Invisible City

When I heard about this assignment I was actually thrilled because whenever I’m in a new area, whether it’s a new country, new neighborhood or new house, I tend to point out the things that are sort of hidden. The sort of “hidden” things I am talking about would be comparable to a huge scratch on a wooden coffee table that lies conveniently underneath a picture frame or something of the sort. You could still see the scratch if you look closely enough and when you notice it you begin to realize that the picture frame was placed specifically in that spot to cover the flaw. Similar flaws are scattered throughout Rome.


My favorite discovery of this “hidden thing” was experienced within my first few hours here in Rome. In my apartment there sits a lovely marble bench surrounded by beautiful columns and plants. My first instinct was to sit on this cute bench outside of my new home in Rome and admire its elegance. As I sat down with my luggage and started to lean back I noticed that on the other side of the bench there was no floor but instead a very deep staircase which leads to some kind of underground shelter. And oh, yea, did I mention that I’m terrified of heights? So there I was jetlagged, disoriented and in fear for my life. My head started to spin and the first thing that went though my mind was that I was about to fall in there and break my computer, camera, cell phone and lose my passport. This is the exact feeling I get every time I am too close to a balcony or anything else that’s high up without a barrier to keep me from falling down. When I finally got my orientation back, I came to my senses and stood up. All I could think about that day was how quickly this bench would become a lawsuit in America.