For Midterm Break, my mom had been unsure of whether she was going to be able to make the trip to visit me in Italy while she had the chance. Fortunately, her decision became final a short month before. Neither of us had much time to actually plan out days in each city we were going to visit, but the one thing she told me was, “I want plenty of time to see everything you have gotten to see in Rome.” With as much time as our class has spent in Rome, I was going to make sure we made this part of the trip her favorite. I began planning the two days that we would have here to ensure that we got to visit each landmark, wine and dine in local spots, and most of all enjoy everything a city so near to me has to offer.
When my mom arrived, we travelled to other cities first, but still the number one thing on her mind was visiting Roma. When we arrived at Termini, she was already blown away by the public transportation system here, specifically how efficient and easy it makes traveling. As we started our Grand Tour of Rome, our first stop was the Trevi Fountain since it was near our hotel. When we arrived, the number of visitors trying to see the same beautiful piece of art as us was actually overwhelming. As I started giving her the fun facts about it, I was overwhelmed as well. It was crazy to hear myself give her over fifteen facts that I have learned during my time in Ariccia. The same thing happened when we visited our next stop, the Pantheon. I had no clue how much information I had actually absorbed on those long, hot field trip days.
After our last stop, my mom was thrilled; I had accomplished taking her to every sight she had wanted to see and then some. She was even more excited that she had her own personal tour guide. At dinner, sitting with a view of the Colosseum, she asked me, “Do you think you will ever make Rome your ‘Home Sweet Home,’ so I can come visit here more often?”

My mom and me preparing to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain after she learned all the facts
Alexandra Howard