Checking Out The Pantheon With My Roommates

When studying abroad there are so many things you don’t know. You don’t speak the language, you don’t know the area and you don’t understand the culture. All of these things can be incredibly intimidating and scary however, they are exactly what makes studying abroad so amazing. Embracing all of the unknowns opens an endless amount of doors and allows you to learn so much about yourself. The less you know the more room you have to learn and grow.

The Beautiful Villa Borghese

At home in the US, I grew up in a quiet town in the countryside. I hardly ever used public transportation and had no idea how to navigate a city. When I first got to Rome I was so overwhelmed by the size of the city and the immense amount of people. I could barely navigate my way to school and relied heavily on Google Maps to get me around. On top of that, I didn’t know any Italian so I couldn’t read street signs, communicate well with locals or even read labels in a grocery store. I felt very clueless most of the time which was incredibly humbling. Because of this, I was forced to ask questions and ask people for help often. While this was frustrating at first it actually really helped me get comfortable in the city. I got used to not knowing how to do things and I got very comfortable asking for help. I learned how to ask basic questions in Italian and if that didn’t work I used a translating app on my phone. Everytime I made a mistake such as missing a train or ordering the wrong food at a restaurant I learned and I tried again. Now, at the end of my time here in Rome, I can confidently navigate a city, order food with ease and proudly call Rome my home away from home.

Exploring Rome

By the end of your experience you will be amazed at how far you have come. You will look back at some of the silly things you did when you first started and laugh. All of those things you didn’t know when you started will seem obvious to you now – of course you can’t have a cappuccino after 11:00am! Those mistakes weren’t preventable, they were essential! It’s okay to not know everything, wonderful even. So if you take the leap and choose to study abroad be prepared to learn and embrace the unknown.

Written by: Claire, Spring 2025 Rome student from Rochester Institute of Technology