MY ROMAN EMPIRE: season 2

When I first sat down with my parents about studying abroad, a semester abroad was not even in the picture at first. Most of my friends had only done a summer program, and a semester seemed too long. We evaluated all of my options and ultimately came down to a semester. I was originally going to go to Florence, but was then convinced to go to Rome, which matched my major a little better. Thinking back, I can’t imagine going anywhere else. When I broke my foot, it genuinely seemed like the end of the world, and at the time, to be honest, it was. I was mentally in a dangerous headspace, and I felt like my experience had just been shot to hell. If it were not for my mom, I think I would have come home to Wisconsin, which would have been the worst thing for me at the time. She kept saying that this was only temporary and that it would be the biggest regret if I came home. As always, she was right. When she came to visit me, she continued to remind me that I could do this, and I am stronger than I think. It is not just the trips I would have missed; it would be the little memories that I hold close. Such as Maddy and I’s conversations till 4 am or Faith and I’s Guiffre’s coffee routine before class. Irene is making me laugh in the student lounge in between classes. I would have missed nights with Flavio and Gina in Campo di Fiori or 3 am pizza with Nikki. Lime scootering around Rome at midnight with Jay. Or Carrie and I dancing till the sun rises at Nur. These memories are ones I want to talk about forever, so I do not forget. I smiled going to school knowing I would survive Bruno’s class with Morgan, Lauren T, Mia, Felisha, and Aubrey. My gelato runs with Lauren S, knowing she would give me the best advice on my hardest days. I mention these people because I think it is important to give them their credit, as these people truly made the place.

Our semester had started in August, and Maddy, Irene, and I connected in July over a group chat that was started from ISA orientation. We instantly connected and sent our director an email asking to be roommates. We then proceeded to immediately plan our side quests together, and I felt comfort in knowing that I was not going to be alone through this. My travel to Rome in the beginning was… rough, and that is an understatement. I was originally supposed to go from Raleigh to London to Rome. My plane had gotten delayed, and I was not going to make my layover, so I decided last minute to change my flight from Raleigh to Charlotte and then Charlotte to Rome. I had made it on the plane to Charlotte, but then the plane that was supposed to be going to London had maintenance issues. I was dropped off at the airport in Raleigh around 2 pm and did not get on the plane in Charlotte till around 9 or 10 pm. And I still had two more flights to go. This was also my first time heading to Europe or going through customs by myself. We finally made it to London, and luckily, my flight had gone smoothly and I had a smooth layover. From this, I still missed the original welcome dinner ISA was having, where we got to meet everyone, and I was going to get to the apartment pretty late at night. Taking a taxi by myself at night in a foreign country was not something I was too excited about. When I had finally gotten to the airport in Rome, I came to find out that they had lost one of my bags in London, and they were going to have to ship it to me. At this point, I was not even surprised and just knew it would all work out. A taxi was arranged for me, and I made it to Viale di Trastevere, which would be my home for the next 9 months, but at the time, I only thought it would be for 4 months. Apartment 17 held so many laughs, definitely some tears, elevator mishaps, and maybe a towel set on fire. Maddy and I chose the room at the end, and we were ready to have an amazing semester.

The first few days were filled with tours around Rome and seeing all of the sites to see. Learning all the history about Rome was honestly my favorite part. It seemed like every corner had a story, and it honestly just did not feel real. We braved the 100-degree heat, climbing steps and seeing the Colosseum, which was a wonder within itself. We made friendships to last a lifetime this week, including checking out the local bars such as Scholars, which would then hold some great…and not so great….memories forever. Even heading to the beach, where mojito buckets will be something that can’t be excluded from this article. Adapting was not as hard for me as I thought it would be. I had just kind of figured it out. Not saying that it was not different or would need some time because it did take me a second to find a routine, especially after my foot, but I had just done my best to pick up on the locals’ habits and made a conscious effort to be respectful as well as learn the language.

I have talked about breaking my foot before, so I do not want to highlight it fully, but what I will say is how quickly my roommates and friends jumped in to make sure that I would be okay. They had only known me for a week and were visiting me in the hospital every day, helping me bathe (the war stories), making sure I was eating, and being there to hug me when they knew it was getting too hard. At school, they sat with me and made sure that I was getting the support I needed. I will never be able to thank them enough, and I will never forget the sheer kindness they showed me.

Of course, with studying abroad came traveling, and the first semester was just magical. From drinking beer in my grandpa’s homeland to riding camels through the Sahara, chasing waterfalls in Iceland, watching the Eiffel Tower light up in Paris, eating some moure poutine in Toronto, and running around Florence at night, it truly changed the way I look at the world. From being the girl who could not even go to the grocery store by myself or always needing someone with me any time I was in a car to hopping from country to country by myself, losing my passport in Germany, figuring out public transportation in different languages, and dealing with hospitals and doctors in different parts of the world sometimes I do not even recognize that girl. We all get homesick at times, and sometimes it is worse than others. Watching my friends from back home live their lives and make memories could be difficult because I felt so the outside from everything. It did not affect my experience, but it was a feeling I did not know how to navigate. Missing my brother’s first year at our college and getting nervous that I could not protect him. My brother and sister in law expecting their first baby, and not being a part of that, or my parents making Wisconsin their permanent home, and not being able to celebrate it with them. Watching our friends celebrate Halloween, or not celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. These were all things that we all felt and tried our best to recreate those memories together. Getting to celebrate Irene’s 22nd and Faith’s 20th was memories that made up for that feeling. We tried to celebrate the wins with the love and support we had around us.

When I broke my foot, we had come to the conclusion pretty quickly that I would stay the rest of the academic year. We were able to work it out with UNCW, and I was approved to do so. The only complicated part that was stressful was trying to get my visa extended, but thankfully, the honorary consulate in Philly took care of it quickly in between semesters. The hardest thing about leaving first semester was knowing that when we were coming back, the people we had grown to love and share this experience with would not be coming back with us. The thing about Christmas break that was not tough for us was that we knew we had one more semester to go, but what we did not account for was how quickly it would go by.

Faith and I came a few days after the new girls in January because we did not need to do orientation or anything like that. It gave us more time with our families, and I was able to work another week. We got to be in contact with the girls living with us, and we immediately made connections and friendships with them. Faith and I now shared a room, which was exciting, and we could not wait to meet them all. Fresh off the plane in Ciera fashion, we hit the club that night, and I knew then we would be locked in for the rest of the semester.

The second semester was like a breath of fresh air and went by too quickly. It was similar to the first but different in many ways. We had made more friends at school from different schools in the US, and also became closer to the locals. Having Roman friends was a huge highlight for me as I was able to connect with them and learn more about what it is like to truly live in Rome. We went out more and had so much fun, truly experiencing the nightlife, whether it be for special occasions or just because. I loved just knowing whether it was home or school, someone was there that I knew would make my day brighter. Our trips were just as magical, from Lily visiting us and heading to Madrid, riding a water taxi in Venice, spring break in Athens and Mykonos, drinking tea in London, skydiving in Portugal, seeing the blue grotto in Capri, eating lemon sorbet in Sorrento, a day trip in Apulia, and visiting family friends in Bolzano. Another major second-semester highlight was going to see a Roma game with Faith. I have been used to hockey games my entire life, but a European football game makes the Islanders arena sound like its whispering. It truly was an experience that neither of us will ever forget or be able to recreate. The energy was electric, and I don’t think either of us felt more Roman in our lives. I know that we will be back very soon to dance in the Piazza Trilussa, get sandwiches in front of the Pantheon, eat the best carbonara at Oste Nostro, grab a pitcher at Drunken Ship, say hi to Luca when we get our morning coffee, hungover breakfast bagels at Mammo, and get more tattoos than we need at Jay Lester.

Saying goodbye to this experience might have been one of the hardest of my life. Faith and I truly built a life over there and made Trastevere our home. We experienced things that we will never take for granted. I thank my parents every day because there is absolutely no way this would ever have been possible. We made friendships that I know will never be broken, as this experience was ours to share. Living in Rome changed the way I look at the world and has made me hungry to travel the world even more. I can’t wait for where that journey takes me, and I thank Rome for giving me the confidence and independence that I never knew I could have.

Grazie Roma e a presto! Ci manchi già. Per sempre la nostra casa!