele. We had to take the metro to get there; there are lots of booths, with fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat, seafood…it’s like a maze. I bought some cashews, dates, and a mysterious spiky green…vegetable? It’s called Ampalaya. I looked it up, and this is what I found:
"Ampalaya is a vegetable grown throughout the Philippines. It is mostly cultivated, although wild forms can be found. It grows wild in the remote areas of Mt. Banahaw. As the English name suggests (bitter melon), the melon has a bitter taste due to the presence of momordicin. There has been much research done on the effectiveness of using Momordica Charantia in the treatment of diabetes. It has been shown to increase production of beta cells by the pancreas, thereby improving the body’s ability to produce insulin. It has been recommended by the Department of Health of the Philippines, as one of the best herbal medicines for it's ability to help with liver problems, Diabetes and HIV. It is a common herb used in Chinese herbology. In the Philippines, the leaves are often used for children's coughs. It is also used in the treatment of skin diseases, sterility in women, as a parasiticide, as an antipyretic, and as a purgative."
After we went to the market, we went to the Indian Fast Food restaurant again. Spent 9 euros on lunch, but it was super good- mixed rice with a curry that had green pepper in it. And a little dessert- it’s a small round cake, about the size of the bottom of a spray paint can with sprinkles of coco (coconut) and pistacchio and an almond on top. It’s dense and has milk and sugar in it. Tasty.
Now that we have actually had some classes, I think my favorite is Marcella’s class (Although I enjoy all of the classes). We learn about the history of Rome, but specifically in how the infrastructures determined when building and planning Rome have developed into the modern day, and how they have influenced other cities around the world. I find the class fascinating. Our first assignment is to create a map of an area of Rome using one of 4 approaches studied in class: cognitive, experiential, rules and typological.
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