Elyse C. - Rome, Italy - Spring 2014
Hi CPP class!
Rome is absolutely AMAZING! It is hard to get used to the infinite
amounts of history and art surrounding me everywhere I go! Everything looks as
if I could see it in a travel catalog! I walk everywhere and since almost all
the roads are uneven cobblestones, even in good walking shoes, my feet are
sore! Italians drive small cars and zip so quickly past us while we walk to
school and it is true about their parking, it does end up being on sidewalks!
Besides those minor details I have really enjoyed my 1st week, my host parents
are great cooks and I'm starting to make some good friends. I have found that
less Italians speak English than I expected, so knowing Italian is necessary,
but I am getting by and learning more of the language every day! Meals are quite
different here from the food to the time of day we eat, lunch is around 1:30-2
and dinner around 8:00-8:30, I'm still getting used to this part! I hope you're
getting excited about studying abroad and my other piece of advice is fill out
your visa form asap! lol
Elyse
p.s. the first picture is the Pantheon and the second picture is
at the Trevi Fountain then the Spanish Steps
posted by Alice N at 3/03/2014 04:59:00 PM
6 Comments:
Hi Elyse,
I'm writing from CPP 250. Hope you're having an amazing time in Rome. I've been once before and have been dying to go back. I'm sure you'll be traveling a lot while you're in Europe, and I recommend going to Cinque Terre in Italy. Look it up... it's the most beautiful I have ever been in. I plan on studying in Poland and hope to go back to Cinque Terre for a weekend or so.
Best,
Juliette
Hi Juliette!
I just went to Poland last weekend! Krakow to be specific. I was only there for a few days but loved it! Everyone is extremely nice and the Poles speak English SO much better than the Italians so you'll have no trouble with that when you first arrive. It seems a bit slower paced too than Rome which was a nice change of pace for me. Things are much cheaper because they use the zloty! I'm actually planning on visiting Cinque Terre the first weekend in May, I've heard so many awesome things about it! Thanks for the advice!! Hope your planning is going well!
Hi Elyse,
I am writing from CPP 250. I was wondering if you have traveled to anywhere else and if so how easy was it to get there? Also, have you taken Italian before or is the language completely new to you? I would love to go to Rome one day, it seems like you are having an awesome time! Best of luck with the rest of the semester!
Jaclyn Pizzoferrato
Hi Jaclyn!
Yes I am traveling around Europe too! It is pretty easy, the hardest part is getting a shuttle to the airport, which isn't difficult just usually really early in the morning! Ryanair does really cheap flights to major European countries, I used them when I visited Poland and for spring break I'm flying with them to Paris and Barcelona too. I hadn't taken Italian before, my HS was small so they didn't offer it and Elmhurst doesn't either... but I'm in a home stay and managing! It is completely new and it's hard for me to pick up the language but I am definitely making progress. Will you be studying in Rome? If you are just going to do a weekend trip here for a few days you'll be ok with English, most Italians know the pleasantries to get by. I hope your planning for your abroad experience is going well!
Elyse
ELYSE!
Oh my goodness. Whats up girl?
Its alex. I am so glad to hear that your abroad is going well! I miss you here for sure, but to be honest, you know you aren't missing out on much at all! ha. So quick question miss stranger, what was the most surprising culture shock in Rome? what really just SHOCKED ya ? :p
I am in CPP 250 right now because i am studying abroad in Sydney Australia this fall:) thanks for being an inspiration to me to study abroad as well. I send my love. Please continue to enjoy yourself. Can't wait to hear from you. Take care
Sincerely and with love,
Alex Reid
OHMYGOSH!!!! Alex!!!!!
I didn't know you were studying abroad!?!?! That's awesome! You'll love it for sure! But... this means you won't be doing XC.... :( sad day. I'll miss you on the team so much! Hmmm my greatest culture shock, there wasn't one big thing, I'd say it is a couple small things like there are so many people everywhere, and they all walk slowly and do almost all things at a leisurely pace. (For Italians there is no such thing as being in a hurry) So since I do have a schedule and need to walk faster and get places relatively quickly, sometimes that can be a big challenge. Also there are so many cars! The thing is pedestrians do not have the right of way, even if you have the walk sign or are on the sidewalk (yes vespa's sometimes drive on them). So I always have to be super aware of myself when I'm walking. Another thing, smiling at people you pass on the street or saying hi is seen as weird unless you actually know them, haha. Or even an invitation that you want more if it happened to be a guy, so that took some practice not to do. Whatever the "culture shock" is/was it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, they weren't major deal breakers and I can definitely work through them, as I'm sure you'll be able to do too! :)Let me know if you ever have any other thoughts!!
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