Time Away

I was in Europe for 5 months.

Looking back it doesn’t feel that long, but I guess nothing ever does. I’ve been asked around eight million times (rough estimate) ‘How was abroad, where were you? Spain right?’.  

No I wasn’t in Spain, But Rome was awesome though.  

I feel like I’ve talked with enough people about how abroad was. It’s a tough question to answer when your mind is so preoccupied by readjusting to home. It almost felt like I wasn’t gone at all, so reverting my mind back to the long time I was all the way across the world was more difficult than you would expect. Rome just became a new home to me, a new means of living in a different place, with different relationships, a different routine, and different experiences. 

Once you get past that hump of study abroad where it feels like a vacation, you start to develop new perspectives on where you are. Things that didn’t previously seem to matter start to matter a lot, and you start to adjust to the community around you. There were many aspects of living abroad that I never considered in the first few weeks, like finding foods I was used to buying at the grocery store, interacting with workers at restaurants and cafes, or talking to people I didn’t know. These things aren’t important when you’re surrounded by the novelty of a new place, but as time went on they start to wear on you.

Now that I’m back, the same thing has happened to my home in the states. I missed being back in Columbia, and I missed the United States in general. Yet, like after the first few weeks of being in Rome, I started missing things from abroad while living in Columbia. First off, you can’t find good yogurt anywhere. That seems like such a trivial thing, but the yogurt in Italy was creamy and delicious and real. The gelatinous Yoplait stuff we serve here just doesn’t compare. Seriously, I don’t understand why no one sells decent yogurt. (Side note, if anyone knows where to find blood orange juice, let me know because I’ve been craving it every day since I’ve been back and I can’t find it)

In a less food related note, I miss walking the beautiful streets of Rome. As much as I love Columbia, it’s hard to argue it matches up with Italy in terms of history, culture, or beauty. I miss finding good wine, cheese, and other produce for cheap. I miss sitting on the porch of my apartment on Via Annone and watching the sunset over the aging yellow terraces across the street.

The longer I’ve been back, the more I realize it’s the little things that make a place a home. The oak trees hanging over Greene street. The soft light of the horseshoe at night. A Cookout tray after a night out. A craft beer from a brewery down the road. The more I think about my experiences abroad, the more I realize I appreciate the places I call home for the minute aspects of life that make them that way. It sheds a light on where I hope to live, and where I see myself in the future. Getting up and changing homes for a semester like one does for study abroad challenges you to look at where you’ve been and where you’re going in a different light. In a way in lets you recharge your batteries, and reset your life back home. As I mentioned, it felt like I was almost never gone, and after being home for a couple of months now, I am beginning to appreciate that more and more. I’m blessed not only for my home on Greene, but for that little apartment nestled by Piazza Istria too and I will forever appreciate my time abroad.

Final Days

The final stretch of my study abroad was muddled with emotions that maybe differ from what others seem to experience. While others seem to feel motivated and engaged to do all they can with the little time they have left, I felt simply and for lack of a better description, burned out.

Before you leave for study abroad they always show the graph about how you experience the first month of so. It starts out with a big up of excitement, a down of confusion, and a steady increase in adaptation and comfort. What they didn’t mention, however, is the graph of the final stretch. The up in desire for familiarity. The up in cultural irritability. The up in homesickness.

This is not to say I have not enjoyed the end of my time abroad. I got to see Verona, and explore Rome a little bit more. A friend of mine from high school was in town for his study abroad and I got to meet up with him and his friends. Outside of that, however, I have simply felt like I’m done with my experience. It may have been attributed to the fact that I’ve been gone for a month longer than most everyone else. I think recently I came to the realization that being abroad for extended periods just isn’t for everyone. I’ve come to appreciate comfort and familiarity, while others may appreciate the grandeur and excitement of new places and people.

For international business students it proves why this experience is so vital. The classes may be about the same, but the learning you do about yourself as a student and future professional is invaluable. I know I probably won’t work abroad, and I’ve learned in what environments I function the best. You see how other people live, and you get an incredibly first hand insight into different communities and people. That’s something I would not have gotten in Columbia, and I believe it will dictate my career in the future. I will always appreciate that. I may be going home, and I’m happy about that, but I will never regret my time in Rome.  

Verona 

Photolog: Italy

Positano

Firenze

Cinque Terre

La Spezia

The Case for Rome

After learning I would be studying in Rome for a semester, I was disappointed to hear generally negative reviews of the city. Most people who visited from the previous year were very eager to share their distaste for it, and although those who had studied here spoke fairly positively about their experiences, it was difficult to distinguish what they were being honest about and what they were covering up. 

So, in the interest of making a case for Rome and also providing (or attempting to provide) an unbiased analysis of studying at LUISS, I will give the pros and cons of my experiences here.

Living in Rome

While attending LUISS, all students are set up with apartments near the school. Personally, I am settled on a small side street by Piazza Istria. It is about a 25 minute walk from school, close to a metro stop, and next to pretty much every bus line I need to get to every edge of the city.

All of the areas around the school are filled with many Italian families and young professionals and are almost 100% tourist free. The areas are calm and pleasant and quiet at night. Rome is such a quiet city at night that you can even see the stars clearly any day of the week. That is not to say that it is boring at night, however, because within walking distance are many of the bars and nightlife that LUISS students frequent throughout the week.

The streets are packed with greenery, and the two nearby parks of Villa Borghese and Villa Ada are perfect for runs or just sitting out with friends. It doesn’t feel cramped or chaotic like a big city, and it’s a pleasant area to be in. It feels like home, while also having access to the more exciting parts of the city.

Finally, great restaurants are always within reach. The local eateries, cafés, and gelaterias are enough to fill your desire for some restaurant food in between the many nights you will spend cooking.

LUISS Campus

Classes

The system for classes at LUISS is fairly frustrating. The course catalog for English classes is limiting and the scheduling frequently overlaps or falls at inconvenient times. Unlike the MWF/TTH class schedule we’re accustomed to at South Carolina, the LUISS system lacks a universal structure. Some classes are 3 days a week at entirely unrelated times. Some are twice a week for longer hours. I came in with 7 classes prepared to take and was only able to take one of them. I, as well as the other USC students were able to get our credits out of the way just fine, but I would lying if I said it wasn’t a headache.

The classes are fairly interesting and touch on important international business theories and concepts. Although the teacher’s English can be weak sometimes, in most cases it hasn’t been an issue. Classes consist of a couple of exams and a lot of group projects and presentations. Although I prefer the more day-to-day structured system of the states, it has been interesting getting to know Italians and other exchange students through projects and study groups. However, the group projects are a little frustrating because of scheduling with the less organized cultures. Although Italians are very welcoming and always helpful, they aren’t quite as timely and structured as we are. Fortunately though, they’re willing to assist with anything and do their best to speak English around you in the case that you’re like me and don’t have Italian as your minor.

Exams

The different semester schedules between USC and LUISS has been fairly debilitating. LUISS didn’t start until the second week in February and the earliest date that one can be done with exams is late May. Because of this situation, I had to turn down two internships I really wanted as I could not give them the timeframe that they desired. I also had to find something to do for the month of January before LUISS started. Overall, I would recommend that as a very serious consideration for where any IB students choose to study. I have loved being here and wouldn’t change my decision, but I wish I had considered the scheduling factors more closely. Many internships are very strict on wanting at least 10 weeks to 3 months and depending on where you want to do these internships, that may not be possible.

Being an Exchange Student

Overall, this has been the best part of being at LUISS. You are involved in a fairly large group of fellow ERASMUS students with whom you will have many opportunities to meet. You are given an apartment with other foreign students as well which has made it very easy to make friends. Although I have spent time with other USC students, I have had an incredible opportunity to learn more about students from different countries all around Europe and the rest of the world. They are all incredibly welcoming and great to spend time with, and the relationships I have developed have been an important aspect of my experience here.

Stadio Olimpico

Another aspect of being abroad one must consider is the ease of travel, and at Rome it can't get much easier. There are two large airports in Rome that are accessible by a short bus or train ride and have connections to all major cities in Europe. You can find cheap flights through RyanAir, EasyJet, and Vueling (I got to Paris for 80 euros round trip, London for 70 euros round trip, and Barcelona for 60 euros round trip). Furthermore, Italy is such a beautiful country on its own. Many amazing and historic cities are just a cheap bus ride of train ride away and Rome is fairly central to all important regions of the country. It may not be as central as Germany or Paris  in the European Union, but Rome is still a phenomenal hub for travel. 

My Recommendation

Rome has become a home for me. After spending weekends away in different cities—Paris, Barcelona, London, Florence—I breathe a sigh of relief when I see the soft yellow glow of the city through the airplane window. I have gained nothing but an appreciation for Italians and the way that they live. The area of Rome I live and attend school in is welcoming and warm, but the easy access to the city center still gives one a sense of freedom. Although LUISS was not my first choice for study abroad, I wish it had been. I have never once regretted coming to Rome for this semester, and I’m sure that I will miss it when I leave. I can only give my fullest encouragement to anyone who hopes to study here in the years to come.