Ciao from Rome!
Hello friends! I have been in Rome for five whole days now and the feelings of being fantastically overwhelmed have slightly subsided. If this post seems frazzled it’s because I have experienced so much in such a short amount of time.
The first few days of being in Rome were going to various information sessions for orientation. But the real adventures occurred at night when we ventured off into the city on our own. My friends and I have gotten lost a total of four times but I guess you can’t really get lost if you didn’t know where you wanted to go in the first place. Despite all the various adventures, I do have some highlights.
1) Vatican City. This was my first adventure into the city and my goodness does this city look completely different during the day.
The Vatican is beautiful and right now they still have the Nativity scene and the huge Christmas tree up, so I got to feel the Christmas cheer for just a bit longer. Because this was our first trip out by ourselves, it was even more impactful. How cool is it that I am in Rome, taking a casual trip to the Vatican at night. Oh, no big deal! (So cool!!)
2) Colosseum. After watching The Gladiator a few years ago, visiting the Colosseum has been on my bucket list. I can tell you it did not disappoint at all! Looking at how intact this building still is is mind blowing. Thinking about what the Colosseum was used for seems like the Romans lived in such a different world. It was a gorgeous day as well, so we were able to get some really great photos.
3) Neighborhood Outing. One of the activities the staff here has planned for orientation is a dinner out at a local restaurant. This was one of my favorite things I’ve done thus far because it encourages you to see the hidden gems of the community around us. A lot of people love going into the historic district of Rome, and there is nothing wrong with that, but meeting the locals is equally important. We went to this wonderful Sicilian restaurant and I do not have any photos because I was so focused on my food. The conversations, food and wine made it a wonderful, very stuffed night. Now I can see why the Italians view eating as a social event, can’t say I mind.
That’s all I got for now!
Till Next Time,
Lindsay