It's funny: It always works out that the assignments or activities that seem the most daunting... or that you simply just do not want to do at all... turn out to be the best experiences. Case in point... as we were assigned to simply drift through a new part of Rome, I at first felt relatively uneasy. Although my Italian is improving by the day, finding the right mode of transportation to Trastevere seemed confusing and I felt hestitant at the prospect of going somewhere alone . I guess I don't take time to do much alone in general and some of my trepidation must have been a direct result of this. I decided to re-trace the route that Lisa and I used on Monday after class. I took the metro to Lepanto and proceeded to find the bus to Trastevere. There the real adventure began.
On the bus I met two elderly Italian men who wanted nothing more than to be my guide turistice... As we cruised the Tiber, they happily noted points of interest and gave me tips about finding my way in Trastevere. When we arrived by the Garibaldi bridge I said goodbye to my new friends and proceeded to begin my drift. I decided to first explore sans map, playing the role of silent observer and taking an abundance of notes. Later in my journey I decided to finally pinpoint my location on the map, where I had walked, and finally where I hoped to go.
LOST and MAPS: The idea of being lost isn't very appealing. Yet, when I finally let go of my fear and somewhat embraced the concept, I found that "lost" does not always have a negative connotation. In Trastevere I learned that being lost...and truly attempting to be a wandering observer...could be a rather liberating experience. I found the area to be charming: the people and the sights were enchanting, and the feeling I got walking around was so new, yet familiar. I felt comfortable in Trastevere, like I was revisiting a happy childhood...
Map-wise, I did bring a map along with me. Yet, as I previously mentioned, I decided against using it for the first part of my journey (is it really a journey if you don't have a destination in mind??) Typically I don't carry a map with me on a daily basis. I think I would almost rather be lost and ask for directions than look like a tourist...the very idea of busting out a huge, colorful map in public, for some reason, seems slighty embarassing. I like attempting to look like a fellow Italian traveler, and the phrase "When in Rome..." seems especially meaningful. Not to mention, of course, that I like practicing my Italian when I ask for directions and advice.
Below are the notes I took while drifting (many looked at me quizzically, curious as to why I was scribbling in a small, orange book...
Walked to Piazza di Calisto, bustling and full of people. Everyone seems like an observer themselves, people-watching from packed cafes. There are people of all ages, cobblestone streets, narrow alleyways, an abundance of flowers everywhere: in windows, archways, balconies, and the buildings look as perfect as a movie set...to the point where they look almost fabricated.
The sky is nearly cloudless, wrought iron and wooden shutters all around... I decided to sit in front of a fashion/eyeglass boutique, where I watched as one very fashionable male employee quarrelled with a woman inside. Above the store a woman sat in her window, laundry hanging from the balcony, quietly peering down at the street below.
Lost is such a strange feeling for me: for the first time I have no idea where I am, cannot pinpoint my location on a map; yet I don't know if I really care. I feel self-concious about my flip flops (Romans don't wear them!), thin tank top (the wind is kicking up!), and a small stain that I noticed on my white skirt. I now look to my map and only look up when a bum that passed by wished me "Buonasera."
A few minutes later I ran into a gelato vendor that we had met a few evenings before. I ran into him in the park...he was on his way to work...and although I couldn't recall his name or how exactly I knew him, I did not forget his face.
As I walked down Viale di Trastevere I found more random side markets with numerous Middle-Eastern and Asian vendors. This street did not look "Trastevere" at all, but rather similar to a busy Roman street lined with trash and vespas. I still have no idea how to get home...
I decided to stop for a cappucino and pastery...I felt as if I was breaking the "fourth wall." Somehow at the end of my journey I found my way back to the beginning...
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