MY ROMAN EMPIRE: semester 1

I always knew that I wanted to study abroad and one of the reasons I chose my home university was because of their study abroad program. I have talked about this before I decided that I wanted to study abroad in 2023 so most likely 2024 was going to be the year that we made it happen. I am Sicilian so Italy was always a place I felt drawn to even when I was younger. Every part of Italy as well whether it was the city, the countryside, or the coast. This was truly a dream come true and an experience I will never take for granted. The friendships I have made in this city and the memories that we have all cherished together will last a lifetime.

When we moved to Italy there were six of us living in a space together which just enhanced the feeling of support and family. We all had also gotten to know one another during the summertime as well so we had been in communication for some time. Maddy and I shared a room in which we will forever share a bond considering we were the first and last people we saw when we both were going to sleep. When we got there we took it all in and tried the best we could to adjust to the culture as it was something we had never experienced before. It took some of us a bit longer than others or in different ways but that was completely okay because we knew we had the support. It was so exciting and still every day is exciting as I learn something new about myself constantly. That first week was all about getting to know our neighbors, trying to even comprehend public transportation, climbing the many flights of stairs to get to school, our go-to pasta order, and of course Glovo delivery service.

One week in I had a freak accident and broke my fifth metatarsal in my foot. It was genuinely unbelievable and scary as I needed surgery. Let alone in a foreign country where I did not speak or understand the language. It was not only physically taxing as I could not walk in a place where walking is your main form of transportation and I had just met these people a week prior. This experience bonded us all and I knew that these people would be my friends for life. Seeing how they cared for me and loved me was something that I still will spend my life showing my gratitude for. My mental health was declining and they kept it afloat to the best of their ability by keeping my spirits high.

I had missed the first three trips of the semester including one that I had personally planned which was disappointing, but seeing my mom and having her in Rome was the biggest blessing I could ask for. Seeing the Vatican with her was something that I will remember forever.

When my mom left and I was able to put partial pressure on my foot that is when I made the journey with my roommates to Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest. That was a memorable experience that I would love to do again when I have two walking feet but regardless we had a blast. We met so many new people and ate more chicken than I think we ever wanted to in our lives. My roommates supported me as I was still on crutches.

The next trip after that was Morocco and I finally was able to ditch the crutches and walk in the boot pretty normally. Morocco was incredible and it felt like we were in an entirely different world. It was so exciting to learn the history and dive into another way of life that we were unfamiliar with. The locals welcomed us and we had so much fun spending our days in the Sahara Desert.

In between our trips, we spent our days getting sandwiches across from the Pantheon and singing karaoke at the pub. We loved visiting the thrift stores and discovering new clubs to dance. If we were not out exploring we were in the apartment spending time with one another whether that was cooking in the kitchen or practicing Italian with Faith. Even just sitting on the balcony enjoying the view writing would be something I did often.

Maddy and I had planned our fall break trip well ahead of time back in the summer but only the dates and flights. We were spending most of October planning our itinerary for Iceland or to be honest, she was, and I was just along for the ride. Iceland was a dream trip that I think both of us think about almost every day. An otherworldly experience seeing natural landmarks that were just mind-blowing. It was so fun just the two of us because there was not a care in the world. Just us having fun and that was simple enough.

The school was the same every day and we had our Fridays off. We stay on top of our work…..don’t worry Mom….and we all helped one another as much as we could.

After Iceland, France was next! I have always wanted to go to Paris to live my Emily in Paris fantasy so when Irene and Faith asked if I wanted to go I knew I could not pass it up. Paris was a dream with the best food I have ever had in my life. It was also the first trip Faith and I took together so that was special. In November we took the time to cherish the last month we all had with one another as well as finishing out the semester. Seeing Rome as much as we could since there is more to see every day. Getting to go to Canada to see Meghan was something that was so meaningful as well and we had a fabulous experience in such a short amount of time. I miss her everyday and celebrating her is something I just can not pass up. I was also out for a month and a half so I felt like I had so much catching up to do. November was the month for that.

As a part of our tuition, ISA does a few program trips every semester and one of them was to Florence which I was super stoked about. I had not gotten to see a lot of Italy during the semester so it was exciting to stay in Italy and see something new. This was the first weekend of December so the semester was winding down so it was a great trip for us all to spend together one last time. In Florence, we got to experience art and history as well as some of the best nightlife with our close friends around us. Florence felt like a cozier Rome and we all simply just had a beautiful one last adventure.

I learned many things last semester and each one of them was just as important as the others. I learned what it is like to be independent and believe in myself. I learned to overcome adversity not just physically but mentally. I learned that giving up is not an option but to feel every emotion possible to move forward. I learned that you are not going to click with everyone you meet and that is okay. I learned to stand up for myself and value my reputation. I learned that traveling can bring out the best and worst in some, and test friendships as well. These lessons may be quite simple or self-explanatory but I have a better grasp on the person I am and want to be than I ever did before. Seeing the world brings out perspectives I never knew existed and opened my eyes to what the world can offer me as well as what I can do for the world.

I can not wait to do it all again and I thank God daily for this beautiful life. Cheers to semester two in Roma!