Eternal
Rome
… the time I spent there was all but eternal—it was far too short! Words are utterly inadequate to convey the awe I experienced in this city over and over again. Somebody once told me that when she went to
Rome
, it made her proud of what humanity can accomplish… I could not agree more.
Even before I knew the Cornell in
Rome
program existed, I dreamt about studying in the city --after reading the book, The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone. As a future architect, I expected to see, study, and experience the city exclusively through the lens of architecture.
Instead, what I learned and gained in
Rome
was far beyond learning about monuments and built environments. Using the city itself as a classroom, I observed through courses in art, architecture history, and art history, and through participation in events sponsored by the Department of City and Regional Planning, that in order to fully appreciate a city as multifarious, and yes, mystical as Rome, one must not be confined to the perspective of architecture.
The architecture, art, and planning of a city are all interdependent, and some may say that one cannot exist without the others. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to study at this time of our lives in a city like
Rome
.
It is truly an unparalleled experience.
