325 Week 2

Rome is exhilarating while oppressive.

Rome is an incredibly exhilarating place, especially for a foreigner. Rome is exhilarating to me because everyday is a new adventure. There is always a new obstacle to overcome. Many times this obstacle is as simple as not being able to speak Italian. It can also be exhilarating while using the Metro. You have to keep a constant eye out for pick pockets, finding the right stop or line, or even just pushing your way onto the crowded train.

Rome is also exhilarating because of the ruins that are here. When you visit these places, you can not help but wonder how these structures are still standing. For example, we bike rode the Appean way on Monday. The Appean Way is the oldest road in Rome. Many of its original stones are still intact. This is an example of how intelligent the Romans were.

Rome can also be oppressive due to some of its history. One example of how it is oppressive is the Colosseum. The Colosseum is an incredible piece of architecture, but represents an oppressive time in Roman history. People were killed there for others entertainment. Thousands of individuals lost their lives for other peoples entertainment.To me, this represents an oppressive time in Roman history.