Since I’ve been here I’ve become more interested in the country of Italy. The people and culture is something that I’m constantly learning more about, but the only place that I know is Rome, and only a fraction of it at that. I really enjoy field trips because I at least feel like I’m getting a better sense of the rest of the country. Riding the train through the less than picturesque suburbs of crumbling tenement buildings and farmland is still a new experience for me. I thought Perugia was super neat because of its college town vibe that was contrasted to a medieval setting. A bustling nightlife filled with people my age in the context of crazy arches and views of local church towers were an awesome juxtaposition. The historical part of the town was on a hill, but the newer less touristy part of the town was sprawled out in the valley with railroad tracks and highways. I guess I just had never considered that some Italian cities have developed in a similar way to cities in the US. Coming to realize things through observation rather than lectures has become a theme for this trip, and it is what I prefer.