Getting Settled

I'd known for years that I wanted to study abroad in college and had settled on Rome about a year ago. But for all the romanticizing and daydreaming, the days leading up to my departure were suddenly nothing but stress. "How will I communicate without knowing Italian? What if I don't make friends? Am I really expected to fit four months' worth of belongings into two suitcases?"

Now that I'm here in Rome, I feel way more confident. Sure, my new friends and I have already had a few disoriented moments after taking some wrong turns, but I can tell it's going to be a great semester.

Based on all the pre-departure information from the program, I was expecting a rathole of an apartment that was a trek from campus. So I was pleasantly surprised to find out my five roommates and I are sharing an apartment that's at least twice the size of the one I rented in Maryland and is less than a ten-minute walk from the university — a shorter hike than to a lot of my classes back at UMD. The common room is gigantic, and while the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms aren't huge, they're about what you'd expect from college living. We even have our own washer in the apartment but no dryer, and a cleaning service will come once a week.

Last night, after a guided walking tour, some of the other girls and I grabbed slices from a cozy pizzeria, stopped at a local bar and a place that sells chocolate shots (complete with whipped cream and sprinkles), then explored the area for a bit. Blame it on the starry-eyed honeymoon phase, but everything was absolutely gorgeous. Even though it was a bit late for [American] dinner and only 50°F out, people were still sitting outside, enjoying wine and a bite to eat under canopies lined with string lights. Although I'm sure on one level, studying abroad is going to be a crazy whirlwind of activity, I'm also looking forward to the laid-back dynamic I've sensed. While many people were walking the streets and there was a fair amount of traffic last night, it was still awfully quiet and peaceful. Unlike in College Park, people around here take the "quiet hour" laws seriously, and it sounds like it's not uncommon to call the cops when people violate them.

Fontana dell'Acqua Paola

Bailey's in glasses made of chocolate

Right now we're all just getting ourselves situated. I'll admit I'm looking forward to starting classes, if for no more reason than starting to learn the language. I have a whole city to explore, and it will be so much easier once I can communicate better and have a feel for the transportation system and the area.