Submitted by Lara Wood on the 2022 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…
This past week, I have definitely been struggling more with home sickness and cultural shock. Of course, I was warned that this was likely to happen. Therefore I am not shocked by these emotion, however these feelings are stronger than I had originally anticipated. It can be challenging to feel disconnected from the society that you are living in. I have found Rome to be a rather fast paced city and it can be challenging to make connections with the locals. While this can be challenging, there are many ways to become engaged with the culture and I am hopeful of doing so. Some of my main focuses for this include making friends with Italians in my classes, conversing with servers, and continuing to work on speaking Italian. In the meantime, I find it helpful to walk around the city and make sure I am not staying cooped up in my apartment. Even on dreary days, I find a serotonin boost at the sight of the many dogs walking around the streets, the colorful buildings, pretty flowers and hanging out with friends.