By: Stephanie Savage
Posted In: Entertainment
Photo credit: Stephanie Savage
The Pantheon in Rome bustles with crowds of tourists amazed by its beauty.
Photo credit: Stephanie Savage
Kate Pearson (left) and Stephanie Savage (Right) sit beside a fountain in Rome while sightseeing.
Rome, Italy – Amazed, frantic, excited, overwhelmed. This pretty much sums up the emotional rollercoaster I have experienced since arriving in the ancient city of Rome just over two weeks ago.
Anyone who has ever studied abroad is most likely to tell you that it was one of the best experiences of their entire life. I guess you could say I have pretty high expectations for these next four months. My first impressions are of how beautiful this city truly is with over two thousand years of history built up over time. The Colosseum and the Pantheon are both absolutely breathtaking, as is their surrounding area. The city, which is located on the Tiber River, is just like any other city in many respects with its bustling crowds of people and tall buildings. There are, however, many different areas of town and each neighborhood offers a culturally different atmosphere. My roommate, Kate, and I have taken a particular liking to one area of town much like what you would imagine most of Italy to look like, with cobblestone roads, people perched on fountain steps and a truly authentic Italian flair. Here you can find casual restaurants, chic bars, shopping, and our favorite, gelato. The American University of Rome, Salve’s affiliated school here in Italy, is located about twenty minutes away from our apartment and everyday we use the public transportation to get around. The school itself is quite small, settled on campus much smaller than that of Salve’s, with many of the classrooms overlooking a beautiful view of the Alps encompassing the entire city of Rome. After only four days of classes, the friendly faces in the school’s garden and in the halls are already becoming quite familiar to me. At night and on the weekends, I spend my time exploring Rome and going out to eat or for cocktails with my new friends. I’m amazed as to how friendly the locals have been to us and the extent of interesting people we have met from all over the world. The foods we have eaten have all been amazing, yet very dissimilar to the Italian food we eat back home in the states. Food, however, is just one of the many differences between here and the U.S., and it’s certainly an adjustment to adapt to such a different lifestyle. I’m really looking forward to these next four months and to travel throughout Europe and being able to share these experiences with all of you. It’s only been two weeks and my time here has already been incredible given all that I have been fortunate enough to see and do. I can’t wait to see what I stumble upon next.
