Rome experience by Lori Ambrusch

 

It is hard to choose a specific story that represents my experience in Rome.  I have found that my time here has not been made up of individual memories, but rather it has been one running dialogue that continues to become more complex daily with different tangents entering the conversation.  When I first arrived, I followed my map.  After a couple days, I would put the map away while walking with friends.  A week later I would venture out by myself, and from there I started wandering down paths as they called to me without being concerned about getting lost. 

I now speak with locals in the little Italian I know, greet the “gelato man” by name, and pick up groceries as needed while passing by shops and markets.  Now that I am fully comfortable with the routines of everyday life, I can focus on exploring more of the city and participating in the countless cultural events without having to be concerned about whether I will find my way or be able to communicate.   

Some of my favorite Italian outings include eating on outside patios, walking through the parks and rose gardens I find during my travels, and enjoying a coffee in the crisp morning on my terrace as the sun rises.  I have grown so comfortable here that it is hard to believe that I am still a relatively new visitor.  When I return home to “what I know,” I feel that it will be a shock to see just how much my patterns have changed.  While I may not be able to stay in Rome forever, I will certainly never forget the time I have spent here nor the lasting relationships I have made. 
                              
                                                                                                        Lori Ambrush


Thanks to Lori for her story about Rome. She enjoyed the free breakfast that everybody can win writing a story for our blog and she sent us a picture of that delicious experience.