Ciao!

Before I departed for Roma to spend the summer interning and exploring, I anticipated keeping a written journal of my adventures. After three weeks of journaling, infinite hand cramps later, I decided to update a blog to share my experiences.

Pennsylvania → Italia

In the weeks before I left, I had combined excitement and apprehension, also saddened to leave my family and friends behind for two months. This was my first time traveling solo- not to mention my first time in Europe. My excitement far exceeded the anxieties I had; I did my research, felt prepared, and took off.

3 weeks later

Every fear I had before the trip has withered away- I never imagined that living 4000 miles away from where I grew up could feel so much like home. I am living in a cozy, 4 bedroom apartment with six other girls. One of which is a Roman native, Silvia, which was incredibly helpful when navigating my way through a foreign city. Also, she gave me the opportunity to learn about true Italian culture from the perspective of someone who is my age.

The first days here consisted of orientation meetings and dinners with my roommates. Coming into this program alone, I felt as if I was starting college all over again. I knew no one, but I wouldn’t have signed up to do this if I wasn’t okay with that. Getting to know the people in the IES Internship program has been nothing but fun. All of us have so much in common, making it feel like we have known each other for years already (cliché but true).

Adjusting to this new culture is an on-going process, but I am loving every minute of it. Staying open minded is the key, considering that panicking could be so easy in certain situations. Sometimes wrong streets are wandered down, and google maps is rendered useless. There is value in getting lost, and problem solving to figure out what to do next. There is no better place to be lost than Rome… It is a living museum. Everywhere you look is a historic monument, aesthetic fountain, charming coffee bar, or a tempting restaurant. It is hard to explain the beauty of Rome to someone who has never seen it themselves.

One huge cultural difference I quickly noticed is meal time. Italians eat dinner much later than the average American, typically around 8:30-9:00pm. Also, there is more significance to meal time here. Italians utilize coffee breaks and/or any meal to bond with family members, close friends, or coworkers. They share details about their day, talk about politics and current events, etc. Meal time is a for connecting and simply enjoying one another’s presence. This deeper appreciation for the person sitting in front of me is absolutely something that I plan on incorporating in my everyday life when I return to the States.

Trekking from city to city

Traveling around Italy and surrounding countries poses some challenges, especially when traveling in a large group. However, it is possible and it is most definitely worth it. From the metro, to the trains rides, the shuttles, and even the airports-traveling in a large group can get overwhelming. Not to mention the added stress of a language barrier. Luckily, the group that I travel around with is a bunch of resourceful and easy going people who make the adventures fun. So far, a group of us have made trips to Florence, Sorrento, and the island of Capri (pictured below). Each have their own breathtaking attractions where I have already made memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.

Here is one of my favorite memories: (I could write pages and pages if I don’t pick just one)

The Duomo in Florence is an iconic church in the heart of the city with a breathtaking view and incredible architecture. I have never seen anything like it. My friends and I bought tickets, waited in line for an hour and a half, preparing ourselves for the 463 stairs we were about to climb to get to the dome. A glute workout later, we got to look over all of Florence, a 360 view of the winding city streets, terraces, and out into the mountains behind the city. This was incredible, BUT my favorite memory is actually what we did at the duomo the night before. My friends and I were out at the bars in Florence the night before, exploring and avoiding any unnecessary time spent in our hostel. Mid trek to a bar, we found ourselves staring at the duomo. A place that is usually filled with hustle and bustle during the day, was deserted by this time of night. My friends and I were the only ones around. We layed on the ground beneath the church staring, taking it all in. Of course, taking some pictures too. The meticulous detail and architecture had all of us mesmerized to the point that we did not even care that we were laying on the ground (which would normally be a big deal for a germaphobe like me). We truly were having the time of our lives.

Working in a foreign country

As you probably know, most people come abroad to take classes. I applied for an internship program where I take one class and devote 25 hours a week to an internship.  My class teaches me about business and culture in Italy, which is more interesting than I anticipated. As for my internship, I started interning at The National Institute for Health, Immigration, and Poverty a few days after I arrived in Rome. Most of the fear that I wrote about earlier revolved around this…”What if I miss the bus?”, “What if I act too “American” and embarrass myself?”, “What if I can’t find it?” (google maps is barely any help on the winding, cobblestone roads of Rome), etc. Everyone speaks English at my workplace, but it is very broken, adding to the difficulty. We have  adjusted by now and try help each other with one another’s language. My coworkers have proven to me again and again how thoughtful they are, which eased the adjustment into a new workplace.

I feel challenged here, in a good way, and I feel grateful to work for an institution that does such honorable work. I get to spend time doing research and planning events- for example, I have been helping to plan the South European Network for Health Inequalities meeting held at the

NIHMP in late June. At that meeting my job is to give the representatives from 8 European countries a tour of Saint Maria’s church in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome. So many exciting things are happening already, but stay tuned for what the next month has in store.

Pictured is where I work at the NIHMP of Rome

Living and Learning

As my Italian language skills improve (nothing too crazy), so do my relationships with Italians that I have met. There is cafe across the street from the NIHMP where I spend the twenty minutes before my work day starts enjoying a cappuccino. Last Wednesday morning when I walked in, before I could spit out “Posso avere un cappuccino per favore”, the owner said, “The usual, bella?” I smiled surprisingly, feeling that Italian hospitality I have always heard about.

The past three weeks have been filled with one learning experience after the next. I love the level of comfortability I feel here now. I try to act like a local, and I am secretly flattered when people come up to me and start a conversation in Italian. Although, it is possible that carrying my digital SLR camera around my neck while sight seeing crushes any chance I have at blending in. But i’ll take what I can get.

 

So you can picture it…

 

 

 

Pictured is Island of Capri. After a Ferry ride from Naples, we took a boat to the Blue Grotto and hopped into a rowboat to be taken into a tiny cave where the sunlight reflects off of the sand illuminating the water.

In Sorrento, we stayed in an adorable hostel for only €15 per person, where we seemed to be the only tourists on a beach of locals. We spent the day on the beach relaxing and swimming. It was a Sunday well spent.

 

Con amore,

Michelle xo