As the final knight (haha) of this Roman adventure draws to a close, it is time to reflect upon my experiences in the capitol of Italy. The things that stand out most in my mind to be thankful for this trip are language and friendship.
One of the things I was most excited for here in Rome was a chance to practice Italian. At the borghese museum, I was able to carry on a conversation with one of the employees in only Italian. Although the conversation was only 4 sentences in length, it seems like a step in the right direction. I communicated with many others during the trip with varying degrees of success, but one thing was apparent: they always appreciated the effort.
The other event that stood out to me was our time at the Musei Vaticani. To many, this location is central to their religious ideologies, but to others, it is merely a historical wonder. However, it seems that regardless of background, everyone was in awe of the Sistine Chapel. The ability to connect with so many others whilst viewing one of the most famous artworks in the world is difficult to put into words, but it's something I'll never forget. The Vatican museum contained such a plethora of art that it was impossible to truly process it all, so I'm also thankful for friends that were willing to take a moment to discuss what we had seen and felt, rather than just push onward and miss out on the meanings behind the art.