Hello all: family, friends, teachers, and beyond!

This is a travel blog that I will update as frequently as possible while I spend a semester studying abroad at the ICCS (Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies) at Rome with 37 other language and literature enthusiasts. Expect main courses of photos accompanied by ramblings about the photos, and side dishes of general reflections from me about what it is that I'm learning and experiencing in class. For dessert: general reflections about what it is that I'm thinking while I cruise around this city about which I have read and studied, but never lived and truly experienced. Dessert may not come as frequently, but... we all know how dessert goes sometimes, right? Sometimes it's the only course.

On this post, dessert comes first. I must admit that while I am almost overflowing with excitement about this upcoming semester, this experience will come at something of a cost. The band that I play in, Like Bells (myspace.com/likebells) is on the brink of releasing our first cd, and these next few months are going to be very busy for the band and our record label. I regret that I will not be able to give as much attention as I am able to this very important part of my life. As the Italians say, "campa cavallo, che l'erba cresce". The sense of this is: "while the horse starves, the grass grows". I thank my band members and labelmates for graciously encouraging me to do this.

I will miss my friends and family in the United States. There are some people who I have only in this past month been able to interact with in ways that I have been unable to manage in the past. For that reason and others, this trip is coming at something of an inopportune time.

Distance, however, has been known to do strange things, both good and bad. It's something of a riddle. Perhaps I should just take the advice that Catullus wrote to himself a few thousand years ago: "desinas ineptire, et quod vides perisse perditum ducas". In my other ear, though, comes Virgil's words: "et nos cedamus amori". But hell, Catullus never took his own advice anyway...but here I'm getting a little off-topic. Sue me.

I owe much to my parents and teachers for encouraging me in my studies and providing me with the tools necessary for me to follow this pursuit. Studying Greek and Latin is a privilege. When I first heard about this program during my freshman fall semester at Oberlin College, I knew that I would have to try to go. My teachers made this possible. Thanks for pushing me. And it was you, Mr. Mastrangelo, who first set me on this path at Dickinson College, this path so rarely followed but so alluring precisely for that reason. A sense of necessity draws me towards it, one good glimpse was all it took.

For those of you who are thinking about coming to visit me, I assure you that the later in the semester you come, the more fun will be had. Quid petis, hic est...."Whatever you seek is right here." So, quod petis? Che cerci? What do you seek? Let's find it together.

Well! Here's what I'll be studying:

In Latin, I'll be reading Suetonius' Life of Nero, an ancient, gossip-ridden biography of a figure who is one of the most notoriously brutal leaders of ancient Rome. One story that I am familiar with describes how he tried to kill his mother by giving her a present of a nice boat ride, not informing her of the fact that he had the boat made such that it would collapse in the water after a little while! That's just a taste. He also killed Christians like it was his job. According to him, it probably was his job!

In Greek, I'll be reading Book Six of Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War, the book which recounts the Athenian invasion of Sicily which was the beginning of the end of Athens with respect to their war against Sparta. A few different parties convinced the Athenians that invading Sicily would be the right thing to do, citing a whole host of reasons that turned out to be for the most part fabrications. The Athenians didn't know a lot about Sicily, and were easily convinced that vast amounts of money were to be had from a successful Sicilian invasion. Wrong! Kinda reminds me of a more recent situation, wherein one country is convinced that a bunch of WMD's are stashed away in another country far, far away about which the general population knows very little, and for that reason (the weapons) has to invade it. Wrong! At least the Athenians, though, were honest about their motives! ;)

In Italian, I'll be learning beginner's Italian. I've started a few things in the past month here at home, but my pronunciation is undoubtedly wretched and my grammar is as of now quite limited (conjugations of the present tense, perfect tense, imperatives, and a basic grasp of nouns). I am finding Italian pronouns to be somewhat confusing. In any case, I plan to be at least decent by the time May rolls around. If I end up having to drop a course due to workload issues, this would be it, although I would still plan on being pretty good in Italian.

Then, the Ancient City, the course where we get taken around to the sites in Rome and learn about Roman history, architecture, art, politics, etc. This class counts as two classes (8 credits?!), and takes up the most time. Intimidating, but this is going to be a real treat. And it's the reason why we get awesome, serve-all-purposes bus passes!

τρέφεται δέ, ὦ Σώκρατες, ψυχὴ τίνι; "And what, then, Socrates, nourishes the soul?" So someone asks Socrates in one of Plato's dialogues. For me, this stuff does. And even then only parts of it.

Be well, readers.

Gabe