Sunday, December 28, 2008
Reflection
When in Rome...
Later me Tyler, Phil Sour, Ashleigh, Kat, and Allison and David decided to go on a tour of Christmas trees. We started at the Spanish Steps and saw the pretty cool metal one there.
Day Four: Where's Apollo? (Pompeii)
I was definitely looking forward to Pompeii ever since we started the second PBL and it was definitely one of my favorite activities. Although the bus ride was a little long I had a seat all to myself and I was able to sleep a bit. Once we got to Pompeii, Me, Jordan, Justin,Tyler, Molly and Remo, and then later Andrew, all decided to go to the alternate eatery instead of the first one. The food was decent. After, we finally got ot Pompeii and Our tour guide started to give us the tour. Since this was one of my groups research topics I paid close attention and I was very happy because I knew most of what he said already from my research.
Day Five: HOLY CANNOLI! The Vatican and Dinner
This day was a lot less planned out. We went to see this weird place with a bunch of skeletons in the morning, which I must admit sort of creeped me out. We had the choice to go to other churches, but instead a group of us decided to got the Vatican before we had to meet up again. Me Chris, Brian, Molly, KJ, and Tyler all went to the museum part also. I was really impressed, at first the art was boring, but as we went it got better and better. There were so many chapels and amazing ceilings that I was starting to get tired of looking up. When we finally got to the Sistine Chapel it was really amazing, but not what i expected.
This day we went to Florence. I was really excited because my dad told me that Florence was his favorite place when he went to Italy. The bus ride was good, although I didn't have a seat to myself. Me and Remo played a little dot game, but I either slepts or read most of the way there. Florence was really beautiful. But I really didn't want to see the church, I'm not Christian and although it was pretty its really not interesting to me at all especially after seeing SO much Christian art. Me, KJ, and Remo went shopping a bit before we all went to the Domo. The Domo was really really cool. Although I felt like passing out because of all the stairs and Phil S. had to half push me half encourage me to get up there I was really glad I did the views were really really amazing.
After that we went to the museum and saw the statue of David. I hadn't realized how huge David was, but he was really really amazing and I am really glad I got to see hime. Of course I didn't take a picture because you are supposed to. Although it was definitely really tiring it was Florence was really fun.
This day we went to Ostia. I wasn't that excited because i didnh't really know anything about it. At first I didn't really like it but the more and more I explored the cooler I thought it was. My favorite part was when me, Molly, and Jordan decided to run across the field and see the very edge of Ostia. It was really cool to climb up the walls and see below you.
Day Eight: Pisa and Florence
This was our free day and me and Tyler decided to go to Pisa to see the tower and then go back to Florence, so we could have more time there and shop. We decided to leave at 5, but of course Tyler knocks on my door at like 4:30 and we're both ready by 5 and so we go and we have to wait around in the cold for the metro to open at 5:30. The train ride to Pisa was pretty nice and I slept for most of the way there, since i got about 3 hours of sleep the night before. While I was dreaming of me and Tyler riding a train, Tyler woke me up to tell me we were in Pisa.The city of Pisa wasn't that nice compared to Rome or Florence. But The tower and surrounding sites definitely were really nice. The leaning tower was really really cool and I was so glad i saw it. When you walked up you could actually feel it leaning. It was amazing. After that we caught a train to Florence. Florence was fun we shopped and ate and had a good time.
Day Nine: Departure
This was the day we left Italy. I didn't eat breakfast because I needed to finish packing and getting ready. The whole trip back I was tired, but ireally didn't sleep, i have trouble sleeping when I can't lie all the way down. I read a lot on the plane and watched all three movies. Since our flight was late it was a scramble to get on the next flight everyone ran. I was one of the last people past security and when I was at baggage claim Tyler was still waiting for his bag, so I decided to wait with him instead of running ahead alone. Phil and his new friend did also. We weren't even close to getting there on time, so we just went ahead and got our boarding passes for the 9:35 flight. Then we waited, luckily we weren't the only ones. i was a little upset at the professors because none of them were there until a lot closer to the flight and I had no idea where anyone was and if everyone got on the flight. I only knew jordan and Logan got on the first one. I was a little worried and kind of mad and extremely tired.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Pompeii
Global worming is affecting the quality of life in ways that were not anticipated by the world scientists. It has affected the atmosphere. The world has a dark cloud blotting out the light just as the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius blocked the light and rained terror down on the citizens of Pompeii. People around the globe are becoming fearful and are acting in extremely hostile ways toward their neighbors. Nations under tremendous stress are becoming more and more belligerent to each other, both to friends and foes. This morning BBC, CNN, and almost every newspaper in the Western hemisphere reported on a Greco-Roman cult announcing that the Statue of Apollo has been transformed into flesh and blood and is strolling the ruins of Pompeii. With a sarcastic tone yet a sense of mystery many reporters have announced the return of Apollo, the Sun God and God of healing:
“Apollo is leading the Gods reclaiming the town of Pompeii… they are seeking the reconstruction of Pompeii, curing all its ills and bringing back their City of Light.” Countless citizens have flocked to the ruins of Pompeii. They attest hearing Delphic Oracles of Apollo, around Mount Vesuvius calling out "know thyself", "nothing too much", "avoid hubris”, and so on while referring to the end of the Hellenic period of religion.
In Rome, the oldest copy of “De Architectura” has disappeared from the museum. Meanwhile, around the world a number of widely respected, signature architects have been talking to their friends and colleagues about a bizarre dream they had the night before. Every one of them had dreamed of conferring among many, around a white round table with Vitruvius himself.
In the US, religious leaders from all sects are condemning the newspapers’ countless articles glorifying the “pagan” Gods and Goddesses, and their various interpretations claiming “the end of world religion.”
Curiosity was booming, newspaper headlines across the world were asking:
>> “What will Apollo, as the Sun God and God of Healing, change to bring back the light and atmosphere?”
>> “How will the past and present, and the old and new be reconciled in
Pompeii?"
>> “How will the reconstruction of Pompeii serve to influence the rest of the world?”
The Presentation
It took our group a long time to finalize our project, but in the end we pulled it all together. We started our presentation with me and Tyler. Tyler was posing as a GNN Ne
The News Broadcast
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Roman Roads And Bridges


Presentation
My group (group 4) decided to base our presentation on the idea of a "Road Back to Ancient Rome". Each of us had a character and I was the guide between the different aspects of the presentation, shown by the different characters. There was Pliny the elder for art, Pompey for Uses ,Cornelius for construction, and I was Matella, the guardian and guide for the road and I also talked about history. We incorporated as many pictures and visual aids as we could (i.e. PowerPoint, video, edible road, costumes, etc.) and also tried to get as much student involvement as we could (i.e. quiz, etc.).
PowerPoint
or http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dg93mwws_0hv829bhq
Video