By Nathan Vickers
Licking the Coliseum. | Photo by Francesca Trianni.
On the dawn of the Ides of March I licked the Colosseum.
In case you don’t get the reference, my “taste” in early morning activity was inspired by an episode of “How I Met Your Mother,” where two of the main characters licked the Liberty Bell just to say they did. But it wasn’t just a tongue-in-cheek reference to a television sitcom.
For me, licking the Colosseum represented making the most out of our class trip, which was my first time out of the United States. It was something I imagined no one had done before, at least not of their own volition. It also represented the climax to what was hands-down the best day of my life thus far.
You see, before I licked the colosseum I was with my classmate, Hoda Emam, and our teaching assistant, Francesca Trianni, interviewing Libyan refugees until the wee hours of the morning. You’ll find out more about that story later. I had never met a refugee before, and to interview people who had experienced such tragedy firsthand was in itself a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
And before that, I had dinner with Mary McAlese, the former President of Ireland. The best part of the story is that I didn’t even realize it was her until Professor Goldman informed me after supper. I had never met a president before.
And before that, I was working with Hoda interviewing a diplomat from the Congo.
And before that, I visited a mosque for the first time. I had no idea what to expect, having received many condemning pamphlets and emails from conservative Missourians over the years.
Mismatched socks | Photo by Nathan Vickers
It was actually very nice, possibly one of the most open and friendly places of worship I have ever visited. I even stood on the prayer line, which would probably give many of my friends from home a heart attack. But I didn’t realize we had to take off our shoes — it was the wrong day to wear mismatched socks.
And before the mosque I received a blessing from the pope at an Angelus service in St. Peter’s square. It was spectacular but I couldn’t manage to focus my camera as he passed.
It’s pretty amazing when taking a picture of the Pope is the low point of your day.
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