When in Rome

Week One: June 17- June 23

The first week of being abroad was very new and exciting. I met some of the most amazing people, tried some traditional Roman meals, and explored the city that would be my home for the next few weeks.

A brief run down of what transpired that first week:

• I almost cried saying bye to my sister at the airport and it took me like 15 minutes to figure out how to scan my passport (tip: check in 24 hours in advance, I saved more time than you'd think)

• I suffered the first 3 hour leg of my trip with only Wordscapes for entertainment (tip: get Spotify Premium and download a travel playlist; saved my life for the rest of my time on airplanes)

• Reality didn't sink in until I touched down at Fumicino Airport and ran into TCU Ashlyn, excitement didn't kick in until I discovered that I would be living with TCU Ashlyn and ashlyn alexander (who prefers lowercase because capital letters give her anxiety)

• Our apartment was right in the thick of everything and was perfect minus the lack of AC (tip: none of the apartments in Rome have AC, bring a fan and open a window BUT also bring mosquito repellent)

• On the first night (after about SIX hours of orientation) the staff took us out to dinner and MAN! Tip: If you ever go to Rome, you have to try the potatoes that are fried whole and stuffed with cheese, bruschetta, panna cotta, and allll the pizza, pasta and gelato

• I noticed that most of the restaurants played American music or covers of American songs

• There is natural spring water that is delicious and fresh from the outdoor fountains, "Big Nose Fountains,” and it is safe to drink from most of the faucets (note: all the fountains have a unique taste because the water comes from different springs) there is also a lot of sparkling water and restaurants will serve both at meals (note: Romans eat dinner around 8 or 9 and there will be a service charge already added to your bill for bread and water; it's also found rude to tip)

• Our classes were held in a nunnery (note: it's inappropriate to say "Ciao" to a nun)

• Also the dreaded "Italian first floor" - I guess this is more of a European thing in general, but what you might consider the first floor in America (very literal) would be up a flight or two of stairs in Italy

• I got to live my Lizzie McGuire dreams and see the Spanish Steps! (note: there are a lot of street performers and vendors near tourist attractions; if the merchandise looks easy to pick up and run with 9 times out of 10 it's illegal to sell and/or purchase)

• Everything in Rome is beautiful! Even the lamp posts had floral designs

• Recycling is hugeeee in Europe and in Italy specifically there are separate bins for non-recyclable waste, food, glass and aluminum, paper and plastic

• Tip: call your cellphone provider and unlock your phone, then buy a sim card for the country you are visiting. You will need your phone to navigate and communicate (note: a lot of people in Europe communicate through Whatsapp, even some doctors and retailers)

• All of the doors are huge and heavy and have complicated keys and locks

• Tip: if you are staying somewhere with a kitchen, buy groceries to save money! Set a budget and get the currency that you need from a bank at home and bring it with you to avoid high exchange rates. ALSO get smaller bills; for example, bigger bills like the 50 Euro are harder to break because small stores and cafes rarely accept them.

• The Trevi Fountain is beautiful! (tip: go early in the morning to avoid the rush of tourists and also go see all the iconic sights of the country you're visiting!)

• I also casually walked past The Pantheon in all of its glory on the way to one of our classroom excursions (tip: visit the Parliamentary Library in Rome if you get the chance. As an avid book reader, that was one of the most beautiful libraries I have ever seen!)

• Go see all the ancient lands, monuments and ruins! We took a day trip to Ostia Antica and it was breathtaking. Also if you can, go on a walking tour of the city you're in to see as much as possible (tip: Rome is very hot in the summer so wear sunscreen even if you don't think you'll burn and bring good walking shoes; we walked almost 10 miles each day).

• Public transportation is a huge deal in Europe and I got to ride my very first metro (tip: for Rome specifically I recommend getting a metro pass for 15 Euro because you might not always have the 1,50 change on you)

• I ate a lot of croissants and cappuccinos for breakfast (note: don't order any coffee beverage except espresso after 11 am) I also took full advantage of buffets and ate a lot of wok stir fry

• I used a drying rack for the first time in my life because Romans don't have drying machines in their apartments because of space (note: the washing machine was in the bathroom)

• I ate a lot of McDonald's while abroad and each country has unique menu items (tip: try the Snickers McFlurry in Rome and the Daim au Caramel McFlurry in Paris)

• I also got to go to Milan, Sondrio and Switzerland with Lara and both Ashlyns, which was such a wonderful experience and I definitely need to go back to the Alps (tip: make friends everywhere you go and be open to new adventures, I got invited on this trip to a mysterious cabin after knowing Lara for 3 days)

• Tip: leave your passport in a safe place, you won't need it to travel through the EU unless you're boarding a plane. Everywhere else you'll only need some form of ID.

• I got to "see how the other side lives" and cut up my own pizza while listening to Italian trap music at a dinner party in Sondrio

• Note: a lot of people in Europe still smoke so don't be surprised if you go home smelling like cigarettes and a good time

• Fun fact: when we were all taking pictures with our new Italian friends and asked them to smile and say "cheese," they all grinned and exclaimed "FORMAGGIO" (Italian for cheese)

• Author's note: I had the best first week I could have imagined. I was terribly nervous to go to abroad because I had never been out of the country, and I was amazed at how welcoming my group was and how quickly I made friends for life. The staff at CIEE was also astounding and I definitely recommend their Rome program.

Until my next post, Ciao Ciao Ciao.