03.

“Travel means finding yourself through a journey, and letting it change you. Tourism means making a journey with enough cushioning and filtering and microscheduling to assure that it won’t change you” | Richard Eder 

ARCHITETTURA ISTRUZIONE.

The benefit of studying a semester abroad is to actually travel and not just tour. Of course when I first arrived in Rome, I was ready to run around and click my camera at every site that anyone visiting Rome must see, i.e. the Colosseum, the Roman Forum… I’ve been lucky to get to experience these sites on a level that isn’t from the upper level of a tour bus. But now that we have been here in Rome for nearly a month now, I’m getting to explore some of the parts of Rome that go untouched by the tourists who are only here for four days.

My latest exploration encountered a few parts of the Museo Nazionale Romano. The Museo Nazionale Romano comprises of four sites that are located in Rome’s historic city center. The first stop I made with my class was the Baths of Diocletian. The Baths were constructed in the 4^th century AD and are said to be the largest bath complex ever built in the Roman period. The site is at an exceptional level of preservation and while visiting, one is able to really get a sense of the immense scale of the baths. This vast rectangular space enclosed a large garden, of which Michelangelo transformed into the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Carthusian Monastery. 

Later on, we were able to venture into another part of the Museo Nazionale Romano. Here in Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, we were able to explore beautifully crafted mosaics, sculptures and other noteworthy art pieces.

LA CUCINA. 

Cannolis are iconic Italian pastries. Although originated in Sicily, Rome still knows how to prepare these creamy and delightful desserts quite well! I bought the beautiful cannolo pictured below from a very well stocked bakery near Campo di Fiori, Rome. 

Alright, let's talk about pizza served in Italy. If you order pizza in a restaurant, you will receive a personal sized pizza that looks like the large one you see below. Don't get discouraged - YOU CAN, and should, EAT THE ENTIRE THING. The pizza does not come sliced like it does in the States, so therefore you use a fork and knife and eat it like a civilized human being... or you try to. You can typically find these pizzas from anywhere between €8,50 - €12,00. 

If you grab pizza in a quick take out place, you will end up paying for how much your slice weighs. Again, these pizza slices aren't the triangular slices that we are so used to and instead the pizza is cut into squares or rectangles to make a sandwich, which is easy to nibble on as you stroll through the cobble stone streets of Rome. These slices make a perfect lunch. Typically these pieces of pizza could be anywhere €2,50-€5,00

ATTACCARE ALLA ROUTINE.

I've learned that while it is important to immerse yourself in culture while studying abroad, it is also important to stick with the routines that you are used to. It doesn't mean that I have to do everything like I used to back in school in DC, but rather take to Italy a few things that are rooted within my day to day life. The main part of my daily routine that I didn't want to lose while going abroad was my workouts. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't find too many day light hours to keep running on the Tiber River, so I looked for some advice from my roommate, Bridget*, who had been researching gyms around the Trastevere area. We both decided to join a gym that gave a student discount for the 3 months we will be here. The gym comes equipped with all the machines you could want, many open fitness classes and a sauna. For those reading that will be going abroad in the future, I urge you to keep something from home in your routine. For me, its running or working out which gives me a little escape. 

*PS | Bridget started a yummy food Instagram that I highly encourage you to take a look at.