The day I found out the program was cancelled, I wasn’t even in Italy. My friend and I would travel every weekend to experience the most we can. At the time we were in London having the time of our lives. It was so crazy because we were talking over dinner about how if the…
Category: Italy: ISA Rome
In the face of a pandemic
In all honesty, I have put off writing this final blog post because doing so brings a finality to this whole experience. It takes away the slightest hope that perhaps we will receive notice that we can return back to Rome. Even though that may be far from the truth, this final post is a…
My Last Day of Normalcy
The day before finding out our program in Rome was cancelled, I spent the morning in Villa Doria Pamphili. A park on the west side of the city, only a 10-minute tram ride from my apartment, Villa Pamphili became my ‘happy place’ after my very first visit. On that Friday morning, walking to my usual…
Comparing the Experience to the Assumption
Coming home so suddenly from being abroad was a shock, as I’m sure it was for most students. I am grateful however, for the time that I did get to spend in another country. I want to talk a little about my learning experience abroad compared with what I had been expecting beforehand. I was…
Food in Italy!
How can I even start? I heard so many things about the exceptional culinary in Italy that when arriving in the country I had high expectations already. Well, those high expectations were not high enough! The food is absolutely amazing! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to live somewhere and not compare the culinary…
Ciao
Approximately one month and a week into my study abroad experience in Rome my program got cancelled. I am heartbroken having to leave all my new friends and new home. However, I am happy for the amazing trips to Milan, Pisa, Nice, Barcelona, and Interlaken we got to share together. And the endless consumption of…
A Hidden Gem
After a couple days of fun and exploring Rome, I was ready and excited to be a student in Italy! So, I did what most people do right before a big day: I set my alarms, allowing myself a 30 minute buffer zone for any mishaps that might take place when you’re, you know, starting…
No Pressure
My first month has been a whirlwind of excitement, change and adventure. I’ve eaten more than I’ve ever thought possible but I’ve also walked the equivalent of that every day in Rome. I think my new favorite treat here is the wonderful (although somewhat touristy) gelato crepes. It’s been a great time, but amidst the…
The Roman Guide to Dressing Warm
THE ROMAN GUIDE TO DRESSING WARM by Allison van Tilborgh Rome has what meteorologists call a “mild climate.” The city experiences hot summers and cold, though not freezing, winters. To my student abroad colleagues from Minnesota, Oregon, and South Dakota, the weather in Rome must be splendid. (It’s 35-55° F) To me, well, the prospect…
The Beginnings of Learning Italian
A few weeks before leaving the United States, I had several plans to obtain a basic grasp of the Italian language in preparation for my time in Rome. However, after learning the meaning and pronunciation of Buongiorno on Mango and never again opening the app, I showed up to Italy with a severely limited knowledge…