The Best Thing About Rome

Going abroad was the greatest decision I have ever made.  I was exposed to the beauty and history of Rome and I got to explore parts of the world I never thought I’d see.  I am really grateful for the opportunity as well as all of the great friendships and relationships that were created in the eternal city.

I was positively impacted by everything I experienced, but the thing (actually, person) that made the biggest impact on me was a little girl named Annie.  Annie is one year old, and she has Down Syndrome.  She is the daughter of the director of residence life and the John Felice Rome Center. She is the happiest baby I have ever met! When I babysat her once, she took a nap and woke up by clapping her hands.  (A rarity for a one year old!)

Annie taught me so much about Down Syndrome.  She taught me that although she has a chromosomal condition, she is still a person.  She may be behind most babies her age developmentally, but she still laughs, attempts to crawl, and plays with her toys.  She taught me to be more accepting and understanding.  She inspired me to raise awareness for Down Syndrome.

Her mom writes a beautiful blog about her adventures with Annie in a foreign country.  In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness month, she has been writing a blog every day.   I look forward to reading it every day; Annie’s mom is such a talented writer and her stories are very touching.  She and Annie definitely made my Rome experience that much better.  Here’s the link to her blog: http://ourromababy.com