Submitted by Kyle Tomlin on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Philosophy…
When we began this journey, I was a little nervous and not really sure what to expect when we departed from the Philadelphia Airport. Once in the air, however, all my worries flew out the window. The flight was very nice and didn’t feel as long as I was expecting. When in Rome, we started by checking in to our lodging and then exploring the city. Our motto for the trip is “prepared to be amazed” and this is exactly the way I would describe our first encounter. Professor Jordan showed us the subway system, but did not tell us where we would be arriving. Once we came out of the subway station, there it was; the most amazing site I have ever seen, the Colosseum. It was a breathtaking view and that’s when it hit me that I am in the most incredible place on earth and so thankful to be here. From that moment on, the rest of the program was nothing short of incredible. The following days, we’ve seen everything from the Pantheon to the Vatican to even the actual Pope!!!! The feelings are just unreal and the memories will last a lifetime. The culture here is also very interesting to see and compare to the culture back home. This city is not like any American city I know. There are no skyscrapers or crazy night clubs or the busy city feel. Buildings in Rome are beautiful and old fashioned and the people are surprisingly very very nice. My biggest surprise since I’ve been here has been the amount of English there is in Italy. Almost everyone I have encountered knows English or has English readily available. Currently I am on a train and we are headed to the city of Pompeii. I can’t wait to see what else is out there!!
