My First Two Weeks in Rome

I have officially been living in Rome for over two weeks! I remember when Rome was only a hope in my mind while I was touring Duquesne. To have been here for two weeks is baffling and wonderful.

This semester I am taking the following four courses: Elementary Italian, Christian Faith and Reason, Christian Art and Architecture, and Caput Mundi. For a health science major, this is an exceptionally light load! However, I have two on-site classes back-to-back on Thursdays, so I spend at least one long day in the city every week. During these on-site classes, the professors lead us through Rome visiting all types of churches, monuments, and locations integral to the development of Christianity and the city of Rome.

Academics in Rome is unlike anything I have taken before. My on-site classes, in particular, are a unique learning experience. I spend these three hour classes juggling intense listening, fervent note taking, and constant standing or walking. I feel as though I am a journalist, attempting to absorb as much as possible about Christian symbolism and Roman architecture while the world bustles around me. I am definitely still adapting to this type of lecture, but I am feeling more and more confident each class, and my body is slowing adjusting to three hour stretches of walking and standing.

I have discovered other new ways of learning in Rome outside of class as well. Many can attest that failure is the quickest way to learn, and I have to say that I agree, especially in the context of travel! Within my first week, I already got lost!

Here is some background information on Roman transportation before I dive into my story.

Roman public transportation is unpredictable and unreliable. Roman bus and metro drivers strike…a lot. Sometimes they strike due to pay, accidents, or politics, but there is not always a definitive reason for each strike. On the Friday morning of our grocery trip, the metro workers were striking. Later that afternoon, our half of the metro was shut down for maintenance. Well, on the same Friday evening, my friend Teresa and I took the bus into the city to stop at a local grocery store for some snacks. We sort of knew how to get there and back by bus, but we were more confident with the metro since we were aware of how fickle the buses are in Rome.

On our way to the store, Teresa and I got off on the wrong stop and after waiting at that stop for fifteen minutes, found that the bus would not be coming for the foreseeable future! Luckily, we were only a ten minute walk from the store.

All seemed smooth sailing from there. We went through the store and came out with yummy Italian cookies. We confidently walked to the bus stop, only to find that the bus driver was taking a break! We could only hope that he would start driving within the next half hour, but Teresa and I were too tired to wait around to see how long he would be, so we taxied back to campus for a few Euros. The funniest part of the whole trip was that we knew how to get home easily—but only by metro…which was under construction.

Although the situation was not preferable, Teresa and I kept our cool. We were both relaxed and found the event funny even in the moment. I was grateful for a friend who did not freak out over small inconveniences because I know how traveling often consists of a pile of inconveniences beyond how heavily I plan my trips. I look forward to all of the adventures she and I will take together this semester, both in Rome and beyond!

Below, see pictures from my first two weeks!