Ferrum College students in REL-220 – Magic, Myth and Ancient Rome spent their month long May E-Term in Italy exploring Rome and Pompeii.
“We visited a number of churches, museums, and archaeological sites in Italy. Students also had a number of free days where they were encouraged to explore on their own,” said Eric Vanden Eykel, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for Religious Studies.
This class had no classroom time. E-Term stands for “Experiential Term” and all of the learning took place at the respective historic sites. The group started out in Rome spending their days sightseeing and taking in the Italian culture. They stopped at the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museum, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum, Ostia Antica, the Catacombs, and a synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto.
After Rome, the class explored the city of Sorrento and visited the ruins of Pompeii. They ended their time in Italy with a free day in Capri and visiting the Naples Archeological Museum which is home to many artifacts from Pompeii.
“It’s hard to tell what part students enjoyed the most because they seemed to enjoy all of it! I would say that the Colosseum, Vatican City, and Pompeii were definitely highlights,” said Vanden Eykel.
