Category: All

Submitted by Irene Piro on the 2024 Spring semester program in Rome, Italy…

With the start of classes comes a new routine for the remainder of my time in Rome. Still, a surreal feeling floats over me whenever I think about where I’ll be for the semester. This week, the streets of Rome became my commute to school. It’s refreshing to be able to stop for good coffee and food to, from, and between classes (when the city becomes your campus, am I right?). 

In my classes, it was exciting to hear where students were from. Especially in my psychology classes, it will be interesting to hear different perspectives from locals and students with other unique backgrounds. 

After my first week of school, I was looking forward to my day trip to Pompeii with my roommates and new friends. While we had to ride on both buses and trains to get there, it is still nice to see how convenient it is to visit such intriguing places. 

I didn’t realize how large the city of Pompeii was until we got there and saw the map. Seeing the ruins of the living quarters and bathhouses was quite compelling. Specifically, reading about what the well-preserved structures were used for–laundry and sinks–really put the city of Pompeii into perspective. Seeing how advanced the city was so long ago was quite captivating. What shocked me the most was how the paintings, tiling, and other artistic elements such as engravings were also so well preserved. 

With so many historically rich opportunities at my fingertips here in Rome, I am excited to see where the next few months take me. (Submitted January 22, 2024)

Submitted by Emily Workman on the 2024 Spring semester program in Rome, Italy…

My second week in Rome was just as busy as my first. School also started this week, so I am getting into my new routine of waking up early for classes and walking 25-30 minutes to campus. I only have classes Tuesday-Thursday which is awesome because that leaves me with 4 day weekends the entire semester to explore Rome and travel to other parts of Europe! Other than classes this week my friends and I took our first trip out of Rome to see Pompeii. This was my first time attempting to use the bus or train system in Rome, and it was hectic trying to figure it all out. I woke up at 5 am to get a bus to Roma Termini. Once I got there I was shocked at how big the station was and how many stores they had. Then, my friends and I boarded the train from Rome to Naples and then caught another train from Naples to Pompeii Scavi. From that train station we got on a bus to Pompeii and got tickets at the entrance. It was around 3 hours of traveling to get there, but it was well worth it. It was the perfect weather while there and we were able to explore so much. I didn’t know what to expect before I got there, but I was shocked at how well preserved everything was and how big Pompeii actually is. Overall, my second week in Rome was another fun week and I still cannot believe I am living here for a semester, but I am definitely looking forward to exploring more. (Submitted January 21, 2024)

Submitted by Lauren Choptij on the 2024 Spring semester program in Rome, Italy…

My experience studying abroad in Rome has been extremely eventful and filled with challenges and opportunities. I am combining my first two weeks into one post. We arrived in Rome on January 7th. Since being in Rome, I have seen the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and Pizza Navona. It has been such an amazing experience to be able to walk to these attractions. After a week of orientation, we started classes, which has been good so far. This weekend, my friends and I made our first trip out of Italy to Amsterdam for the Tulip Festival. It was an amazing experience and the city is beautiful. We did a lot of sightseeing, walking, and eating great food. This week, I am hoping to get in a routine with classes and activities and I am excited for our next trip. (Submitted January 21, 2024)

Submitted by Barrett Miller on the 2024 Spring semester program in Rome, Italy…

Week 1 has been such a whirlwind. With so much to see and experience the first week has felt like so much to see with the time I am here. I have to keep reminding myself I am here for 4 months and have all the time in the world to explore. With classes yet to start, my schedule has been jam-packed with tours and wandering around. I have walked almost 50 miles this week, yet it still feels as if I haven’t even skimmed the surface of what this city has to offer. My week began with a tour around Trastevere, the neighborhood in Italy I live in. Walking around there is so much history and culture. Trastevere has hundreds of restaurants and shops. I feel like I could walk around forever and still find new places to discover. From the views, the environment, and all the beautiful landmarks, Trastevere has already proven to be an area full of places to explore. We then were taken on a tour to navigate the city. From there a group of us wandered over to the Trevi Fountain. I could stare at this statue forever. There is so much intricate detail that goes into this sculpture, which remains true for everything in Rome. You just look at it and wonder how in the world it could have possibly been constructed. Looking at it constantly dumbfounds me as I am in amazement at its intricacy. So far my first week has consisted of walking around and just taking in the breathtaking city I have the privilege of living in for the next 4 months. (Submitted January 21, 2024)

Submitted by Alexandra Evangelist on the 2024 Spring semester program in Rome, Italy…

I went to a wine tasting in Frascati, in a district called Castelli Romani. This is a different town than Trastevere, which is where I reside. Frascati is a little small town, more homey feel, while Trastevere has a city feel. I really enjoyed the tour. We left around 9am and got back at about 5pm. We took a bus and I made a lot of new friends. I knew one friend going into it. We had a guided tour of the city, lunch, and the wine tasting included. I definitely recommend going out of your comfort zone and doing trips and events where you may not know people or feel comfortable to help you grow. We learned about the history and culture of the city. The town of Frascati expanded after the destruction of Tusculum in 1191. Frascati was located right on the slopes of the volcano. This city is known for its porchetta. (Submitted January 21, 2024)

Submitted by Kara Kimos on the 2024 Spring semester program in Aix-en-Provence, France…

Bonjour from France! My name is Kara, and I’m a junior at UD studying Human Resources with a minor in French. This is my first week in Aix-en-Provence, a town in southern France that’s close to Marseille and the Mediterranean Sea. In choosing this study abroad program, I was looking forward to the ability to immerse myself in French culture, so I wanted to describe some of the differences I’ve been noticing! 

I speak a decent amount of French, but this week, I have been working through being nervous to speak French to store/restaurant employees. It’s clear to them that I am not French, but I have had positive experiences so far when speaking, even though I am definitely making mistakes. Noticing my accent or apprehension, I’ve been asked a few times in French: “Do you speak French?”, to which I reply in French, “Yes, I’d like to try if you’re okay with that.” Even as my new friends and I continue to go to more and more restaurants, I’ve felt myself slowly getting more comfortable over the past few days! 

One major difference my peers and I have noticed is that we are constantly being stared at. One of my classmates pointed out that a woman was staring at her, and rather than breaking eye contact and looking away like Americans often do, the woman just continued staring. Aix is somewhat of a tourist town (much less so than say, Paris), but I see how it would still be of interest to them to see what international students are up to! Think people watching but a little more intense. 

Another cultural adjustment I’ve noticed is that you have to say “Bonjour!” (or Bonsoir! after 5pm) every time you address someone, walk in the door of a store, or board the bus, otherwise you’re considered very rude. In the US, I’ve noticed that in some stores, you don’t greet an employee until you’re making your purchase. 

All in all, I am loving life in Aix, and I can’t wait to get more and more comfortable with speaking French in my daily life! (Submitted January 21, 2024)

Submitted by Jasmine Pennington on the 2024 Spring semester program in Athens, Greece…

Today, plans changed and I was dropped from a friend group because of my demeanor. What I mean by that is, my bag wasn’t dior and my bank account wasn’t my parents. So, today I planned a solo trip to the Acropolis and ended up meeting this group of 5 girls who actually were super sweet and went out to lunch with me. I think that when I have been traveling alone after being ousted from this elite group made me feel unworthy in a sense, but others actions don’t deserve a reaction. I spent too many nights trying to fit in and make myself more marketable as a friend. Moving on, I saw Acropolis and it was better than the pictures. It is still very insane to see such ancient buildings. I just can’t fathom the walk up the hill with those fat rocks. I took many pictures and not really any stood out except the one not facing the acropolis.

In lieu of meeting this next group of friends; i have been invited to go out to breakfast tomorrow in downtown Athens and make plans to visit places all over Greece. I just hope this new group of friends actually is not materialistic. I swear I was ignoring the other group’s five hundred instagram videos before I could eat my food. I don’t understand why I was trying to be friends with people who were not that kind to me and didn’t value my time. Also, School is picking up and it’s only the first week, the teaching style is completely different. I think taking 3 history courses would be easy, but it is all solely verbal and zero material implemented. (Submitted January 20, 2024)

Submitted by Sydney Ballenger on the 2024 Spring semester program in Rome, Italy…

Week two of my semester in Rome has been a week of adjustment. Classes began on Monday and I felt like a freshman again as I followed my google maps directions to locate each of my classes on time. Several of the classes I am taking this semester are unique to Rome, including an art history course titled “Cities, Towns, and Villas: Rome, Ostia, Pompeii” and a sociology course titled “Rome: Modern City”. Both classes take place on site, meaning each class meeting is in a different location around Rome, specifically selected to emphasize the content of the lesson for that day. I am also taking an introductory Italian course, hoping to learn enough Italian to get around the city without having to rely on google translate. 

Outside of school, I’ve spent my time meeting people in my program, trying cafes and gelaterias around Trastevere, and making weekend travel plans with my roommates and new friends. I also began running every morning, a daily practice I took up back home and was looking forward to implementing here. In Rome, my run is along the Tiber riverwalk, going past the oldest bridge still existing in Rome (Ponte Fabricio), and turning around outside the walls of Vatican City. Running is usually my favorite way to explore a new place and it has been no different here. I believe that bringing elements of my routine from home– running– and implementing them into my daily routine here has helped me adjust to my new environment and feel like Rome is my home for the semester. (Submitted January 19, 2024)