Revelations in the Eternal City
Ciao, Morocco Branting here, recently back from my architectural pilgrimage to Rome. The past three months have been somewhat of a dream and its kind of strange to be back, but its good to be home. I am very thankful for all who supported me on this journey, the GO! program, the College of Built Environments, my friends, and my family; without them I would not have had this indescribably meaningful opportunity to grow as an individual, a student, a community member, and a designer.
Everyone tells you that spending time abroad, no matter now long, is a mind opening experience that lasts a lifetime, but the thought always passed in one ear and out the other, never really resonating with me until I went abroad myself. From the moment I stepped off the plane at Fiumicino to the moment I stepped back on three months later, I was saturated with a culture, a way of life, a society so similar, yet so far abstracted from my own. At first it was a little intimidating, the language barrier and all, but by the end I felt very comfortable, as if I was an Italian myself (surely my fashion sense contributed to this). But if I had to eliminate all the things I learned except one, reduce it all down to one prophetic idea, it would be that there is no us vs. them, only us.
I met countless people on my travels, from farmers to shop keepers, clothiers to academics and no matter where they were from, how they were raised or what their goals were they were all just trying to do one thing: live together. And its the same here in the US as it is elsewhere. Sure, there are many issues that divide us, many geographical barriers that separate us, many languages that stop us from communicating. Sure, there are many places, abroad and back home, where people are wrongly oppressed, are held back from their goals. And sure, there are many people in places of power who try to convince us that we are different, creating us and them mentalities whether its race, ethnicity, gender, age or something else they try to pick apart. But no matter what, we are all just trying to live, and live together. Its absolutely mind-blowing to see just how similar people are wherever you go. And to see how important recycling is in countries other than the US (we're pretty bad at it, save for Seattle). But back to being serious, it is so important that people come to acknowledge that, whatever ones beliefs, religion, culture and so on, we are all just people trying to get by. Whether or not it takes studying abroad, traveling domestically, or fighting bears, this is something that everyone needs to experience this revelation, not just hear it second hand from someone else.
Back to the small talk. The ability to really dive into Italy as a long-term student was priceless. Aside from the intent to study famous works of architecture, what really separated my classmates and I from the tourists was the duration of our stay, which allowed us to take the city on one piece at a time and really absorb Italian culture and what it meant to live in Rome, the Eternal City. It was absolutely indescribable just how inspirational it was to walk the streets of Trastevere, cross the Ponte Sisto and walk along the Via dei Giubbonari to get to class everyday. Not only was it overwhelmingly beautiful, but it felt like I was a true Italian commuting to "work." Unfortunately, because places of interest, work and leisure are so spread out in American cities, this kind of pedestrian experience cannot occur. Even in the hearts of our greatest cities the car dominates life, making it quite off-putting to be a pedestrian.
The treatment of the urban fabric and city planning in Rome may seem like a hot mess at first, but if you separate out the American prejudice favoring grids and straight lines and instead evaluate the human experience in the city (the actually important part of Architecture, capital A), you see how much more comfortable and human-compatible the city of Rome is compared to any American city. The intimate streets full of life and pedestrian traffic that meander to and fro, branching into smaller capillaries and veins. No matter what street you turn town you always find something new, be it another road, a boutique, a gelato shop or ristorante. Exploring, experiencing and living in Rome is as good as it gets, as long as you live like an Italian -- forget time and relax; things will happen when they happen. But if you have places to be and a tight schedule, Rome may not be for you. Also, avoid the bus. Just. Don't.
I have seen many monuments and buildings from my studies. I have learned a vast amount about Rome, its people, its history. I have matured as a student and as an individual. I knew that an extended stay abroad would be life changing, something monumental and far beyond keeping up with the Jones, but never could I have imagined just how much my three months in Rome would push me. I am so very thankful for this opportunity, and I hope that many other students after me can follow in my footsteps as I followed my mentors.
Ciao & Buona Giornata,
Morocco