Having been abroad for about six weeks now, several challenges have presented themselves. Overall, adjusting to a new culture, schedule and language has proven to be difficult, but not impossible! I have found that having patience and staying positive makes all the difference when faced with everything a new city and country throws at you.
One challenge I have faced thus far was figuring out Rome’s bus system. I am from the suburbs of Houston, TX, therefore I did not grow uo using any form of public transportation. In fact, I had never used public transportation until earlier this year. In Rome, there is only a very small underground Metro line because ancient artifacts of previous Roman civilizations riddle the ground. For this reason, most Romans rely heavily on the bus system. Immediately after I arrived, it was clear I would need to ride the bus frequently due to the location of my apartment. It took me almost two weeks and lots of googling to figure out how to acquire a monthly bus pass. I finally found one at a tobacco shop hidden behind the local train station. After this step, I had to embark on the confusing journey of riding the buses. I had many instances of getting on the wrong bus and ending up miles away from where I wanted to be. Likewise, many times the sign at the stop said a certain bus would be arriving in however many minutes, and the bus simply never came! Then, of course, there is the issue of rain. Any Roman will agree that when it rains, the buses will be late and slow.
I usually am a very schedule-oriented person, but I am learning to go with the flow more and more each day. I felt reassured when my Roman professor came to class 15 minutes late and blamed the bus! I realize now that everyone here must use the bus, and there is nothing anyone can do if there is a delay, a strike, or any other factor. I think after six weeks, though, I am getting the hang of it.