Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Agenda for Day 19, 06-05-15

Dear Writers of Rome,

Yes, you read that right: Day 19. Unless you've made other arrangements with Dr. Spinner and me, this is the day that you'll post your final blog entry, the envoi.

As noted on our Writing page, the purpose of the envoi is to give you an opportunity to say some final words as a Roman writer:
An envoi is the conclusion of a written work, which often includes the author's parting words. Your envoi will be your final blog entry, posted 48 hours after the tour is over, where you will look back on your Roman tour and bring your writing of it to a close — for now.
Also, if you have outstanding blog posts, please make sure you have entered them before you post your envoi. Following this, Dr. Spinner and I will re-read everything, confer, and send your grades to the registrar.

For now, I hope this post finds you happy, healthy, and satisfied. Travel well, Romekids.

DC/gs

Monday, June 1, 2015

Agenda for Day 16, 06-02-15 (evening)

Dear Writers of Rome,

The agenda for our final evening in the Eternal City will be as follows.

(1) Gather in the Common Room at 7:00 p.m. sharp with your audio devices ready to be redistributed to those flying back to JFK on. If possible, please repack your device in the original bag(s), with the batteries removed.

(2) Also at this time, we'll review the check-out procedures, which we posted previously.

(3) After these preliminaries, we'll make some closing remarks and ask you to fill out course evaluations. Our peer mentor will collect them and mail them to the Classics/Religion administrative assistant upon landing in the U.S.

(4) At 8:00 we'll head out to our farewell dinner at L'Osteria Centouno. Thanks to the euro being in our favor, your personal allowance at the restaurant (excluding alcohol) will be 50 euros.

(5) Finally, bear in mind that those traveling to New York with Dr. Spinner will depart via shuttle at 6:30 a.m. the following morning.

DC/gs

Agenda for Day 16, 06-02-15 (morning)

Dear Writers of Rome,

As you are aware, tomorrow is the country-wide Festa della Repubblica, which commemorates the nationwide referendum of June 2, 1946 — the date on which Italians voted to abolish their constitutional monarchy and institute a full parliamentary system of government.

It's a national holiday akin Independence Day in the U.S. Nowhere are the celebrations grander than in Rome, the capital. Here's both what you can expect regarding transportation and other services on your last day in Rome, and how we plan to observe some of the festivities.

First, buses and the Metro will operate on the reduced-run festivo schedule; in fact, the Colosseo Metro stop might be closed the entire day to accommodate the ceremonies near the Wedding Cake.

Second, many archaeological sites (such as the Forum) will be closed, as will many other shops — though not all. You'll still be able to visit quite a few museums, churches, and other destinations for your solo excursions; and you'll still be able to shop. The important thing is to do your research before you head out.

In Rome on Republic Day (as we call it in English), there are several events of interest to us as a class:
  • 9:15 a.m.: The President of Italy will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (as described in Kristen's site report);
  • 10:00: There will be a military parade on the Via dei Fori Imperiali from Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum;
  • 11:00: Fighter jets will release tri-color smoke and create an aerial Italian flag.
  • In the evening, there will be fireworks.
The parade is a fitting culmination to our study of Rome. We have often noted how power and authority are publicly displayed in spectacles. Ancient triumphs and medieval processions were continued in Mussolini's parades on the Via dell'Impero. Their spirit survives into the present day every June 2.

We invite you to join us for any or all of the above. Tomorrow morning Profs. Curley and Spinner will be stationed on the the Capitoline Hill between the new wing of the Capitoline Museum and the Palazzo Senatorio, overlooking the Via dei Fori Imperiali. Look for us there by 9:30 if you want to meet up. Otherwise, feel free to find your own place to sample the spectacle.

Note that attendance is optional, but we hope you'll make the most of this Italian, and uniquely Roman, holiday.

DC/gs