Submitted by Carly Whitman on the 2018 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…
Now that classes are underway and I have had my first official weekend in Rome, I have begun to settle in. This week I spent my free time wandering around the city of Rome. I have found my little coffee shop with ice coffee and bagels for breakfast. I have found my new favorite sandwich shop. I have found the supermarket with the freshest produce, and it is conveniently right next to my apartment. I have tried my fair share of gelato and find myself returning back to the same one I was recommended right on campus. This week, I focused my time on getting acclimated to the city of Rome and the different way of living here. I have picked up on little things that Italians do differently than Americans so that I can feel like a local. Especially, I learned that wearing your pajamas in the grocery store is unacceptable…oops. I have also learned that Italians do things leisurely and are never in a rush so they walk a lot slower than I am used to. I have been extremely observant this week. I am catching on to the fundamentals of Italian living. I have four months to become an Italian and I’m slowly making my way.
