Submitted by Matty Smith on the 2022 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…
The beginning of any semester has its challenges, but especially when moving to a new country! With COVID, I found travelling to be extremely stressful and draining, even more so when my lay-over got pushed from two hours to eight. However, everything lined up and I was able to come! All I have had is fun, even as I transition into hearing a new language, not being able to find peanut butter, and working public transportation. In fact, public transportation has proven a definite learning curve, especially as some of my friends have been pickpocketed. It is a scary reality in many cities and an important learning curve when moving into new areas. But now, almost a month in, those challenges that seemed impossible have now become easier. My time in Italy, though filled with these challenges, has also had incredibly sweet moments like meeting new roommates from both UD and other places in the United States, eating pasta…ALL the time, and seeing beautiful pieces of art. Italy constantly amazes me with its beauty and history. It has such a different style of art and architecture in comparison to the United States. I can not wait to see even more!