Memories from Rome

By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Babylangues, Paris, France

The first weekend of June, I had the opportunity to visit Rome, where I met up with my friend who was a French exchange student in Manchester last year. Before arriving, I struggled to imagine what the city would look like. Having heard about the city from storybooks, travel guides, and all the iconic movies, I was extremely curious and yet a little scared to visit the actual place. Would it be as romantic and ethereal as it appears?

Immediately after arriving, I took the bus directly to Vatican City, which is right next to Rome’s city center. After a week of gloomy and rainy weather in Paris, I ached to explore the city in the warmth of the summer sun. As a quite touristy city, I was immediately surrounded by swarms of visitors. Just walking down the street, I overheard conversations in English, French, Chinese, Spanish, and more. With so many groups of visitors, it was easy to navigate around because I just needed to follow the crowds to get to the famous sights. For example, St. Peter’s Basilica. This ancient creation embodies the religious and artistic spirit of Italy, with enormous pillars perfectly surrounding the plaza, kindling immediate respect for the sacred space. The moment I set foot inside the church, I was stunned by the colossal dome and spacious interior. Despite the enormous space, every corner and railing is carved and painted with intricate designs, presenting important saints and stories. The dazzling golden edges on the ceiling conjured the efforts and sacrifices dedicated to this holy ground by the practitioners. While I had always felt distant from news about the pope or stories of the Vatican, the calm and astonishing ambience brought me to the present moment. Here, at the very heart of the city where it hosts the grandest events and where people from all over the world pay reverent homage.

To hear the stories behind the paintings, I joined a guided tour of the Vatican Museum. From the very first gallery, I was left speechless by the paintings, sculptures, and tapestries that carry memories from the past. By simply wandering through the rooms, I traveled through various periods and witnessed the evolution of painting techniques and religious practices. Each piece encapsulated the major events of its time. Walking through the arched corridors was like traversing the passage of time. Despite the quietude in the museum, the frescoes sang with pride, their brushstrokes a hymn to the mastery of their creators and the prosperity of humanity.

Then, with just a short bus ride, I arrived at Rome’s city center and walked around the city with my friend in the soft glow of twilight. Sauntering upon the cobblestones, I was embraced by lively music and chatter in the small bistros along the narrow alleyways. People laughed with their colorful spritzes and munched on sumptuous pizzas. As we walked to the bus station to go home, the setting sun bathed the city in a soft orange and even purple glow. Every turn we took surprised me with another exquisite fountain or church, each adorned with extreme intricacy and artistry.

As I enjoy every trip without necessarily checking out all the tourist attractions, I was utterly astonished by the beauty of Rome. The ancient city itself presents a museum, whispering into the hearts of visitors with a living soul.

What does traveling mean? I’m delving into this question more and more, as each travel experience is so distinct. While I enjoy the liberty of solo trips, I miss having company to share my thoughts and joys, or sharing another delicious maritozzo.

As my friend has grown close with her flatmates over her time in Rome, I also momentarily joined them, and together we watched movies until late at night, chatting about our own stories in the tranquility and darkness of midnight. Even though I had just arrived a few hours earlier, they gently included me in their conversations and explained the funny anecdotes that always made them crack up. We talked about our own cultures, I answered many of their questions about my home country, China, and we shared our languages with jokes and imitations, truly appreciating each other with genuine respect and curiosity.

I love the city, and I loved the encounters even more. As I sit on the plane flying back to Paris, the precious nights seem so dreamy now, filled with wonderful stories that I cannot share with my family and friends.

And most definitely, Rome is a city that I will return to.

“By all means, Rome. I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live.”

(quote from movie Roman Holiday)