Tag: Rome Center

Traveling & Study Abroad

Traveling & Study Abroad

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So for the past month, I have spent A LOT of time on the road and living out of a suitcase for fall travel, recruitment to various high schools and college fairs around Indiana & Illinois. This has led to quite a bit of reminiscing over my study abroad experience while I was a junior at Loyola University Chicago.

The summer before junior year, I traveled to Rome for a 2 week international 3 credit hour marketing course with a small group of students and one of my favorite professors, Stacy Neier. During our short-time abroad, we traveled throughout Rome, Florence, Lake Como, Milan and then we ended our trip in Paris. I started going through my photos from the trip and decided that the old saying is true, “a picture is worth a thousand words” so instead of writing about my experience, I’ve decided to share some of my photos!

-ROME-

-Florence-

-Lake Como-

-Milan-

-Paris-

Overall, it was an absolutely phenomenal experience, I’d definitely recommend that you consider making study abroad a part of your college experience. Loyola offers over 100 study abroad programs in over 55 countries, so you can definitely find the right location for you!

End of the Year Banquet

End of the Year Banquet

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As a celebration of our last week in Rome, the John Felice Rome Center staff threw us a huge party at a beautiful restaurant.  It was right in the middle of downtown Rome. It was a formal affair, so everyone was dressed to impress.

The restaurant was really cool.  There was an upstairs and a downstairs as well as a huge stage overlooking the entire place.  We had a great dinner of alfredo pasta, meat, potatoes and tiramisu. Following the food, there were awards, superlatives and dancing.  Here are some pictures from the great night.

Easter in Rome

Easter in Rome

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Celebrating Easter in the world capital of Catholicism was definitely something I can check off my bucket list.  Loyola had a bunch of tickets to go to St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday.  It was mass… with the pope!! Luckily, Father Al (one of the priests here at John Felice Rome Center) was generous enough to give me five tickets so that my family was able to experience this as well.

We had to get up early, as all the tourists from all over the world were slowly flooding into the square to see the pope.  It was a long line, but we got in and got very good seats right in the middle.  The pope and his cardinals led the mass, which was very long (almost three hours!) but very worth it.

It was a normal Easter Sunday mass, but at the end, the pope went up into the Vatican’s window and gave his address.  He had to have said “Happy Easter” in at least 20 languages, to cater to everyone in the audience.  It was cool to hear him do this, as it was suddenly like a huge rally.  Whenever the pope would speak a certain language, the country’s natives would start chanting, cheering and waving flags. The rally like nature was like a Cleveland Brown’s game… minus the continuous losses.

I’m grateful I got the chance to see the pope again (I also went to a papal audience). Even though my family was very jet-lagged, they really enjoyed it, as well.   It was great being able to celebrate Easter in a foreign country with not only my family, but also the Pope!

One More Month

One More Month

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While looking at my calendar, I saw that I had marked on this day, March 28th, “One month to go :(”.  I can’t believe I only have one month left here in Rome! Time has flown by and I have enjoyed every single minute of my time exploring Europe.

I will be very sad to leave here, as Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center has made a huge impact on my life.  Everyone told me that after this study abroad experience, I would be a whole new person.  I never believed it, but I am starting to see it.  This experience has bettered me and opened my eyes to many things I never knew existed.  I have learned a ton as well as made many new friends thanks to Loyola’s great sense of community at the JFRC.

Although I am sad to leave Europe, I am looking forward to coming home to my family and friends.  Here’s a few things I am excited about.

  1. My mom’s delicious meals: My mom makes the best dinners.  Not only do I miss the food, but I miss sitting with my parents, brother and sister around the dinner table (especially Sundays) all talking and laughing.
  2. My immediate family: As well as my aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins.  My family is extremely close.  I have 21 cousins and we hang out all the time, especially at my grandparent’s pool in the summer.  I particularly miss my little 2 year old cousin and beautiful godchild, Paylin!
  3. American food and restaurants/not having to pay for water: In Europe, wherever you go, you have to pay for water, and even bread.  I miss going to a restaurant, being able to drink water for free and eat unlimited bread.  Don’t get me wrong, the food here is AMAZING, but it gets a little pricey, and I’m a broke college student.
  4. American stores: European fashion is great and very stylish, but again, it is pricey, and I miss Forever 21 and Target!
  5. My friends: I have five best friends that mean more to me than anything.  We are all very close and have a ton of fun together in whatever we do.  They are the funniest girls I know. Here’s the two friends I’ve known the longest- second grade and then senior year!

It’s crazy that I have one more month here.  No matter how sad I get about leaving, I will be thankful to make it home to everything and everyone I miss!!

Mini Care Package From Home to Rome

Mini Care Package From Home to Rome

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I’ve been obsessively checking my mailbox for the past few weeks, since I knew a little package was coming for me from home.  Before I left for Italy, I ordered a few necessities online, and of course with my luck, they got to the States the day after I leave! So my lovely mother sent them to Italy with a few extra things.

My mom sent me trashy tabloids (my guilty pleasure), a nice card with notes from my siblings and parents and a few newspaper articles.  Both of them were from my local newspaper at home.  One of them was about the insane amount of snow Rome received the past month, and the other was about how Krakow, Poland is a great place to vacation. (where I’m going for spring break- its where my grandmother’s family is from)

It was a great care package and it’s always nice to hear from my family back home.  I’m lucky they sent me things, because it is nearly impossible to get things to Rome without paying a heavy tax.  My friend received some food and she had to pay 300 euro!  My package, luckily, got here quickly and easily. And I’m definitely going to enjoy having my new clothes to wear and soaking in all the American gossip from the tabloids.