Week 6- The Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, otherwise known as the Roman Catholic Church is considered to have played a huge role in western civilization. Because it is prominatly originated in Rome, Italy more specifically The Vatican City, it is obvious that Italy itsself is filled with many Catholic practicing families. After all, if The Pope lived inside your country I believe it would be a more rich belief and religious community. On the other hand, Catholisism and its ways have spread all the way to the United States and other countries such as Ireland and the Dominican Republic. People travel all the way to the Vatican City to see the man who helps them believe, The Pope.
Personally, I believe that it is easier to be a part of the religious aspect of the Catholic Church when living or brought up in Italy, or more specifically. Being here, has made me very religious. Since I have visited Vatican City and seen its beautiful history dating back to over 2,000 years ago, I come to enjoy, respect and even believe in the Catholic ways. However, that can either be a bonus or a negative for every individual. For me, seeing is believing. Although The Pope is not God, for me he is the closest to representing the Christian ways, and beliefs.
I believe in the United States, people in general are not as religious in the 21st century. Whether it is only my town or the country as a whole, I am not qualified to state however, I believe people in the United States focus on other things more than religion. Thus, being Catholic is not as common and straightforward as it is here in, Rome. If more Americans visited the Vatican City and witnessed the Pope talking to them, I believe their religion would have a bigger impact on their lives.
My beliefs revolve around believing that Roman Catholisism is indeed Global. However, visitng the city or living in Rome can have a large impact and add to personal beliefs. People indeed practice Catholisism everywhere, and to each church their own. Some individuals do not need to see proof to have a belief. On the other hand, others do. Globilized, yes. More certain in Rome, indeed.

Week 5- Italian Leisure

My defintion of leisure is a way to relax and enjoy yourself, doing activties in which help to take stress away. I believe it is obvious that "leisure" is different for everyone. My father for example loves swimming in his free time. Swimming laps calms him down and helps him forget about the troubles and stress at work. Personally, I would hate swimming laps everyday. It would not help take stress away, and is just not an activity I enjoy. On the other hand, as crazy as it seems shopping is a leisure activity for me. I enjoy going to stores by myself and browsing. It gives me a chance to calm down and slowly browse through clothes and accessories that I love. Leisure is different for everyone, which is the beauty of being an individual. Everyone can have the right and opinion to love doing varities of leisure activity.
I believe that Italians and Americans may have different views of leisure but overall basically have the same time for leisure. In my opinion, Italians are less modern and addicted to television, phones and other electronics. Therefore, they spend more time walking in parks and doing other recreational acitivites than the average American. An Italian leisure activity that sticks out greatly in my head is eating at restaurants. In the United States, families rush to eat and rush to leave. Here in Italy, Italians spend a great deal of time at each meal. In fact, I have witnessed people sitting for coffee for about an hour. Italians are a lot more laid back than Americans when it comes to eating. They take pride in their meals and spending time with family or friends while doing so.
In the 21st century, the United States is booming with different video games, computer games, high tec cell phones and handheld devices. Using these devices seems to be more appealing to quite a few Americans. From what I have learned, Italians work 5 days  a week just like most Americans. However, they have leisure time in the middle of the day, siesta. Americans do not leave work or get a few hours off. Working a 8-5 day is more than common in the United States. On the other hand, from what I have been told here, Italian women get less time to relax because they always have to cook and clean for the family. For the most part, Italians and Americans have about the same amount of leisure time. However, each individual chooses to spend it differently in a way which they enjoy.
I believe being in Italy for eight weeks will definitly have an impact on what I consider leisure when I get home. Because we do not have a television here, I have learned to occupy myself with other activities. In fact, I now enjoy going for walks, and even reading a book. Before I came here, I would have never thought of picking up a book when needing to relax. Being here has really made me more independent and mature by trying new leisure activities. I believe when I get back home, I will learn to think outside of the box when debating on acitivites to do when bored or needing time to myself in order to relieve stress. I believe it is wonderful what not being around constant technology has done for me. I now feel more well rounded as a person because I can fill my time doing a variety of activites that make me a more well rounded person.

Week 4- Piazzas in Rome

What is a Piazza? After looking up the definition on many websites, I can conclude that a Piazza is a public square open for pedestrians usually in an Italian town. Piazzas are very common in Italy. Almost every few streets that cross form a Piazza in the middle. Piazzas are often places I see people relaxing, eating, or shopping. Unfortunately, Piazzas are also a spot where people often beg for money. It is quite amusing the multi-purposes' that a Piazza is used for. Sitting in a Piazza for an hour or so can be very beneficial to developing a personal finding of Italian culture.
Most Piazzas I have seen include a church, and generally a fountain. Generally, the fountain is in the middle of the Piazza. Local people sit around the fountain and chat with a friend or simply people watch. A majority of the fountains date back to before the 18th century. In fact, most of them are historical pieces. The fountains in the middle of Piazzas often provide well water. This is helpful because tourists and even locals can fill up water bottles using the historical fountain and the fresh well water it provides. Piazzas remind me of the center of a little town. For example, Piazza Navouna has a church right beside the fountain, and the Brazilian Embassy. The Brazilian Embassy attracts people as well as the Church does.
I believe the most culture-rich activities can happen in a Piazza. Throughout my time here in Rome so far, I have spent a great deal of time visiting and relaxing in different Piazzas. Frequently, Piazzas offer entertainment such as shopping, bars and restaurants. Eating out with family, getting a coffee or drink with a friend, and shopping are very common activities in Italian culture. I often see friends drinking an espresso together and catching up on each others lives right inside a bar located in a Piazza. Many family restaurants are located in Piazzas. One could assume this is because Piazzas are main attractions and restaurants make more money being in the center. Seeing families eating at a restaurant in a Piazza is another activity I see frequently. Little boutiques along with wine and chocolate shops are a must in Italian culture. Seeing these different sites inside the Piazza opens up the travelers eye to the Italian culture.
Unfortunately, the down side of Italian culture happens frequently inside of Piazzas. The constant roaming of either gypsies, homeless or people just begging for money. This can be uncomfortable and very irritating at times. I personally believe that gypsies, homeless and beggars are in Piazzas frequently because there are normally quite a few people inside Piazzas at a time. Whether Italians are stopping by for a coffee or a quick chat with a friend, crossing through a Piazza is extremely common. Seeing these people beg for money seems to upset some Italians, while others cave in and give them money. Unfortunately, homeless are in every big city so the fact they roam in Rome should be no surprise to someone critiquing the Italian culture.

Week 3- San Giovani, Scala Santa & Catacombs of St. Dormatillia

I believe it is very interesting how a lot of the sites we have seen thus far in some way or another connect back to  the beginning of the Roman Catholic beliefs. Not just Roman Catholic belifs but yes, a 'promise of salvation'. When visiting places such as Scala Santa and San Giovanni relgious beliefs are brought into play but more of a promise of salvation is represented. Not only are religious beliefs brought into play, faith is tested.

Thinking critically, why would the Romans build such glorified, complex monuments and buildings if they did not think the buildings would last? I believe the Romans wanted to influence the future of religion and salvation in general. Infering this personally does not nessecarily make it true, however I feel that without the Romans, people would not be as connected spiritually with their faith to this day. Think of how many people travel to see places such as San Giovani, Scala Santa and The Catacombs of St. Dormatillia. All which represent the early stages of Catholic religion. Personally, San Giovani and Scala Santa reveal religion spiritually and visually. The Catacombs of St. Dormatillia help portray there were actually Catholics practicing the religion.

Coming to Rome, I had no religious background. One of my parents was baptised Catholic, the other Protestant. Going to church in my family was never common or encouraged. However, being around such a rich environment full of beliefs and stories of Roman Catholisism makes me believe in things I have never thought of before. Such as attending mass regularly, praying before I eat, and the simplest mindset of just adjusting to other cultures and being open to their beliefs too. The steps of Scala Santa were quite a complex thought for me to take in. Because Jesus had supposedly walked on these steps, I was very moved. I had never felt as close to a spirtual belief as I did at that moment. Whether Jesus actually walked on the steps or not may not actually ever be proven. But to stand in front of the steps imagining actually being in the same place as Jesus only thousands of years later was such a powerful feeling.

Thus, whether individuals are more history or spiritually inclined, can have a huge impact on personal beliefs and faith. A lot of time history can point both at having a God or a God never exhisting. It is the personal belief and will power that actually helps one conclude what they believe in. While there may be more standing proof such as ruins for Roman Catholisism than other religions, being in the city the religion was based in can really help your beliefs grow and become stronger. To piece it all together, I believe different individuals act differently when it comes to spitiual beliefs. Certain individuals can believe without seeing. On the other hand, some are very realistic and have to see or know facts in order to believe. Therefore, those spititually inclined are more apt to be able to believe in a God without facts. Realistc human beings may be aquired to know facts and see artifacts in order to have a strong belief.

Personally, I am a visual learner and a realist. Therefore, not being able to see beliefs for me are very hard. Even though I will never know for a fact if Jesus walked up the Scala Santa steps, the myth that he has makes my beliefs stronger. On the other hand, if it was proven that he had never walked up the steps, I would question my beliefs again. It is important for people to see Ancient buildings in order to boost their faith. Honestly, I will never be the same person when I go back to Ohio because I have seen these beautiful places. In stead of making hard cold evidence take a role in my beliefs, I should beleive to the furthest I can and not let history get in the way. After all, believing in a higher power makes individuals spiritual and obtain a good role model, Jesus. It is important to have these beliefs.