Is Rome exhilerating or oppressive?

Is Rome exhilarating or oppressive? To me Rome is definitely exhilarating with a few things that may be oppressive. It is hard to believe that we have been here for almost two weeks now and everyday is a new and exciting adventure. Every day we get to go to a new location and learn about the art and history and it is a ton of information! I feel like every time we leave our building to go out into the city, history and art surrounds us. There are so many stories behind all the art and culture that we have been seeing in the museums and just when we are waling around.
The whole city of Rome is an open air museum because around every corner there is a history or story such as the Protestant cemetery that we got to visit. I honestly thought that it was going to be creepy going to a cemetery but once I got in there, I saw how beautiful it was. There are so many people that have been buried there such as Keats, the famous poet and his best friend who is buried right beside him. I also think its funny how there is a cat colony inside the cemetery because they just run around and there are so many of them.
We also got to go to Capitoline Hill to see all the arts such as the "She Wolf". All these different art pieces have had such an influence in the past and it is just amazing to see it today during our time and appreciate it like those did during their time. I never really liked going to museums ever and now I have found a new passion and I really enjoy going to these amazing places. There is just so much to see and I feel like we have a lot of time left here but in reality we will not get to see everything this gorgeous place has to offer.
There is also so much to soak in while we are here. We have to learn the information from our classes and try to learn the every day life style here. I feel like I am learning so much but it is almost over whelming in some ways. I know that once I get back to the states, I am going to be able to look back at all my notes and projects and be able to reflect on what an amazing experience I had here. It is amazing here and I am so excited for what is to come in the next month and a half!

When we went to the Colosseum, it really was not what I had expected. I mean, it was very cool to see and it was an awesome experience just to be in the place where so many lives were lost. This was an arena of bloodshed and now a days I guess we can kind of relate to it because of all the war and bloodshed that goes on in our part of the world.

I have always heard that it is such an amazing experience when you go there and see this structure and do not get me wrong, I was in awe, but just not as much as I thought I was going to be. This whole week so far has just been a non stop blur of excitement. When I left home, my mom told me to take all this in because I will probably not get another chance like this again because of all the private tours and having Dinello, who knows this country because it is of his own. I am so grateful to have all these experiences and have all these amazing people show us the way of life that we are not used to.