Submitted by Giulia Richardson on the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…
The best way to describe the first week of being in Rome is pure excitement. Even in JFK when I was preparing to leave my home for the next four months, all I could think about was that I couldn’t wait to get there. Landing in Fiumicino airport was overwhelming to say the least; it finally settled in that I was alone in a foreign country. This anxiousness settled when I found the other study abroad students waiting for the JCU shuttle. Being around other students in the same situation eased our nerves, and we all bonded instantly because of this. Orientation week was very busy, but it was an amazing opportunity to get to know our classmates. We all grouped in the same spots at first and it felt like a close-knit community even after just a couple of days. Everyone was riding a rush of excitement, so when we were all together the energy was high and we had lots of fun! Being in a foreign city with a group of mostly American students at first eased the transition of moving here. Everything new and strange was a little less scary when I was experiencing it with people feeling the exact same way in those moments. Daily life in Rome is dramatically different than ours at home, and it was exciting to learn the ropes with friends. (Submitted on February 1, 2024)