Marche

Photo by Tommy Ton

Step (Eng.)/Marcher (Fr.) verb: The single complete movement of raising one foot and putting it down in another spot.

I am revisiting a concept that I was turned onto while in Rome a couple of months ago. The concept of "stepping out".

Rome is notorious for its insane driving. My chauffeur  who picked me up from the airport gave me some very useful advice for my stay, "To cross the street, you must step out into the traffic. Otherwise, if you wait for the traffic to stop, you will be waiting for ever. I am not kidding."

I found this advice especially poignant, considering that I knew only one word in Italian-- attraversiamo, which means "to cross".

He was right. Yet stepping out into crazy traffic is easier said than done. I discovered that it was a good idea to draft off of the "stepping out" of the locals. The older Italian woman were usually the best to draft off of, the tourists on the other hand, not so much. This drafting allowed me the opportunity to recognize the best "stepping out" opportunities and to gain the confidence to do it more effortlessly and independently.

I pondered this metaphor for life throughout the duration of my trip. And I continue to revisit this concept during my return in Paris.

Avril: les cinq premiers

April was an especially memorable month. It marks my first trip to Rome, Italy.

Everything in Rome is saturated with history. But what really stood out to me is how large everything is. The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the voice levels, the hand gestures, the hospitality, and don't get me started about the pizza and pastas. If Rome had a tagline, I am pretty sure it would be "Rome, Go Big or Go Home!" A tagline that doubles as a metaphor for life. I pondered this concept for the duration of my trip.

Here are five of my favorite memories from my time in Rome:

 The Pantheon

The streets of Trastevere

Lunch at L'Angolo Divino Enoteca (a divine little wine bar near Campo Dei Fiori)

A flock of nuns near the Colosseum.

You see this type of adornment throughout Rome. Charming.

"The culture of Rome just doesn't match the culture of Yoga, not as far as I can see. In fact, I've decided that Rome and Yoga don't have anything in common at all. Except for the way they both kind of remind you of the word toga."

- Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)