Submitted by Lindsey Hamilton on the 2024 Winter HLTH program in Italy…
The first week of my study abroad experience was in Naples, Italy. It has been amazing immersing myself in Italian culture and making new friends on the program with me. We have visited a variety of locations, including Castle Sant’Elmo and Nuovo, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Mount Vesuvius, Santa Chiara Monastery, underground aqueducts, and several historical churches. The architecture is stunning, as many sites still have the arches that Romans built hundreds of years ago and most buildings are painted a variety of pastel colors. A big cultural shock for me was learning that water is not free in Italy!!! Any location you go to, including restaurants, has a fee for purchasing water. This was a very difficult adjustment, as I am used to filling up my water through sinks or water fountains. Also, the restrooms cost money in every public place! This was very interesting to see, although a bit inconvenient. There would be a person sitting right outside of the bathroom collecting money, typically 50 cents or 1 euro, in order to enter. Since I have been here, I have had pizza, pasta, and croissants every single day. I have tried a wide variety of new foods, including sfogliatella, buffalo mozzarella cheese, and prosciutto. I am excited to continue observing the different cultures throughout the Tuscan Region of Italy, as we move onto our next location: Rome, Italy! (Submitted on January 12, 2024)
