Porta Portese

If you are looking for a real Italian experience, check out the Porta Portese open-air flea market. This market is in Trastevere and is open Sundays between 7 AM and 1 PM. Vendors come from all over and line the streets for over a mile. When you are walking up to the market, you will see Italians pull suitcases behind them to carry their purchases. Vendors sell clothes, shoes, and jewelry at low prices. Italians readily dig through the mounds of clothes hastily thrown onto tables to make their selections. Prices for clothes are as low as one Euro. Make sure you are ready to try out your Italian or bring a phrase book because very few vendors speak English. You will also be able to find other treasures such as suitcases, antiques, and household products. If you would like more information about this Italian tradition, visit http://www.frommers.com/destinations/rome/S23959.html.

My Experience in Boys Town

On Friday, my CAS class and I visited Boys Town outside of Rome. The research that I had down about the Town prior to going could not prepare me for the experience I would have with these boys. As we were lead through the dorms, classrooms, and recreational areas, more boys followed our group around. In the assembly hall, the bond these boys shared electrified the room. Two older boys joked with a younger boy, but all the while they made sure he felt comfortable on stage. By the end of our tour, boys were coming up to talk to us about where they were from and they all accompanied us to our bus stop. The gratefulness the boys had of their opportunities provided by the town was palpable.

To demonstrate the total success of the program, we met a teacher in the school. He taught computer skills to younger boys. We soon found out that he had come to Boys Town when he was six. He had left for a few years once he turned eighteen, but he soon returned to teach fellow boys. By returning to the school, the ex-boy proved the success of the town. He is one example to prove the success of the idea created in 1951 by Monsignor Carroll-Abbing.

Boys Town in Rome

The Boys Town of Italy began in 1951 and has so far created 31 institutions. One of these places is the Boys Town Rome that the CAS program will be visiting on Friday. The program focuses on taking in international children often from war-torn areas. What makes these places unique is that the children learn to be active members in society by governing themselves. An important motto for Boys Town is "A Chance at Life."

To learn about the image the organization is creating for itself, it is important to know its mission statement. This says, "Boys' Town of Italy, Inc. mission is to fund charitable institutions and programs that are concerned with the development of children and youth in United States and Italy." If you would like to learn more about this organization, check out their website at http://www.boystownofitaly.org/.