Becoming a Native.

Today, I realized that large groups of tourists were getting on my nerves. I found myself thinking, "Geeze, do they not know where they're going and why are they stopping every two seconds to stare up at things I walk by every day?" And then I realized that that was me twenty-one days ago. It's crazy how one can adapt so easily to the culture and society that they are placed in. Yea, I still don't know how to speak hardcore Italian, but I'm picking up on some phrases. I'm also learning how to use my hands a lot more when I speak and shorten my sentences into choppy ones that get my point across. But even then, I truly feel like I'm starting to "belong." I'm learning how the Italians walk and their mannerisms when dealing with those large groups of tourists wearing their neck-wallets and fanny packs usually following someone holding up a flag. But don't get me wrong about any of this -- I'm ALL for going places and seeing the world, I just wonder sometimes how the natives feel about it all. Anyways, that was just my thought process today as I was buying gifts for people..

But for school, we went back to the National Museum of Rome to start the Flavian dynasty.

The Portonaccio Sarcophagus.

I'm not sure if you can really see it in this picture, but the central figure on the horse is faceless. This is because no one was actually buried in it. They found it in a basement where it was stored since its creation between 180 and 190 AD. Sculptures and sarcophagi were getting to the point where they were being mass produced and then personalized once purchased. Many of the same scenes were popular, so it made it easier for the sculptor to do this. 

Fountain of the Four Rivers in the Piazza Navona. 

This fountain is the location for one of the scenes in "Angels and Demons." However, when the guy is drowning and Tom Hanks goes to save him and swims for like an hour -- which I know is an exaggeration, but still -- is the biggest lie everrrr. It's like four feet deep. So all I have to say is: that's Hollywood for ya.

The Ludovisi Throne. 

The middle figure represents Aphrodite getting out of a pool by the help of two girls. It's of Greek marble from around the late 5th/early 4th BC.

Suicide of a Gaul.

It's a Roman copy of a series of statues from Pergamum after 230 BC. This sculpture shows a Gaul chieftain in the act of committing suicide after just killing his wife. They did this so their wives and children couldn't be sold into slavery.. which makes sense to me, I suppose.

After class, we made our way back to the hotel, had a cheap lunch, took a nice break in our cool, air conditioned room... and then the AC broke. Sooo... yea. Pray that they can get it fixed or something because it's starting to get hot here in Rome, and I would love to have it up and running again soon.