Student Bloggers

Sono qui! I am here in beautiful Rome.

Our delightful program director brought us to the Aventine Hill near Circo Massimo on the first day. This is one of the seven hills in Rome, overlooking Italy towards the northwest. Later that night, after our welcome dinner at a Roman restaurant, we drove past the Colosseum. These are sights that I have only dreamt and seen other photos of for several years--taking it in felt magical, like a culminating moment. Of course, that was just the first day.

It’s only been a few days, but I have already begun to establish myself as an Italian. It helps that I am drawn to big cities and that I have some Italian language skills under my belt, giving me more confidence to carry myself through the neighborhood and shops both on my own and with other Americans. This feels like a big step for me, and I feel I have already started to accomplish my goals for this semester. These goals included: establishing comfort and confidence in a new/foreign/big city, communicating with the locals, and living like an Italian. There is still much to be done in terms of these goals, but I am prepared to set even more for myself when the time comes. For now, my biggest goal is to decrease the amount of times I have to ask “Parli inglese?” and/or remain silent while checking out of shops for fear of feeling unknowledgeable (and to spend a little less money). This was successful today! Yesterday, not so much. Progress already, right?

Here's a fun fact: the word I have said the most so far here is "grazie." It's fitting as I'm very grateful to be here.

These first few weeks are primarily orientation-centered (rightfully heaviest during this week), so my schedule is far from regular right now. I do appreciate the methods that the staff is using to get us acclimated and increasingly more independent, because it is helping me become more comfortable with my surroundings. However, I am ready to have my regular schedule so I can feel like I have a little more structure. I don’t want to do the same things all the time, but I do want my body to acclimate in a basic way so that not *everything* is up in the air during my days. Some structure is nice.

Aside from the jetlag and the heat and the consequentially antagonizing sun (forgive me, I’m from Michigan), this city is incredible so far and I feel like I am where I am supposed to be. The espresso, gelato, and other foods are delicious and typically inexpensive, the language sounds beautiful despite me only catching every third word of what I overhear from strangers, and the sights are incomparable. It’s only day three; this is my life for the next few months. I have zero expectations, but lots of excitement. Thus far, it’s a wonderful start to my senior year.