Naples Writing Assignment #7-8

Before going to Naples I had already made up my mind what I was going to experience there. Danger, scary locals, mugging, and dirty streets. This is what I was expecting. Stepping out of the train station I prepared my self for this environment. Skyscrapers lined the sky, I hadn't seen a building more than 5 stories tall in two months so this came as a shock, and people chaotically walking in every direction. There were no buses running because of a protest going on through the main streets of the city. We were forced to walk to our hostel. All of this reassured me that I was right... this city was going to be one big urban mess. As we made the trek a few blocks to where we would be staying I kept all focus on my backpack. I was carrying nothing of value, for fear it would be stolen. But I was still on my guard. Luckily we all made it to the hostel with out being mugged or killed. Surprisingly our hostel was pretty cool, all of the staff were really nice, and our room had a pretty sweet balcony. After a brief drop off of our things we were off to experience Naples.

For the next day and a half I was pleasantly surprised by this place. The food was amazing, the people were nice, and the city was so interesting. I don't think there is any where like Naples in the world. It truly cannot be described in words. Being there I could see where many of these horror stories and rumors came from. There is a roughness to the city I don't think many people can appreciate. The people seemed more real than the Romans. They were a bit grittier but nicer, and seemed to be genuinely interested in things outside their own life. Always willing to strike up a conversation and answer any questions we had. The streets were filled with odd vendors selling things that clearly weren't "tourist" items. Even though we wandered around in their neighborhoods and stopped to stare at their shops with no intention of buying anything, they were excited to have us.

When looking back on the readings I find that many people probably didn't have the opportunity to see Naples the way we did. Describing the city as beautiful but the people rude, and devilish. I think this is untrue. Naples was beautiful, but not in a "paradise" way. I think that the city actually matched its inhabitants pretty well. Looking at the buildings and winding streets, they reminded me of the people I met. The way you could look at a street and feel the age, tradition, and hardships it went through. Paint chipping of the sides, weird stains, shutterless windows and clothes hanging out to dry. I found the people of the city to be very much the same. They all were unique, you could tell that they had been through so much in their lives. They might not have been Botticelli's Venus of ideal beauty, but they were beautiful in a different way. Just like we found beauty in the old buildings and streets, we found beauty in the people. I think this was an important lesson that all of us learned.

Arriving back in Rome was a different experience for me. I rushed home to meet my family, who were visiting for the weekend. When I came back I had a much different feeling of pride for Rome. This was my home, where I had been living for two months and now it was time for me to show it off. It was sort of fulfilling to walk them around the city and share it with them. I love Rome, and have learned so much about it, I wanted to be able to give some of my experience to the people that I care about. So even though sometimes I could tell they would rather not listen to my hour rant about the founding of Rome and the Forum while we stood on the Capitoline hill, I went on. It was funny to see them struggle with the same things I went through when I first got here. "Why can't we get coffee to go?" "Why would anyone close stores in the middle of the day? "Its 6'o'clock and I am STARVING! I CANT WAIT two more hours!" But interesting, because it really showed me how much I have grown and adapted to the life as a Roman. I felt apart of the city after this realization hit me. I knew where to go, and how to speak to people (somewhat, thanks Fede!).

Some strange things began to happen to me after they left. Walking around people would come up to me and ask me questions, or for directions, in Italian and I easily responded. Yesterday I went to the ATM, the first one wasn't working so I tried the one right next to it. While I was finishing a man was trying to use the broken machine. He asked me "Is there something wrong with this machine?" "It's broken, you can use this one when I am finished, I will only be a second." As I walked away, it hit me. That man just spoke to me in Italian, and I responded with ease with out even thinking about it. I was proud of my self and my mad Italian skills (haha). But mostly I wondered what had changed. My first few weeks here no one would dare to approach me on the street and ask me anything or speak to me in Italian. But now it was happening daily. Did I appear more confident, more Italian?

It is an interesting thing to think about, that all of this might have happened in a few short weeks. And now in just 10 days I will be leaving. Rome has made such an impact on me, what will it be like to return to my "other" "old" home. I wait with sadness for these next few days to pass. Slowly cleaning and packing up my things. Something tells me I will miss Rome, and from now on... I will never be the same.