Italy: Social Conditions

Submitted by Nikki Dombrowski on the 2017 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…

Currently, I am taking a Sociology of Modern Rome class in which we walk through the different neighborhoods of Rome and learn about the social history of the inhabitants and the major monuments which occupy these communities. Through this class and my travels, coupled with my experiences at Delaware, many thoughts have been ignited in my mind about how greatly situations of poverty can vary across the world. During a University of Delaware Alternative Spring Break trip to Washington D.C. in 2015, I was able to learn about urban poverty while teaching at a preschool for homeless children. The following year, the same program allowed me to volunteer my time at a homeless community in Orland, Maine in which I learned a lot about rural poverty. Now, here in Rome, I have learned about the situations of the secluded families that live in poverty in isolated and inaccessible neighborhoods outside of the city. Additionally, while my train rolls through the countryside of central Italy during my weekend travels, I discover an entirely new type of poverty. It has been so interesting to reflect upon the different living conditions, yet shared experiences between people all over the world. I hope to begin volunteering my time here in Rome with different organizations that work with people in poverty so that I can learn more, which will allow me to take a newfound knowledge to my future career.

Attached are two photos from my travels this past weekend. The first is me in front of a beautiful view of the entire city of Siena. The second is a photo I look of the incredible cathedral that sits in the center of the city of Siena.