Submitted by Isabella Kalb on the 2024 Winter program in Italy…
Upon arriving in Italy, I was both beyond nervous and filled with excitement for my journey abroad. As an individual who has never traveled outside of the country before, I was apprehensive about the long flight, landing in a foreign place, and adapting to my surroundings; however, my nerves quickly faded the minute I landed in Rome, Italy. On the day of our arrival, we arrived early in the morning, around 7:30 am, and headed straight into the popular, well-known city of Rome. The entire day, I was absolutely exhausted; I was not able to get any sleep on the plane and decided it would be best to wait until nighttime to get some rest. Most of the first day was spent roaming around, taking lots of pictures, and getting accustomed to an unfamiliar culture. Prior to studying abroad, I had a lot of typical preconceived notions of “what is Italy?” – like “pizza,” “pasta,” “Italian romance,” etc. However, I have quickly caught on that Italy is so much more than what the media makes it out to be. For starters, I was hit with the struggles of a huge language barrier. As someone who has only taken Spanish throughout high school and college, I was not prepared for speaking the Italian language. Because of this, I struggled heavily when it came to simple tasks like ordering a slice of pizza from a corner place. In preparation for my time abroad, I did seek out to learn a few staple phrases in Italian to help me communicate with locals, and I will definitely say the fundamentals have been advantageous.
On our first full day, I woke up bright and early to enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading over to the Colosseum for a guided tour with our amazing tour guide. As one of Italy’s most famous historical sites, I was not disappointed with the architecture and the history of the Colosseum. Just as impressive was the Roman Forum, hosting several ancient ruins on display for us. Learning about some of the cultural aspects, like how no men were allowed inside of the Temple of Vesta, made me realize the importance of the sacred fire of the city as an ultimate symbol of community. Later that same day, a few of us traveled to the popular Trevi Fountain, which was, as expected, crowded. Even during the nighttime, this attraction was a must-see, and the crowds of people lined up near the fountain were a clear indication of such. Before leaving, I had to participate in the Trevi Fountain coin toss legend, which consists of throwing a coin into the fountain with my right hand over my left shoulder to ensure my return to Rome. The next day, we set out early on another guided tour of Ostia Antica. Known as the port city of ancient Rome, I was able to learn all about the importance of water as transportation and trading means, and salt for preservation and flavor. A lot of what we viewed was ancient ruins, but it was so interesting to see old maps of the structural designs that once filled the town.
In between the guided tours and personal excursions, we made time for our two classes – one focused on global citizenship and the other on religion at the crossroads of culture. In class, we were asked to think outside of the box for the following question: “what does religion mean to you?”. For me, religion is more of a path/journey that is not necessarily stagnant; it is always changing to fit life around me, and I think that discovering more each day about the culture and religion in Italy further supports my definition of what religion means to me. Additionally, we went into a thorough discussion about one’s totem, aka spirit; your reflection in the spiritual world, and how that relates to one’s destiny, or ideal outcome for life. I learned that the key to fulfilling your destiny is through discovering it, and I think I can completely resonate with this lesson through my experiences and opportunities so far in Rome, Italy.
Overall, my first week abroad has been an amazing experience, and I look forward to traveling to more cities and learning more about the reality of life in Italy. Ciao!
