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Surprise, surprise, being in Rome is fabulous and I’ve explored and had loads of fun and loved every second of it. I’ve seen Papa Francesco, been to an AS Roma game (vs. Real Madrid aka Cristiano Ronaldo & crew), and eaten enough gelato for a lifetime. However, I still am studying abroad.\u00a0Contrary to popular belief, or at least what my friends and family\u2019s think I do with my time, studying abroad in Rome does actually involve studying<\/em>. Between the bowls of pasta and glasses of wine (with dinner, of course), school is the reason why I am here. I still take a full-time course load, my classes are still challenging, and I continue\u00a0to work hard for my grades. Being in Rome doesn\u2019t automatically make my academic life easier. However, as with most other things, classes\u00a0in Rome are still a quite a bit better, and that is for one reason: on-sites.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOn-sites\u201d are classes that will meet on-site at a location somehow related to the material the class covers. I\u2019m currently enrolled in Roman Catholicism, Writing Rome, and Honors: Encountering Europe, all of which are at least partially on-site. I cannot stress enough how amazing these classes are. Though it may be a little frustrating to make time during the day to get up early and take the hour-or-so public transport ride to the site of the day, on-site classes are the perfect opportunity to get out of the classroom and experience Rome while learning a bit more about it.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Through my on-site classes, I\u2019ve been lucky enough to visit several churches and basilicas (including the biggest one of them all, St. Peter\u2019s), places where famous writers lived and worked, and sites with incredible histories. I’ve explored the trendy Trastevere, tasted new foods, soaked my senses at markets full of fresh foods, and had a blast learning at the same time. I\u2019m also able to move\u00a0away from campus regularly, which can be hard when you\u2019re wrapped up in assignments and trip-planning, and get\u00a0to know the city I came to enjoy. For any of my readers who are interested in studying abroad at the JFRC, or even another center with on-site courses, I highly recommend them. The ability to return to campus every other day with more stories to tell of the new things seen while just being in class is a blessing that should be taken advantage of. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Still, beyond my beloved on-site classes, there are other opportunities to get out and experience Rome, its surrounding areas, and even other countries while getting a good education at the same time! Study trips, aka school sponsored and organized educational trips, are available to all JFRC students. I myself took a day trip to Ostia & Antica to visit coastal ruins and some of Rome\u2019s most impressive catacombs. The chance to explore both and pretend to be Indiana Jones for an afternoon is one I\u2019m happy I didn\u2019t pass up. At the same time, I also got to learn about the lives of the everyday Italians of centuries ago and their burial practices, broadening my knowledge and understanding of my place in the world. If this doesn\u2019t sound appealing to anyone going to the JFRC, don\u2019t fret – there are plenty of other study trips offered that would offer a day or several days of enjoyment for someone with any set of interests.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n P.S. to those going to\/interested in going to the JFRC: Seriously, on-site classes are amazing. Take them. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Surprise, surprise, being in Rome is fabulous and I’ve explored and had loads of fun and loved every second of it. I’ve seen Papa Francesco, been to an AS Roma game (vs. Real Madrid aka Cristiano Ronaldo & crew), and eaten enough gelato for a lifetime. However, I still am studying abroad.\u00a0Contrary to popular … <\/p>\n![\"Screen](\"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/goglobal\/files\/2016\/03\/Screen-Shot-2016-03-13-at-8.29.36-PM-209x300.png\")
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\nAll in all, the studying part of studying abroad may continue to be as rigorous as back on my home campus, but there\u2019s nothing like being able to learn and explore new surroundings all the time. Check it out for yourself in this video<\/a>. Ciao for now!<\/span><\/p>\n