As a college student, having access to social media and my phone 24/7 was a necessity. That was, until I came to Rome. The school I am staying at does not provide Wifi in any of the dorm rooms, only in the common spaces. Since international data plans are so expensive, I’ve had to accommodate for the lack of Wifi and communication to the American world. This past week, I had my first experience of going an entire day without Wifi, and subsequently, access to the technological world.
I started my day with an on-site class at the Roman Forum, one of the many benefits of attending school in Rome. I had to use a map and a sense of direction to navigate the confusing bus system. With time to spare, I arrived at the Forum in time to grab a quick cappuccino and cornetto, a typical Roman breakfast. With a teacher guiding us around the magnificence of this ancient meeting place, it was fascinating to see how much was still in tact after thousands of years.
After class ended, I decided to stay within the city, furthering my lack of Internet access. Luckily, I had a map of the city and places to see. I walked and walked until finally I ended up at a small restaurant in the Monti neighborhood that has been family owned for over 100 years. The food was mouthwatering and the tiramisu was just an added bonus.
Upon finishing lunch and staring at a map for close to half an hour, I made my way to the Mouth of Truth. As seen in "Roman Holiday," legend says that any liar who puts forth their hand into the Mouth will be bitten off. Apparently, I am not a liar because my hand is still attached. Phewf!
Following this adventure, I made my way to the Trastevere neighborhood where I had heard about two small English bookstores. I found myself lost in words for a half hour in each store, purchasing several classic novels. Subsequently, I walked around for another hour looking for the perfect spot to sit and read. I stumbled upon a small Piazza with a garden area and fountain underneath the shade of large palm trees. Here, I spent another hour or so reading my new books.
It was time for me to make my way toward the Chiesa Di Sant’Ignazio for an all school mass. Walking into the magnificence of the church, I saw decadent frescoes embellished with gold. The mass went smoothly, and we were all relieved to make our way to a dinner led by the faculty.
At this dinner, we sat together eating a delicious four course meal that consisted of a tomato stuffed with ricotta and drizzled in balsamic and pesto, a pasta stuffed with pear and covered in a cream sauce, chicken and vegetables with a gravy coating and finally a gelato to finish.
After the long and exhausting day, I was relieved to make my way back to school in a taxi where the clock struck midnight, and I realized I spent the whole day without a cell phone attached to my hand.
Overall, the lack of Wifi changed my attitude about the whole day. I was able to explore and truly enjoy my new city while looking up and all around me. Instead of focusing on my lack of viable directions, I was able to navigate my way to many parts of the city and I feel more and more confident in my ability to travel on my own.
