Due: Pinch me.

"Because I would do something stupid like pack two spare toothbrushes 

and forget to grab the toothpaste." --upon opening my duffel bag.

Friday, March 25th, was officially my first day in Rome! I didn't think ahead and had no plans for the days leading up to the first day of my program (I was too focused on getting to Rome in one piece), so I decided the night before to pack up half of my belongings into an empty bag that I brought with me. The thought of dragging my unnecessarily large duffel bag half way across town gave me chills, especially when I could just avoid the entire ordeal. So Friday became my walking adventure from the Termini to Campo de' Fiori, the location of the University of Washington Rome Center.

My camera had died during my visit to the Keukenhof so for my first official day in Rome, I had no way of capturing or recording anything! Getting frustrated was an option but I actually felt relieved. I took it as a blessing and an opportunity to make the day my own. This is a personal habit, but any pictures that I take are more for myself as reminders of discoveries I made or feelings I had like, "This is the park where I met a man named Antonio," or "This was the moment when I realized how much I really loved you." Stuff like that. So the picture of a bench or an umbrella that seems really random probably means the world to me. What I mean is, the pictures I take, trinkets I collect, and trip itself are all for me. I left for Rome to learn about religion but more importantly, to gain a deeper understanding to be able to really love myself for who I am.

To make up for my selfishness, I'm posting up more pictures from Amsterdam. I realized that I didn't really show any pictures of what I was talking about so here is some visual context to my thoughts. Hope that's okay with everyone.

I woke up that morning in sort of a daze. Having a strange urge to get started on my day, I stumbled out of my bed and into the shower. I have a friend who tells me that if I ever feel gross, then all I need to do is give me teeth a good brushing and then it wouldn't be so bad. I've followed his advice before and it really does help, but Tiffin, I was pretty disgusting. Needless to say, I'm not going to travel anywhere that doesn't have showers any time soon.

However, the morning didn't really start until I walked back into my room and it just hit me: I was in Rome. Just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating, I had to go check -- I opened my window, stuck my head out to look down at the street below, and then took in a wonderful breath of fresh air. I gave myself a moment to stand there and smile. It's something that I rarely take the time to do and I highly suggest that you do it too. Smiling is so wonderfully easy and good, it's a wonder I don't do it more often.

Even though I had walked for who knows how many miles the day before, not taking the bus was worth it. I spent the day in silence, walking down the streets and taking in the city. From that walk, I don't know how to describe Rome except that it is such a beautiful paradox. I was walking down a street alongside smart cars and I saw a monument built in the early 1900s, dedicated to the first King of Italy in the 1860s, which just happened to be next to the 1,900 year old Trajan's Column. I'm not kidding. I have seen an ancient ruin, a medieval church, and a supermarket all on the same block. This is how it is all throughout Rome, making it my kind of a city. I love contradictions and seeing ideas clash. After all, it's how new ideas are synthesized (whoever can name the theorist and the theory wins a prize!)

I'll publish 'Due Mezzo: Three Bruins and a Husky' when I return next week. I figured that this half of the second day was long enough.

Buona notte!
hd

Travel tip of the day: most of Rome's street signs are marble placards embedded into the sides of buildings. I haven't quite figured out the logic behind which building is chosen to hold the placard yet, but I'll be sure to get back to you when I do! Also, if you're heading from the Termini to the Campo and you can clearly see the top of St. Peter's Basilica, that means you've gone way too far.
Trust me. I know.