Introduction
So, just over a week ago, I boarded my first international flight, saw the following picture on my screen, and sat in disbelief as I realized I would be spending the next four months in Rome.
I am still in disbelief. In the span of a week I have seen the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. I have enjoyed the most amazing gelato and walked streets that lay atop thousands of years of Roman history. I’ve also sat through hours of orientation meetings which was…fun.
So, what have I learned in my first week in Rome? First, Italy is amazing, Italian mosquitos are not. Do not go into the first gelateria you see (there are A LOT of them). Instead, look for one where the banana flavor is more of a greyish color (not bright yellow). Getting lost is slightly the most thrilling and amazing feeling, especially when with a good group of friends. I get more done in a day in Rome than I did in a week in Chicago. Take your time for meals, and think about the food you’re eating. Try to remember the name of the pasta sauce and pasta type and maybe look up some of the history behind the dish you’re eating. Walking in Rome is surreal, magical and thoroughly exhausting at the end of the day. Finally, words are not sufficient to describe Rome and neither are pictures – I’ll try though.
I should also note in this blog that making the decision to spend a study year abroad in Rome and Beijing was not an easy one for me. Leaving my family and cousins (who I spend nearly every second with in Chicago), pushing medical school off for a semester, and traveling for the first time to completely foreign cities, terrified me. Yet, I knew I had to do this. Not only to participate in a research journey but also to grow as an independent person away from my family for the first time (yes, I realize how cliche that sounds). I am nervous, and I will not deny that, but I look forward to seeing what this year will bring me.
Photo Recap
August 26, 2015 – Arriving in at the JFRC in the Balduina neighborhood.
August 26, 2015 – Experiencing my first Italian gelato at Gelateria Quadrani in the Balduina neighborhood.
August 27, 2015 – Our view of the Vatican and St. Peter’s.
August 29, 2015 – View of the Colosseum.
August 29, 2015 – A couple of the Ricci students in the Colosseum.
Highlight
My second day in Rome, the school organized a scavenger hunt where students go out into the center of the Rome and try to take pictures doing a variety of tasks in order to accumulate points. My group, which was really composed of two 5-people groups, set out with the full intention of absolutely dominating the scavenger hunt. Then we got off on the wrong stop. We were supposed to go to Piazza Navona but ended up in the Vatican. Once there, we quickly decided to just see Rome for ourselves, forgetting about the scavenger hunt. The hours we spent in Vatican city were awesome, but the best part of the night was getting lost on our way back. Hilariously, we walked up a one-way street for a good ten minutes, looking for a bus stop, before realizing we would never find one because the bus we needed ran in the opposite direction. So that was good to know. Eventually we found our way, but only after quite a few more direction mishaps.
Lowlight
Rome is astounding and there is no doubt about that, but for someone like me, who is incredibly close to and even reliant on her family, it can also be quite lonely. That is not to say that my friends here are not amazing, because they are. However, nothing replaces family. So the worst night for me this week was actually on Sunday, after we got back from our trip to Maccarese beach. I was Skype-ing my cousins and sister, when my four-year-old cousin, who I typically visit everyday, asked why I had not visited in such a long time. For some reason, her tone and question just set off huge period of sadness and homesickness. I found myself seriously wondering if studying abroad for such a long time is really the right decision for me. After a hard night filled with anxiety, I woke up feeling more confidant in my own independence. Now I know that even though during the period of homesickness it can feel like nothing will make you feel better, the morning makes everything much clearer. So, as they say, keep calm and carry on!
And that completes this week’s post. See you guys soon with an update on all things Roma. Ciao!!
– Em