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Published: January 23rd 2018
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How is it that we only have two more days in Italy? I have seen so many things and been to so many different places that I never imagined would be possible for me! Florence has been absolutely amazing, I cannot put into words how grateful I am for this opportunity. But as I look back at the past three weeks I think that some of my favorite memories from this entire trip were from the weekend we spent in Rome.
Rome was a lot bigger than Florence but it was still manageable to walk most of the city. Rome also seems a lot more modern than Florence and I think this is because of a few different reasons. For example the roads are much bigger, the sidewalks can fit two people walking side by side, and the buildings themselves seem less medieval. I don’t know if it was because we had very sunny and clear skies that weekend or if I was just beyond excited to be seeing all the sights, but Rome just seemed to sparkle!
For as long as I can remember, I have always dreamed of going to Rome. In my little 7 year old,
hopeless romantic mind, I just imagined life in Rome to be the most magical and wonderful thing in the entire world. Thinking about having lunch in front of the Trevi Fountain after making a wish, walking past the colosseum, and having a gelato on the Spanish Steps (just like Audrey of course) just made me so giddy! I thought it was just that, a dream. I never thought that I would be sitting here in my apartment in Florence, listening to the nightlife outside my window, writing about the time I spent in Rome.
To start our weekend we toured the Vatican after checking into the hotel which was absolutely amazing! One thing that stood out to me throughout the time we spent in the Vatican City was the diversity of its visitors. There were people of all different ethnicities, religions, shapes, sizes, and ages but everyone was so happy. There was a sense of peace and unity that fell over this little city, it was so just heartwarming. I stood there in St. Peter’s Square, with the sun setting right behind the Basilica, smiling ear to ear as I looked at all the people around me.
After
walking through the breathtaking Vatican Palace, we went right into the Sistine Chapel. When I was in elementary and middle school, my art teacher at St. John’s would always rave about Michelangelo and how he managed to paint the entire inside of the chapel. I wished that I could have had her there with me, she would have absolutely loved it! So being able to stand there in the middle of the room with my mouth basically touching the ground was mind blowing. It doesn’t matter how many pictures you see, books you read, or movies you watch because nothing will be able to do the chapel justice.
My hands down most memorable, and most anticipated, moment in Rome was when I saw the Trevi Fountain. Like I have mentioned before, I have DREAMED of going to the Trevi Fountain since I was literally 7 years old and have talked about seeing it since our plane touched down in the Florence airport. So needless to say, this was a big moment for me! When Dr. Bush heard how this had been such an important dream of mine for so long, I think she got just as excited as I
was! So after walking around the beautiful city for a while, we turned down a little side street and Dr. Bush linked arms with me. She gave me a squeeze and walked me around the corner and as soon as the fountain came into view I couldn’t help but cry! She made sure to make that moment as special as possible for me and I can't thank her enough!
I just couldn’t believe it. I was in Rome, with the most amazing professors and my sweet new friends, standing in front of THE Trevi Fountain! In that moment I knew that I had finally done it, I managed to push my crippling anxiety to the side long enough to take the step and make my dreams come true. I will never forget that moment and how I felt for as long as I live.
Steps:
Saturday, Jan 20th: 17,781
Sunday, Jan 21st: 18,047
Monday, Jan 22nd: 14,876
Tuesday, Jan 23rd: 16,910
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