The First Week Coming to an End...

So the first week has almost past and it has flown by! Needless to say, this place is amazing! Everywhere you go people are chatting, little kids are playing, or cars are flying by. The first few days we got plenty of rain, which put somewhat of a damper on the idea of wanting to go explore, but we managed to put in several miles despite the weather; I mean we're in Rome, you can't waste a day! This week we went on a walking tour as a class with Matt, seeing some amazing things! It was a day of complete exploring and observing so many things we had seen in textbooks for years. The Pantheon for instance, is so much more incredible in person than any textbook has ever been able to portray. I would have to say walking up to the Forum was incredible! I had no idea where we were and was completely surprised with what I saw once I turned the corner overlooking the Forum. It was an amazing view and probably at this point my favorite experience. I instantly realized where I was, and was completely shocked by what appeared after walking between a few buildings. Yesterday we got to go on a tour with Scott, which was awesome. He definitely included us and it was very informative, while being entertaining at the same time. We have completed two days worth of sketching, and it is incredible how much you can learn and progress in such a short amount of time. Studio is right above the Piazza Santa Maria in Trestevere and yesterday we got to experience a few street musicians that played through our studio time! The culture here is so different, yet better in so many ways as everyone is so friendly. People are always outside enjoying one another's company or moving about spaces. They walk everywhere and the ones who drive are insane drivers! You will be walking along a very narrow alley where you wouldn't expect any vehicles to travel, yet they squeeze on through. They also do not really pay attention to designated parking spots; they park wherever they can find an empty area whether it scratches their car. So many things amaze me and are a completely new understanding! I am learning about and experiencing all their customs, which I really enjoy how everything is orientated and created for walking, while looking forward to the many new places to explore.