My time in Rome, Italy, has officially ended, and now that I have returned home, I wish I could do everything all over again. I noticed many things in Italian culture that were very different from the culture back home. In particular, something that confused me about Italian culture was the fact that most Italians wore all black very often and they usually dressed up even to go to the grocery store. Also, after coming back from my weekend trips it was really important for me to buy all the groceries for the week before the stores closed early on Sundays. One thing I noticed a lot was the fact that Italians would tend to stare at me a lot even when I was dressed up. At first, it made me a bit uncomfortable but after getting used to the culture, it became normal to experience this. In my perspective, I think Italians prioritize family time especially at the table. Whenever I went to eat at a restaurant the servers do not rush you at all and do not expect you to leave immediately after dessert. There were times where I missed having my own car instead of taking public transportation or using a taxi service. However, now being home I realized how much I miss living in a walkable city and not having to drive everywhere. Someone from my host culture would view my experience as quite wholesome being able to learn the language, food, and way of life. Many Italian locals would get very excited and intrigued when I would tell them I am an American student studying in Rome. They are usually very friendly and are able to share some of their favorite restaurants and hotspots to see around my host city. My experience in Rome was something I will never forget for the rest of my life. I met so many people from AUR, locals around Rome, friends, and people from other countries, too. I was able to learn so much about the Italian economy, history, food, art, and business. After living in a foreign country, I think that I became more aware of other cultures. I really enjoyed being able to leave behind some of my home habits and behaviors to be able to adjust into a new way of living. During my time in Italy, I learned a lot about their political and economic climate through my classes and from speaking to locals. I thought that it was really interesting to be living in the capital of Italy where you are just minutes away walking distance to the parliament and many other famous capital sites. Overall, my experience living in Rome was one of a kind and something that I miss and have been thinking about everyday since being back home. I made some amazing memories that I will be able to look back on for the rest of my life. If I could, I would go back in a heartbeat. Studying abroad has been by far one of the best decisions I have ever made in college.
