After my second month in Rome I can honestly say they weren’t kidding about the stages of homesickness. But it’s pretty easy to distract yourself with all there is to do here. Within the past month I have made a couple more trips and managed to survive midterm week. One night we went to the ballet through SAI. We saw Romeo and Juliet in an incredible theater and had a great excuse to dress up. We sat in a box on the third level, which was perfect for people watching during intermission.
I took a couple weekends off from traveling to enjoy my time in Rome and crack down on studying. Just like home midterm week is a rough time for everyone. I always knew I could find my roommates studying in either the library or the cafe at Tiber.
After my last midterm I went on a five-day trip to Ireland. We spent time in Dublin and some time in the countryside. Ireland is by far my favorite place in the world. There was such a homey feel to the country and it provided a great cure to my homesickness. The people are so friendly and welcoming, the sights are gorgeous, and the food was great. At night everyone in the cities and towns are out at the pubs and restaurants, it makes for a great fun atmosphere despite the freezing temperatures. If I could recommend one place to travel to while abroad it would hands down be Ireland.
As for daily life in Rome we all have definitely found our favorite places. We often frequent the same restaurants and bars. Some of my favorites included Mangiamo (right between the two campuses) a delicious place for lunch that gives discounts for JCU students, Dar Poeta (also in Trestevere) has the best pizza I’ve had abroad and Baccanale (near Piazza Santa Maria) for a burger fix. As far as bars go we normally go to MacRay’s in Campo di Fiori and of course Scholars. Both places have the cheapest drinks and great people work there. Scholar’s has three karaoke nights a week, which are always a good time. A lot of JCU students also go to DJ Bar in Trestevere for cheap drinks. Overall my second month here has been great and my only stress lies in finals.
– Sarah, Saint Mary’s College of California
