Submitted by John Cusatis on the 2024 Winter PHIL program in Italy…
The final week of my study abroad we went to Pisa and Rome. Although it was only a day, Pisa felt like one of the best experiences I’ve had on the trip. We all took pictures with the tower and walked around trying the local cuisine. There was a beautiful pink sunset and our group got photos. It was the best-looking sky I’ve seen, it felt like a dream. Looking back, these friends I’ve made may turn out to be lifelong, I cherish the relationships that were cultivated, every person on this trip got along and it felt like we were a family.
We went back to Rome, which I felt more attached to than Florence personally. It’s something about those noisy and crowded streets with shops on every block. Florence was more walkable, but Rome was more compact. We went by the Colosseum again, and we went to Vatican City. Climbing the Vatican was truly special, although it felt like infinite stairs like those in harry potter, once making it to the top we could see most of Rome. I also practiced my Japanese with other tourists visiting the Vatican which felt great that one of my language goals was reached, and I’ve made a multitude of Italian friends with the help of our classmate Ceceilia who knows Italian. My appreciation of Italian culture and people went up after experiencing this amazing country, I hope to familiarize myself with other countries and cultures in the future. This study abroad was one of the best moments in my life, from the people to the history and the friends, this trip was unforgettable. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)
