Venivimus, Vidimus, Vicimus, at Experivi[1]

by Sarah Olmanson

April 19, 2004

This trip was about experiences—unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I went to Italy for new experiences and that is exactly what I got. We all came to Italy, we all saw Italy, and we all “conquered” Italy, but for each person, the experience of Italy was unique. This paper is about my experiences.

Italy is exhausting. I slept more during and after our trip than I ever thought I could. Sure, I could attribute it to jet lag, but I don’t think that was the reason. I think it was Princess Anne Syndrome—a syndrome I just made up. The syndrome shows itself when one is in a foreign place and doesn’t want to stop going because she doesn’t want to miss anything. As Anne felt in Roman Holiday, so did I feel in Italy. I didn’t want to miss a thing. I overcame my tendency to be introverted many times because I wanted to experience as many aspects of Italian life as I could. The thrill of where I was kept me going throughout the whole day, and then I just crashed, which readied me to begin all over again the next day.

The experience that sticks out the most is the football game. Football is the sport in every country but the United States, but I don’t think I truly realized it until I went to the football game in Rome. It was like I was at the Superbowl, but the Superbowl happens every week. The sport and its fans (which include all of Rome) are just crazy. Beyond the amazing athletic ability of the athletes, the crowd was what really made it interesting. From the near riot to the pickpocket to the riot police to the smoke bombs and flying water bottles, I have never experienced so much energy in one place. I am so glad that I went. The only reason that I did go was so that I could experience an Italian activity instead of seeing Roman places. What an experience it was! It was simply indescribable. I sat in that stadium and just appreciated the energy, the culture, and the game. Amazing!

The experience of the Colosseum made me feel small, young, and stupid. I was in awe. It was amazing that so many years ago, without modern tools and technology, the Romans were able to build such a sophisticated building—and that it is still there today for us to see. Likewise, the Pantheon; I have wanted to see the Pantheon for a long time. Once again, it is a building that I can not imagine building at all, let alone without modern technology. I find it remarkable that it was built and then the knowledge of how to build the massive dome was lost. I am also struck at its purpose. The most magnificent buildings were reserved for the gods. This building, the pantheon (to all the gods,) strikes me as especially magnificent because it is so unique. I also love that it still stands in much of its original form—for generations, people have recognized its extraordinary qualities. While I do not agree with the beliefs behind the building of the Pantheon, I appreciate their reverence in building it and marvel at being able to experience it today.

The forum; I was grateful as I walked through this bastion of the Republic. Being in the place where our country’s politics are rooted made me very appreciative. In the midst of empires, the people for at least a short time, wanted and created something different. It seems very brave. The experience of walking through its streets was somewhat like the experience of walking through Pompeii. I found it strange walking through these once bustling streets that are now empty except for the tourists who come to see what “once was.”

No experience felt more foreign than the subway. Since it was the first metro I have taken, the metro will forever be linked with Italy, although it is an American invention. I felt like an outsider, somewhat like Daisy Miller, except conscious of the fact that I was not in my element. I experienced the metro as a sardine (packed in!) and also as a people-watcher. It was interesting to see all of the different people and marvel at this being their normal life—living in Rome! I can’t even imagine.

The Italian experience would not be complete without some ventures into its natural beauty. This beauty came through for me the most in two places—Tivoli and Capri. Tivoli offered a rich view of Rome and the manmade adornments of the 150 fountains of the Villa d’Este. It was comforting to see Rome from afar because I could connect Rome to any other city, because from a distance it could have been any city. Why was the experience comforting? It reminded me that all people are essentially the same while I was in the middle of a town and experience that was so foreign to me. The Villa d’Este let me experience tranquility. With its many fountains and grassy areas, I have never seen anything like it. Sitting in the Villa d’Este’s gardens and overlooking the Roman countryside was sublime.

Capri also offered a beautiful view of the Italian landscape. The most stunning view came from the top of Anacapri. The scary chairlift ride was an experience worth the payoff in viewpoint. The day we visited Capri was God-given to do so. The sky was sunny and warm, but the air was not hot. The sea and the sky were beautiful shades of blue. Simply put, it was gorgeous. God truly created a beautiful place to see and gave me a beautiful day to experience it.

Included in my experiences of Italy were the readings from our class because I consciously thought about them while I was in Italy, comparing thoughts and feelings, trying to understand, and appreciating the different experiences that each traveler to Italy must have.     

The passion of Rome as displayed in “Roman Fever” and “Daisy Miller” was evident as we walked around Rome, especially at the Colosseum, which was mentioned in the stories. I found myself reflecting on these stories, often with thoughts of this essay, and thinking that it would be much easier to get carried away in someplace with so much history and passion associated with it. One of the critics we read pointed out how fitting the setting of the Colosseum was because of the passion associated with the contests held there. After seeing it, even thousands of years later, I would have to agree.

We talked a lot in our class about the roles of women and how they have changed and also stayed the same. We talked about the confines of womanhood in regards to Mrs. Ansley, Mrs. Slade, Daisy Miller, and also Princess Anne. While the confines of womanhood after their models did not strike me while in Italy, what I did find interesting was what the statues said in regards to the role of women. I noticed that the marble statues of women were more often clothed than the statues of men. I noticed this because in our culture, in art, it is so often the other way around. It was as if the modesty of ancient Italy, while not forbidding the use of naked female figures, did not hold it up, while the use of naked male figures was highly prized in art. It was as if the respect for women’s bodies was too great to parade them in art. I also recognized that their overall sense of modesty was much less than the American sense of modesty. Beyond the marble statues, the brothel and art of Pompeii showed this immodesty.  There was no shortage of “art” that conveyed a lack of respect. I found the male/female modesty differences between American and ancient Italian cultures very striking.

When we read Answer Me in class, someone pointed out that they couldn’t tell when reading it that it was set in Italy. After they said that, I was struck by how true it was. Other than the occasional reference to a place, the book was such a story of human experience apart from a book about a location that it was easy to connect to Tamaro’s characters. I think that in this way, the book helped make Italy a place less foreign, even though the realities for most of the characters are so far away from the realities of my life.

In the midst of the differences, I felt the shared humanity very keenly. At the football game, although it was a new experience, I too got excited about the game. At the forum, with respect for the courage and history of Rome and its Republic, I too felt respect for the history and courage of our Republic. In Pompeii, as we strolled through this ancient, ruined city, I too felt the frailty of my humanity. Finally at the airport, as everyone bustled about, I too bustled and joined with thousands of people from countries all over the world, traveling and exploring.

Italy for me ended up being this striking study of similarities of humanity and differences of culture. While some of my anxieties never left, others where conquered. I enjoyed learning and seeing and experiencing everything, good or bad. While being crushed on a metro may not be the best memory of my trip, it ranks as a distinct memory of the modern Roman cultural experience. Likewise, my actual fear at the football game may not rate high on the list, but in combination with the high of the actual game and the sheer energy of the crowd, I think that the experience of that game may be at the top of my list.

When people ask me how my trip went, I just reply “great” and smile, because I know that I can never truly describe how wonderful all of the experiences were—the good and the not-so-good. But, if they ask me for more, a torrent comes out and they don’t know what hits them.

Like Princess Anne, I was sad when my time of exploration was done, but I knew that I had things to get back to and things to do. The situations surrounding our experiences were different, but our enjoyment of them was the same. This trip was an amazing experience.