Sumayyah Nabiyeva, Temple Rome Culture & Identity Envoy, Fall 2024
Walking to the neighborhood of Trastevere after classes with an envoy friend, Sophia, we were incredibly excited to see what the night would hold for us as Temple Rome guests at an event hosted by John Cabot University. It was a cool autumn night, but we were incredibly happy to be welcomed by such a warm body of students. Initially, we were intrigued by the title of the event, “Living in the Diaspora,” as we are both students of completely different cultural backgrounds who have come to be living in the diaspora of Rome for a semester.
The small, intimate classroom had been transformed into a stage, a space for students from different corners of the world, gathered to talk about one thing we all had in common—living in the diaspora.
At first, we were all rather shy, a bit afraid to open up about something that is personal and holds a degree of sentimentality. But as the pizza was sliced and passed around, and the drinks were poured to people sitting in old-school desks, the stories began to flow. Each student carried with them a piece of their homeland, a snippet of their family’s heritage, and a deep sense of displacement.
For many, the night was an opportunity to unpack all that weight and giggle at what things we found to be so universal within our individual experience of Rome. We all spoke about things that we encountered and how we went about them. How most of us didn’t speak Italian fluently but were immediately connected to students who spoke the language of our ancestors; Russian, Spanish, Greek, Patwa, and undeniably—English. It was beautiful to see how we warmed up to one another, and how the room was illuminated with our connection, smiles, and laughter.
After the event came to a close, I wanted to document how I felt and created this double-exposed cyanotype piece. This piece tells a story of how we all faced the ache of homesickness and the struggle for belonging but in this we also found a resilience in making a home wherever we are. Looking at the Roman forums, I contemplate how we are never alone in our experiences, we are a part of a greater whole constantly finding our place in the world.
Learn more about the Temple Rome Culture & Identity Envoy Program.