By Allie Chafetz
The number one thing people said to me when I told them where I was going to study abroad in Rome was “you’re SO lucky, Italy is beautiful!” They were not wrong. Italy is a beautiful country, and each region is a slightly different experience. If I could recommend anything to anyone studying abroad in Italy it would be to travel! You can hop on a train and be in a whole different region in under an hour, with new foods, new sights to see, and completely different terrain. Venice is completely different from Florence, and they are only a few hours apart. Rome is an experience all by itself. Taking the bus into the city center and seeing the Colosseum appear through the window was one of the most astounding moments of my time there. Having so much ancient history around you is almost beyond comprehension. There is nothing in the United States that can compare to the Roman ruins.
I spent a lot of time eating pizza and pastries – both are just so much better there. There is something to the crust of the pizza that is just perfection. I would also highly recommend looking up regional foods because there are so many options. I had a wild boar pasta in Tuscany which ended up being amazing! I spent a lot of time on trains and planes traveling to different countries as well. Europe is wonderful because you can experience so many different languages and cultures and sceneries in a few short plane rides! Switzerland is completely different from Greece which is completely different from England.
Studying at the American University of Rome was a welcome change of pace from K thanks to AUR”s longer semester schedule and more relaxed academic culture, but my best learning opportunities came from the experience of traveling and being abroad. I gained many skills in planning, adapting, and navigating unfamiliar situations. Being in a country where I did not speak the language and did not understand the lifestyle was a huge adjustment but also a great lesson in empathy and understanding different cultures. Studying abroad in Italy was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I met wonderful people, learned interesting things, and had a life-changing experience.
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