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Rassa in Rome Week 5: Rassa the Gladiator

Ciao ragazzi! We have transitioned into the second session in our program, which means I am now also taking my nontechnical course which is Art & Archaeology in Ancient Rome. The course focuses on structures of ancient Rome and the motivation behind architectural details to better understand civilization in Ancient Rome. The class meets Monday through Thursday from 3-6. A couple of the days we are in class for a lecture, but for the majority of days we meet onsite and have a walking tour of different sites and museums. For one of the main reasons I wanted to take the class, I finally went inside the Colosseum! As it is an Archaeology class we focused more on the structure itself rather than the history of the gladiators. Standing inside of it, it’s easy to imagine how it looked at its peak: fully enclosed, covered in marble decoration, and tens of thousands of Romans cheering during the Gladiator games. I was surprised to learn that the bulk of the destruction of the Colosseum is due to an earthquake in the 1300s. 

Colosseum!

The next day we went next door to the Roman Forum, which back in the peak of ancient Rome was the center of daily life from political to social buildings and activities. It was a square full of grand government buildings and temples that were covered in marble decoration and statues. It was very cool to walk through certain areas where even the ground was original from that time. 

Roman Forum

We also walked through the palace, which impressed me more with every new area we saw. It was vast, full of gardens and ponds, covered in marble decoration, and embellished with paintings on all the walls. Obviously it wasn’t currently in that state, but the thought that structures of that nature existed thousands of years ago will never fail to blow my mind. 

Courtyard w/ a fountain and garden

Painted designs of the rooms

Although the sites were very cool, the weather was not at all. Unfortunately, this week Rome has begun to heat up, with the high temperature being around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily my room is air conditioned, but our apartment’s living room is not. Additionally, public buildings and stores are all usually air conditioned, so it hasn’t been horrible. The main time I have to deal with it is during my art and archaeology class which tends to be outside when we are onsite (which is most days). Fortunately, our professor is very aware and makes sure we are in the shade as often as possible or will push class to a later time to avoid the peak temperatures. If you are planning to go to Europe at this time of summer, specifically Rome, keep in mind that you will be doing a lot of walking outside in the sun and heat, so always have water on hand. One of my favorite things about Rome is that there are water fountains all over the city. Tap water is safe to drink here, so you will always have access to drinking water when you’re walking around the city. I highly recommend carrying around a water bottle as you will be able to easily fill it up. 

Cappuccino Update: For the first time I will not be updating you about a cappuccino because I finally had my first caffè (a shot of espresso)! When people say they drink coffee or want a coffee here they don’t mean drip coffee or a fancy latte, they simply mean a shot of espresso. Italians will sip on their caffè at all times of the day whether it be for breakfast, an afternoon pick me up, or as dessert to help digest their meal. I tried it straight up without any sugar for my first sip, and it went so well that it only took me a second before I reached for the sugar basket, which (shocker) made it much better for my taste. It is definitely a taste I just need to get used to, so I do see myself liking it plain someday. I even had it again this week, and it was already much better. 

My first caffè

As it has come up in the last couple of weeks, I have settled in the cafè I go to in the mornings. It’s right on the corner of the street I live on, and it’s only a block away from my classes. Yes, the fact that they make my favorite cappuccino plays a role in my visits, but I realized this week that that is not my favorite part. As I enjoyed my cappuccino, I saw the vendor from the fruit store on the same street sipping his caffè at the bar. I also saw that the man sitting with his caffè while reading his newspaper was the owner of a restaurant right next door who I am greeted by most mornings on my walk from class. Yes, it is a typical snack bar that houses pastries, sandwiches, coffee, and cocktails, but it also holds a community inside. It is this feeling that I come back to and appreciate most. Since the city is designed to be walkable, there are supermarkets, cafès, dry cleaners, and shops on every street and corner, forming these little communities. It was the opportunity to temporarily be a part of one of these communities that made me want to study abroad, so I am glad to be currently experiencing it.

Another update, I finally braved the meat/butcher counter at the grocery store this week. They do have prepackaged meat selections in the fridge, but I wanted to get a different type of salami and wanted it fresh, so I finally went for it. I simply grabbed a ticket and then when it was my turn, I told the worker the type of meat I wanted and how much (the weight), and I was done. I simply just looked up how to say the weight in Italian which wasn’t hard at all. 

My spread with fresh salami, pizza bianca, and brie cheese

This weekend, CEA CAPA took us on a day trip to Pompeii! I was a bit skeptical if I would really enjoy my time there as I went into the mindset that it is just ruins, similar to what I see in Rome. However, in Rome the ruins pop up in places here and there, and are a bit scattered and a couple buildings at a time. Walking into the ruins of Pompeii was walking into an entire city of ruins. It allowed me to fully imagine what a town in the time of the Roman empire looked like and how it functioned. The amount of remains makes it possible to imagine the houses fully structured and decorated and think of a time when people walked along the protruding steps of the cobblestone streets, hung around in the gyms, and spent their time in the market.

Pompeii

Lockers in a Gym

People used the steps to cross the street (sewer water ran through the streets)

A body recently discovered

Paintings on the walls of the city's market

It was very cool to see, but if you do go in the summer make sure to stay hydrated as there isn’t much shade to take cover in, and the majority of the trip is walking around. 

After Pompeii, a couple of my roommates and I decided to head to Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast. The views, weather, and the city were all so beautiful and relaxing. It was nice to go to a city where there aren’t necessarily historical sites or tourist attractions that need to be marked off a to-do list, and we could simply enjoy the scenery and where we were. We enjoyed a day at the beach club, which is something you should invest in (ours was only 20 euro per chair), as the majority of the beach is private and with the beach clubs. The water was amazing to go into. It was clear and blue, and it was extremely refreshing. 

Sorrento; views from the beach club

Sorrento was pretty full of tourists, but I could still feel the presence of local residents. We decided to stay there as opposed to Positano and Amalfi as it was more affordable, less crowded, and very easy to travel to as it has a train station. 

For one of my favorite evenings of this summer, we enjoyed a dinner at sunset at the Marina Grande. The sunset that night was beautiful and the views of the colored houses throughout the Marina brought it all together. 

Sunset at Marina Grande

One of my favorite moments was seeing the residents of the houses right on the Marina Grande spend their night standing outside on their balcony. They were doing daily tasks such as drying their hair or just sitting outside and enjoying their night and view. My favorite moment was seeing two older ladies who lived in buildings right across from each other, speaking to each other from their own respective balconies.

Two residents speaking to each other from their balconies :)

Staying on theme, I decided to eat what was local to the region. As we were right next to the water I got spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams), and it was one of my favorite meals of this trip. I also tried mussels for the first time and was very pleasantly surprised. All the fish was extremely fresh, making for a very nice evening.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Peanut salted caramel + chocolate gelato from Raki in Sorrento

For our last day, I took a ferry for the first time to Positano. We walked up and down the cliffs, wandering through all the small shops throughout the city. Docking into the town and seeing it along the coast for the first time, I was speechless. The views of the colored houses up high atop the cliffs next to the deep blue water were amazing and the best part of the town in my opinion. 

Positano

There were many ceramic stores similar to this; all featuring lemon designs

It was very small and I believe we saw it all as we walked certain paths multiple times throughout the day. It was basically a tourist city, but the views itself made it very worth seeing. 

Overall, it was another great week further immersing myself in my community in Rome and exploring other cities and cultures. Ciao!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome; Rome, Italy

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Rassa in Rome Week 4: Rassa the Student

Ciao ragazzi! I have officially hit my halfway point on my time here in Rome, which can only mean one thing as a student: midterms!!

The CEA CAPA program is split into two sessions, each lasting a month. I have to take one technical course and one non-technical course, and I chose to take fluid mechanics for my technical and Art & Archaeology in Ancient Rome for my non-technical. For the first session, I only have my fluids class on Monday through Thursday at 9:15-11:00 am. 

With my midterm coming up this week, I finally needed to put the study in study abroad, as honestly up until now I’ve mainly just been abroad. I’m not sure how the fluids class is specifically at Michigan, but comparing it to my other classes, it is considerably easier than classes I have taken at Michigan. Not necessarily the content, but in terms of structure and organization, my class here is very manageable and I am allowed to spend the majority of my time exploring Rome. From what I’ve noticed, the professor mainly wants you to understand the content and how to solve the problems. Therefore, the assignments (which are daily) aren’t that long or tedious, and they don’t get too difficult. To help myself get into study mode, I went to a free library I found that is in the city center, and it was pretty full. To prepare for the exam, the professor gave us a practice exam that was the exam from the year before. The sample exam was honestly enough to prepare for the midterm, so the exam went pretty smoothly. 

As I’ve seen almost all the main attractions in Rome, I’ve started to simply enjoy being outside in this different environment. I enjoy randomly wandering around the neighborhoods and down different streets. I have visited the Villa Borghese a few times to do a bit of work and enjoy nature. 

Lunch + Work in Villa Borghese

Piazza Ferdowsi in Villa Borghese (for Persian poet Ferdowsi)

Cappuccino Update: Given that I found the perfect situation last week, I didn’t feel the need to try somewhere else, and I am now on a new goal to reach “regular” status. One of my main goals going into this program was to connect with and create new relationships within my new environment, so I look forward to getting there one yummy cappuccino at a time. 

I wish I could give you a proper name for the cafe, but I'm not even completely sure, which honestly gives a nod to its authenticity. On apple maps, it is titled Caffe Prati, and the sign on the front of the cafe reads “Snack Bar”, which is a very common thing to see here. “Snack Bars” are very local coffee bars that serve coffee throughout the day and pastries while they last, and stay open throughout the day transitioning into an aperitivo spot. If you are ever in Italy and see Snack Bar or simply Bar written outside of a shop, I guarantee you will find good coffee and locals standing while they sip on their daily caffè.

Another week spent in Rome means a lot of opportunities to eat some good food. This week in particular I had a lot of good experiences. One day coming back from Villa Borghese I was absolutely starving and heavily craving pizza al taglio (by the slice), so I quickly stopped by Pizza dai Cinque on my way home. I know I say this all the time, but wow it was the best pizza I’ve had this trip, and it was only 2.50 euros. I also hit two gelato spots that were highly rated by locals and were on my list. My roommates and I went to Gelateria dei Gracchi (recommended by none other than Anthony Bourdain) the night before my midterm as a reward for studying, and they had a salted caramel peanut flavor that was insane. I also tried Gelateria La Romana which I always see full of locals, and once again I will say it was some of the best gelato I’ve had. They had a lot of interesting flavors, and I really liked the coffee cream (which had chocolate in it) and the caramel with almonds. I also finally tried amatriciana, which is one of the four Roman pastas. It wasn’t my favorite of the four, but it was still good obviously. 

Pizza dai Cinque

Gelateria dei Gracchi

Gelateria La Romana

Amatriciana from Su & Giu Cucina Romana

For the weekend, I crossed a huge thing off my bucket list and traveled with my sisters to London to see Harry Styles perform at Wembley Stadium! The weather in London was much cooler and prompted me to pull out the one jacket I brought on this trip for the first time. The moment we got to our hotel, we switched into tourist mode and made our way to see the switching of the guards at Buckingham Palace. We continued on with sightseeing to see Big Ben, the Westminster Abbey, and the House of Parliament. 

Big Ben and House of Parliament

Westminster Abbey

I will say it was nice to be in a country where the main language spoken is English, but I cannot tell you how many times “grazie” or “sì” accidentally slipped out. 

Continuing on with my goal to try foods particular to the region I’m in, we tried crumpets for breakfast. I fear I have been spoiled by my 1.50 euro cappuccinos here in Italy because now every time I am out of the country and see the cappuccinos doubled in price, I’m shocked. 

Crumpets

I also made sure I didn’t leave without getting a fish and chips from a local pub, and it did not disappoint. 

Onto the main event, I set off to see Harry Styles’ on his first night performing in Wembley Stadium. Going into this summer, I realized that being in Europe, I would be able to travel to other countries much easier than in the U.S, so the dots connected that I had the chance to go to Harry’s show. The concert was undoubtedly amazing, and I even got to see Shania Twain perform as the show’s opener. 

Harry Styles!!

Shania Twain

The next day, I got very lucky and happened to go be in London the weekend of the King’s birthday. Therefore, there was the Trooping the Colour Parade, and my sisters and I were extra lucky to arrive in perfect time to see the royal family including King Charles, Princess Kate, and her kids stroll by in carriages. 

King Charles

Kate Middleton + her family

Some other notable locations, we went to Notting Hill and strolled past the colorful houses and saw the filming location of the travel bookshop in the Notting Hill movie, which happens to be one of my favorite movies.

Blue door in the Notting Hill movie

We also made sure to visit Abbey Road to impersonate the Beatles.

The Beatles (yes that's them)

How did we visit all these locations across London might you ask? Our second home became the tube. Throughout our day I believe we used the tube at least five different times. There are a great amount of lines that travel all throughout the city, and as London is huge, it was extremely helpful in allowing us to see as much as possible. This is very different compared to the Rome metro as it only has 3 lines. I have heard many Roman locals tell me that their public transportation isn’t good, especially compared to London’s. However, to the eyes of an American who has lived in the suburbs her entire life, I thought Rome’s public transit was pretty good. 

Trying the famous chocolate strawberries at the Borough Market

Overall, it was another great and eventful week exploring different cultures and cities.

See you next week, arrivederci!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome: Rome, Italy

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Rassa in Rome Week 3: Rassa the Explorer

Ciao ragazzi! Another week in Rome means another week seeing more historical sites, eating amazing things, and humbling myself every time I attempt to speak Italian.

Starting off the week strong, June 2nd was Festa della Republica (Republic Day) in Italy, which celebrates the establishment of the democratic republic. As it is a national holiday and many stores/businesses close for the day, class was also cancelled. For celebrations, in Rome there is a huge military parade down Via dei Fori Imperiali, which is the street that leads up to the Colosseum. One of the main visual attractions is a jet flyover that leaves a trace of smoke in the colors of the Italian flag in the sky. I am embarrassed to say that I did not see this and I believe I was woken up by the jets as they flew past. My friends and I heard that the parade/festivities were going on until 1:00 pm, so we were told it wasn’t really a necessity to go right in the morning. Therefore right after I was woken up, I set off towards the Colosseum, but on my way as I walked past a protruding line to enter the Pantheon, I was pleasantly reminded and surprised with the fact that a majority of the state-run sites and museums have free entry on Republic Day. With that, my plans for the day were made.

My first visit was to Castel Sant’Angelo, a mausoleum and fortress that initially finished construction in 139 AD, so it’s safe to say it’s pretty old. This monument is about a 5 minute walk from my apartment, and I’ve walked past it a countless amount of times, so I knew this was the perfect situation to finally visit it. As it was used as a papal residence at one point, there were highly decorated rooms and many ancient artifacts displayed throughout.

View of St. Peter's Basilica from the top of Castel Sant'Angelo

Room inside Castel Sant'Angelo

Statue at the very top of Castel Sant'Angelo

I then head over to the Pantheon, as I have not gone inside of it yet. The Pantheon is one of the best preserved ancient monuments as it is nearly 2000 years old and remains fully intact. The interior was beautiful and looking up at the massive dome is truly insane, so I highly recommend anyone to go visit it if possible.

The Pantheon dome

After successfully seeing these sights, the fact that it is our first time in Rome during this holiday became rather present. We did a decent bit of walking towards the Capitoline Museum near the Colosseum. Upon arrival, we saw that that Museum, since it is not state run, was not offering free entry that day. While we were there, there was a church right next to the museum that sat at the top of a fair amount of steps. As we reached the top of the steps, we were treated with a beautiful viewpoint of Rome. The church itself and the design throughout its interior were beautiful. Along the same line of commonly walking past ancient ruins and monuments, it is very common to walk into any random church you walk by and be absolutely stunned by the architecture and design inside. Therefore, I highly suggest if anyone visits Rome that they bring a covering or are dressed prepared to enter different Basilicas as you explore the city.

Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli (next to Capitoline museums)

Following this we set off to see the Borghese Gallery, which is an art gallery in the Villa Borghese Park. Unfortunately, after our decently long walk we found out that even though admission was free you needed to reserve tickets in advance. Therefore, we were not able to go inside. For any city you are traveling to, do a bit of extra research and see if you need to book any activities or experiences in advance if it is something you are set on seeing.

Although I don’t commonly comment on and review/recommend specific food spots, this one was too good to not mention. As we were headed towards the Borghese Gallery, my friend and I passed the Trevi Fountain and were tempted by a café we walked past. It was right by the fountain, and it was called Il Bistrot. My roommate was eyeing the fresh stuffed cannoli as neither of us had a cannoli during our time in Rome yet, and I was eyeing the gelato after walking miles in the heat. Somehow, we decided to walk out empty-handed and said if we really want something later we will probably find another place. However, after we were more than a mile away at the Borghese Gallery and were looking for potential places to get a cannoli or gelato, our minds kept going back to the shop we walked into. Therefore, we decided to venture all the way back, and I can with full confidence say that it was absolutely worth it. I got a chocolate and salted caramel gelato while my roommate got the fresh cannoli, and I believe I can go as far to say it was probably my favorite gelato I’ve had so far, and the bite I took of the cannoli was probably the best I’ve had.

Il Bistrot gelato & cannoli

Included in the program, we have some planned excursions and activities, and one I was particularly looking forward to was a pasta making class. As we started mixing water into our bowl of flour I was patiently waiting for more ingredients, but to my surprise that was it. In the Southern parts of Italy, including Rome, people use semolina flour, and this specific flour doesn’t need egg or any additional ingredients, just water is enough. We finished ;;’with shaping our pasta and making a simple tomato sauce (which I surely took mental notes on). Overall, it was a really fun experience and I’m excited to try making it myself sometime.

Cooking Class Pasta

With the program being a study abroad program rather than a university, I am lucky to have my Fridays off. Therefore, my friends and I ventured north to Lake Bracciano. The town was small, very relaxed, and not touristy at all. It was full of residents enjoying their time at local trattorias and cafes. We did a nice hike along the mountains down to the lake. Throughout our hike we stumbled upon wild horses and donkeys, which very much added to the atmosphere of the town. After our hike, we went and got pizza for lunch.  At most restaurants in Italy, the pizza section of the menu is rather extensive as there is a lot of room for exploring and combining flavors. I tried to branch out a bit and tried a pizza with apple, mozzarella, walnuts, and honey, and honestly it was probably one of my favorite pizzas I’ve had here.

Lake Bracciano

Castello di Bracciano

Pizza Lunch

Wild horses!

As mentioned earlier, our program includes a couple excursions, and we had our first one this weekend as we headed to Florence for the day. We started our day off with a guided tour of the city, which left me marveling at the history of the city, its building, and the infrastructure. The buildings and houses date back to the middle ages and Renaissance period, which was visible through the tall towers and old brick. Many different features of the city can be dated back to these periods. The tall houses/towers were a defense tactic to stay unreachable, there were remnants of mini bridges that existed high up buildings so people could move from one house to another, and famously there were wine windows dating back to the 15th century. Florence is much smaller than Rome, and it was very easy to travel throughout the city to different destinations. We were told that most locals live outside of the city center as it is majority full of tourists. This is much different to Rome as Rome is so big that the tourist spots are just bled into and overlap with local life and residences.

Bell Tower, the Duomo, and a Baptistry

Renaissance Architecture

Wine Window

Following our tour, we climbed Giotto’s Bell Tower, which was 414 steps! The staircase was very narrow, so it was rather tight and difficult when people were coming down at the same time we were going up. However, the view of the city we were rewarded with at the end was extremely worth it.

Bell Tower

View from the top of the bell tower featuring the Duomo

Right next door, I headed inside the Duomo. The interior was initially less extravagant than those I have seen in Rome, but I was quickly corrected as I looked up and saw the painting on the Dome. The detail and precision on an object of that stature is worth seeing. In general, the architecture of Florence is a bit distinct from that of Rome. A lot of marble is used in Florence for the buildings themselves and the decorations compared to the Greek-inspired architecture of Rome.

Inside the Duomo

Affogato from Vivoli

Sunset View from Arno River

The next day, my group and I decided to head to a very cute and unique town called Lucca. It is most notably known for still having and being enclosed by Renaissance walls which cover a circular perimeter of the city. As it is characterized by being surrounded by these walls, there is a circular road/walking path around the city that is lined with trees and benches. Entering the city was like stepping into a breath of fresh air. Everyone was outside on a run, walking, or chatting with their friends and family. People were spending their Sunday mornings relaxing outside and enjoying nature. I really enjoyed being in that ambience as walking into the city felt like walking into a community. People would stop during their run or walk as they ran into neighbors and friends, families were all outside together, coworkers were going on a run or biking. It’s this unnoticed routine of being able to take a couple hours out of your day to connect with others and simply enjoy the environment you are in that I truly appreciate and I think stands out from the culture in the U.S.   

Walking path surrounding the town

Renaissance walls!

City Center (circular)

Out of all the activities I saw that day, the most common was biking. Therefore, my group of four decided to rent a quad bike and ride it around the perimeter of the city. It was honestly one of the favorite things I’ve done on this trip as it was a totally new experience for me, and we were able to see the entire perimeter of the city and enjoy the weather.

Quad Bike ride

Once again, I was inspired to eat foods typical of the region I was in. As I was still in the Tuscany region I decided to try wild boar ragu bolognese, and it was probably one of the best bowls of pasta I have had, so I highly recommend being open and trying different foods specific to the certain region.

After spending our afternoon in Lucca, we took a train to Pisa, and I think it’s obvious what our plans were for that city. We immediately booked it for the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The initial moment I got there I was a bit confused because the tower wasn’t really leaning that much from the side we were looking at it. However, we moved over a bit to the side, and the famous lean that brings millions of tourists in was on full display. We posed and got our pictures in to wrap up our weekend trip.

Now for what we’re all waiting for, here’s a cappuccino update: On the same street as my apartment and on my way to class, there is a coffee bar that I noticed is always bustling with people standing at the counter and sitting outside enjoying their morning coffee, so I finally decided to give it a try. Needless to say, I think I found a winner. I got a cappuccino and croissant for a whopping total of 2.80 euros, which is the best total I’ve come across. Not only price, but it was the best cappuccino I’ve had so far. Considering the location, price, quality, and overall experience, I will most definitely be back.

Until next week, ciao!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome: Rome, Italy

[umichenginabroad]

Rassa in Rome Week 2: Sites + Cities

Salve! After a very busy first week, I’ve tried to take this week to feel more settled in and experience living in Rome. I say this, but Rome is so historic that I still needed to keep my tourist cap on for a bit longer to see the bucket list sites I didn’t hit the week before. Having been in Rome for a week and not seeing the Colosseum yet, I knew that was my first order of business. Since the Colosseum is very close to the Rose Garden, and the flowers’ bloom is reaching the end of its season, my roommates and I decided to check it out. On our decently long walk over, we casually walked by multiple ancient ruins, temples, monuments, etc. It’s hard not to laugh after every random site we pass by, and this is an aspect of Rome I’m not sure I’ll ever get fully used to. The rose garden was a very beautiful, relaxing environment, and it was cool to see all the different countries the roses originated from. For the main event, we headed towards the Colosseum and walked past the Roman Forum. For my Art and Archaeology class during the second session, I will have the chance to go inside the Colosseum, so we didn’t get any tickets and simply looked from the outside. It is truly insane to see in person, and my mind can’t grasp the fact that a structure that impressive was built 2000 years ago and is still standing.

Seeing the Colosseum for the first time

Rose Garden

Ruins we stumbled upon on our way

On our way to the Colosseum, we stumbled upon the Campo d’e Fiori market. It was full of very tempting fresh fruits, produce, meats, cheeses, jewelry, fancy olive oils and pastas, and so much more. Outdoor markets or stand-alone outdoor vendors with items such as clothes or shoes are rather common here, however this specific market is one of the most known ones, so I’m glad we stumbled upon it by chance. One thing I have noticed is that Italians don’t mind shopping. As I walk down streets, I walk past multiple specialty shops without realizing, so there is a very wide selection. It isn’t necessarily its own ordeal such as saying to a friend, “Let’s go shopping” and taking out a chunk of a day for it. It’s more ingrained into a daily routine and blended in with the rest of their day. As people are walking home or to the market, they stop at the outdoor vendor with shoes or look through the racks of pants. I have also noticed they have a tendency to window shop. It’s common to see people stopped outside a certain store, eyeing an item, and discussing it with who they’re with.

Campo D'Fiori Market

I crossed another destination off my list and finally went to Vatican City and St. Peter’s Square. Prati is one of the closest neighborhoods to Vatican City, so this is for sure not the last time I will visit. I haven’t stepped into St. Peter’s Basilica yet, but going to the square itself was very cool. One thing I highly recommend for people going to cities such as Rome or just any historical destination is to pay attention to the details of the architecture. I am always impressed when I see the little features and embellishments and think of the historical context of all these sites. Going off of this, the architecture in St. Peter’s Square is most certainly something to take in, and I look forward to visiting either the Basilica or the Vatican Museum sometime soon.

St. Peter's Square in Vatican City

My class took a trip to the Acqueducts to see the original Acqueducts of Rome built 2000 years ago. They used these sloped structures to transport water to the city to be used for different purposes. A couple of the ones we saw are still in use, and the water transported from it goes into fountains. None of the acqueducts were used for drinking water. Once again, seeing structures still standing from thousands of years ago will always be mind blowing to me.

The Acqueducts

As I get more settled in, I have started cooking at my apartment a bit more, and I’m obviously feeling inspired to make some Italian food. With that, I have begun my journey to try making a successful tomato sauce. I bought gnocchi to go with it. In the grocery stores here, I have noticed that while they do sell the typical dry boxed pastas in the aisle, they also sell fresh pasta in the fridge, so I obviously went for this. By the color of my final plate, I wasn’t very successful with the sauce the first time around. It was still good, but the tomatoes didn’t fully sauce. The next time around I was a bit more successful. Still not restaurant ready, but I honestly think I might need to use a bit more tomatoes potentially, so stay tuned.

First attempt: There was a sauce, but not giving "tomato" red

Not that mad at my second attempt

Cappuccino update: Okay, I thought I was getting the hang of the stand, don’t sit rule if you don’t want to pay more, but now I’m confused. I went to a café and ordered a cappuccino and the lady asked me, “here or to go?” Taking coffee to go isn’t very common here given that getting coffee is a quick interaction, with most people opting for a shot of espresso, which is tiny and doesn’t take long to consume. From my past experiences, the question commonly asked is “do you want a table” compared to just having it standing at the bar. Therefore, I said no to the to go and said I’d have it there. For this shop in particular, I guess there isn’t a difference in standing/sitting prices. Therefore, if you pay to have it there, you also pay for table, so it was to my shock more expensive than the about 1.50 euro price I was expecting. I think the general rule still stands, but each place is obviously different.

For my first planned trip this summer, one of my roommates and I decided to head to Barcelona, Spain! Following six years of Spanish throughout middle school and high school, I was a bit more comfortable with the fact that I wouldn’t be completely clueless during interactions. However, my use of the wrong verb in my first interaction with someone at a restaurant quickly humbled me. We were there Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon so we had a good amount of time to see the main attractions and mindlessly explore the city.

The most notable site we saw was undoubtedly the Basilica Sagrada Familia. It is the tallest church in the world (which just recently happened!), so it most certainly stood out. I wouldn’t realize how big it was until we got to an elevated viewpoint of the city and would turn to see the Basilica sticking out the ground towering everything around it. Every other building faded into the background and all I could focus on was the Sagrada Familia. The fact that I could see the detailed designs from however far we were was truly insane. We unfortunately booked this trip pretty last minute, so we weren’t able to get tickets to go inside La Sagrada, so if you’re planning on visiting or for anywhere you’re going, be sure to plan a bit in advance so you can see all you want to!

Ariel view of the city featuring La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada closeup

If you visit any of the notable attractions in Barcelona, there’s a very likely chance that it was designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi; he most notably is the architect behind La Sagrada Familia. I wasn’t really familiar with him prior to this trip, but I most certainly am now. We made sure to visit his other works such as Casa Battlo, Casa Vicens, Casa Mila, and Park Guell.

Casa Batllo

Park Guell

Casa Vicens

Casa Mila

These aren’t Gaudi pieces, but we visited Park Ciutadella, the Gothic district, Cathedral of Barcelona, and the Arc de Triomf. It sounds like a lot for three days, and it was. I walked 90,000 steps over the span of three days. No, I’m not kidding. So it was obviously a very busy trip that left us rather exhausted, but I’m glad we made the most of our days.

Cathedral of Barcelona

Parc de Ciutadella

Arc de Triomf

After seeing all these attractions, we headed for a relaxing day at Barceloneta Beach. The couple beach days I’ve had so far in Europe have honestly been my favorite days. The water here is so clear, blue, and calm. There aren’t really waves, so it is very refreshing to go and float in the water. The ocean floor is also a bit rocky compared to the states. Overall, it was a very nice day to just relax by the water and under the sun.

Barceloneta Beach

Throughout my trip this summer, I’ve been wanting to try different things based off where I am. Therefore, it was time to get into tapas mode! After I fell in love with patas bravas in none other than the Markley Dining Hall, I knew I needed to try the real deal, and it did not disappoint at all. I also tried paella for the first time. We (shockingly) weren’t able to finish, but we tried our best. I also made sure to get churros from a Xurreria with chocolate on the side, and it was most definitely worth the trip. It was a successful food experience to say the least.

Patatas Bravas + Paella dinner

As they are two different cities in different countries, there were a decent amount of things that stood out in Barcelona compared to what I’ve become accustomed to in Rome. In general, the city seems to be a bit more modern and flexible than Rome. For example, I saw a lot of iced coffee and matcha in Barcelona, which needs to be scouted out in Rome. People weren’t really restricted in how they dressed, and there was a lot of variety. People wore athleisure and weren’t really tied down to a button down blouse or business casual look which is what Romans are more accustomed to. Even in the summer heat, they still wear a long blouse and pants, but smartly opt for thinner garments. The vibe in Barcelona just seemed younger to what I’ve felt in Rome. However, this could easily be based on what part of Barcelona I was staying in and the fact that I am in a nicer, older neighborhood in Rome. There also seemed to be a bit more of people trying to take advantage of tourists, so just keep an eye out. I was also surprised to see how many cafes there were. Obviously it is still Europe, but I thought Italy was a bit more distinct in its abundance of cafes. However I honestly might’ve seen more there than I have here.

The streets of Barcelona

I really enjoyed getting to experience another country and culture which is something I really appreciate in Europe. For a less than two hour flight, I was able to step into another city with its own store, background, and history.

Back to pasta! Arrivederci!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome: Rome, Italy

[umichenginabroad]

Rassa in Rome Week 1: Rassa the Tourist

Ciao! I’ve had quite the week full of familiarizing myself with the city and my surroundings and exploring different tourist attractions, so buckle up!

To start my experience here, I was reminded that even with everything going on around me and all the different things I want to go out to do and experience, I still need to relax and take care of myself. Traveling from the west coast, I had a rather long travel day Therefore, I was getting very little sleep and eating rather poorly over the course of about three days. Unfortunately, this all built up and I crashed (fainted) at orientation. The CEA CAPA team was very helpful in making sure I was okay and providing me with resources to feel better immediately. Therefore, I decided to stay back and rest while they continued with a walking tour. Yes, I was a bit annoyed because I wanted to be with the rest of the program and see Rome, but I realized I have 8 weeks here, and I’m not going to be able to fully enjoy it if I’m not feeling fully like myself. To those who wish to go abroad, please just remember that at the end of the day the most important thing is making sure you are taking care of yourself and prioritizing your well-being, so you can get the most out of your trip as possible.

The next day (the second official day of the program), I had my first day of class! I take my classes at the CEA CAPA center which is located in a building in the Prati neighborhood, and it is only about a 5 minute walk from my apartment. During this first session (it spans about a month), I am taking fluid mechanics, which will transfer as BIOMEDE 331. I have the class Monday-Thursday from 9:15 – 11, and then I’m done for the day! It is a rather small class as it is just under 10 people, so it's a great way to get to know other people in the program. Our professor is a professor from a university in Rome, and the class has been going pretty well so far. We are given an assignment every class, but it is just a couple problems and textbook readings. It has been rather relaxed as the professor understands that we are all mainly here to explore different cultures and cities, so they don’t expect a ridiculous amount out of us as students.

First day of class in front of the CEA CAPA building ;)

As it was my first week, I spent a lot of it seeing all the famous attractions, because at the end of the day no matter how hard I try to appear or think otherwise, I am still a tourist exploring a new city. Being in Rome is truly a unique and surreal experience. I’ll catch myself saying, “oh, I’m just going for a walk”, and in that walk I’ll go see iconic sites such as the Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps. Spoiler, that is exactly what I did this week. I set out and conquered the Spanish Steps and visited sites such as the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Castel de Sant'Angelo, and Villa Borghese, one of the largest public parks in Rome. Obviously, these sites are very busy and full of tourists from all over the world, so just be careful of your belongings and try not to fall into tourist traps by paying way more than you should for certain items. For reference, a small (2 flavor) gelato should be about only 3.50 or 4 euros, which unfortunately makes it very easy to justify getting after walking by 5 different gelato places in the span of 2 minutes.

Seeing the Spanish Steps for the first time

Trevi Fountain! Even after seeing hundreds of photos on my phone, it's truly insane seeing it in person

Castel Sant'Angelo; my apartment is about a 5 min walk from this amazing view

Villa Borghese; truly a stunning park

Now to move on to the most important topic, food! It is very conflicting being somewhere where food Is such a staple in the culture and way of life. because all I want to do is go out and try all the local restaurants in my neighborhood or have the typical breakfast of a cappuccino paired with a pastry at a random café on the corner of the street. However, at the same time I have thoughts to limit myself in this so I can budget and save more for traveling.  From what I’ve done so far, I think I am going to take a balanced approach where I will still go out so I will be able to experience the café rush in the mornings, a relaxing aperitivo in the early evenings with friends, and a nice long dinner on an outside patio, but I will remain mindful of not going overboard and doing this  nearly every day. 

Now for the fun part, let’s take a look at some of the things I’ve tried since I’ve been here. I quickly covered the Big 3 and have already gotten pizza, pasta, and gelato in my first two days here 😉I have taken two attempts at the typical breakfast at a café, and there is somehow a bit to unpack from my experiences! Locals don’t have that heavy of a breakfast here as compared to in the U.S., and it is mainly characterized by a quick, easy routine. They head to a nearby café (or “bar” as it is commonly called) and enjoy a drink and pastry of choice standing at the bar. It is cheaper to enjoy these at the bar compared to sitting at a table, which I quickly learned from experience after my first trip. For my first time, I went with the very popular pair of a cappuccino and a cornetto (croissant), and it did not disappoint at all. My next time around, I tried a maritozzo (standing this time [I learned my lesson]), which is a bun topped with cream and is very popular in Rome. I’m still trying to figure out all these different scenarios, but I will say that based off taste, I’m a fan.  

Cacio e Pepe for my first bowl of pasta this trip!

Gelato social w/my program @ Neve di Latte (highly recommend!)

First maritozzo paired w/a cappuccino @ Cafe Trastevere

Grocery shopping is also rather different here compared to the states. The supermarkets are much smaller than an average Safeway or Kroger. There are a few in walking distance of my apartment alone, as everything here is essentially walking distance. The produce here is much more fresh and lasts a lot shorter compared to the U.S. Therefore, it is typical to only do groceries for about 2-3 days. I’ve tried to shop by meals, so I’ve honestly gone to my nearby supermarket nearly every day. The freshness of ingredients used in homecooked meals is rather evident, as the store gets very busy around 6-7 pm as people come to buy produce fresh for that night. From my experience, groceries are much cheaper here than the U.S. as I haven’t spent more than 15 euro in a single grocery trip. I am looking forward to exploring the supermarkets and trying to make different local meals during my time here.

Groceries for the freshest sandwich I've had to date

I decided to stay in Rome for my first weekend here as I needed some time to settle in and I honestly couldn’t even fathom planning an outside trip. With a few of my roommates and friends, we took a train to Santa Marinella for a beach day. Public transportation is much more common and established here compared to the majority of cities in the U.S., so it is pretty easy to get around different parts of Italy. The next day, we headed to Lake Albano, which offered us stunning views, a peaceful little town, a steep hike up to town, and one of my favorite meals up to date. I was also able to finally get a tiramisu for the first time since I’ve been here, and it obviously did not disappoint. Overall, I enjoyed being able to see new destinations while also staying in the vicinity of the city.

Stunning views of Santa Marinella

Lake Albano

First tiramisu at Ristorante Rione

Town of Castel Gandolfo

I am excited to spend another week exploring this beautiful city, arrivederci!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome; Rome, Italy

[umichenginabroad]

Rassa in Rome Week 0: Benvenuti a Roma!

Ciao! My name is Rassa and I just finished my sophomore year at Umich majoring in biomedical engineering. I will be in Rome, Italy for the next eight weeks taking fluid mechanics and art and archaeology for my nontechnical course. The program is with CEA CAPA, which is a study abroad center/institution, so I am not actually attending a real university. With the program’s structure, I will only be taking fluid mechanics for the first half of the program so after 11 am I will have the entirety of my days to explore! 

After months of anticipation, planning, and packing (although the packing was only a couple days 😆), I have officially arrived in Roma! I was able to pack all my stuff into one checked bag, a carryon, and a backpack. Following my sister’s graduation I flew out of LAX to Miami (about 4.5 hours) for a three hour layover where I saved my last meal in the U.S. to be none other than a bagel with cream cheese. I then flew from Miami to Rome (about 10 hours), so it was a pretty long travel day. Upon arrival I headed straight towards customs which was extremely crowded and a bit chaotic, however the actual process of scanning the passport and everything was rather simple. Coming out into the baggage claim and the arrivals there were already mini cafes with cappuccinos and fresh pastries which immediately set the mood for what I will expect to see my summer here. My program provided airport pickup, and I was able to meet a lot of other people in my program while I waited for my ride. After about a 40 ish minute drive, I finally made it to my apartment and it was truly surreal driving through the city and realizing I’m going to be living here for the next 8 weeks.  

Lasty hurray w/ American food with Einstein Bagels; Photo credits to my parents for the last photo taken of me in the U.S.

Customs line and driving into the city

My apartment and school are located in the Prati neighborhood in Rome. It is pretty centrally located in Rome as it is right next to the Vatican and the Tiber River that essentially runs through the middle of the city, so all the destinations are pretty equidistant from my area. Prati is a very nice and “posh” neighborhood, it is very residential and mostly full of locals. Therefore it is very uncommon to hear someone speaking English while walking down the street, and it is also very peaceful as there aren’t as many tourists. Walking down a single block in any street of the city, you are guaranteed to walk past multiple restaurants, cafes, and gelaterias. One of my main goals while here is to truly immerse myself into the local way of life, and here in Rome a majority of the culture shift is how they approach food! I’ll be sure to walk through all of these as I experience them throughout the summer :)

My street!!

My apartment is located very close to the school, less than a five minute walk away, and I am with 5 other girls and sharing a room with one other. Going into this summer I was very excited about the opportunity of living in an apartment in the city so I would have been rather content with a shoebox, but walking into my apartment for the first time I was nothing short of impressed. It is extremely spacious, and it doesn’t seem too old or modern, it simply just seems extremely fitting and authentic for a Roman apartment. Some of the main things and differences that stick out are the lack of a dryer (hint the clothesline), the need to use a lighter to ignite the gas flame of our stove, no dishwasher which for better or for worse forces us all to immediately wash our dishes, extremely old keys in the place of regular knob locks for all the doors, and the trash and recycling being split into 4 (!!) different categories. Given that there is an empty glass tomato sauce jar sitting on top of our window sill because we didn’t know where to put it, I’d say we’re doing pretty well! Overall, I’m very grateful for how well my situation worked out and can’t wait to spend the summer here. 

View from our kitchen window + my room

Our living room :)

our 4 different waste bins

Thinking about my next two months, there are so many different things I want to take away from this experience. Obviously when studying abroad in Europe, traveling and taking advantage of the close access to a multitude of other countries and cultures is one of the main priorities. Therefore, I do hope to be able to plan a few trips outside of Italy. Additionally, Italy is so diverse that there is so much of it I want to see (Florence, Amalfi Coast, Venice, Cinque Terre, Tuscany, the list goes on), so I hope to take advantage of my short days in the first half of my program to take some day trips to be able to see as much as possible. As my neighborhood is majority locals, speaking English does not make me feel the best. It honestly feels like I’m wearing a “kick me” sign on my back. Therefore, I really do want to put some effort into learning key phrases and terms so I can speak Italian as often as possible. I haven’t been doing too bad of a job as I have at least been using Italian greetings, but all of that hard work put into my 60 day Duolingo streak was flushed down the drain the second the grocery store clerk said “gusta” and I stared at her like a deer in headlights. 

I am excited to achieve many of these goals, however I mainly want to explore the opportunity of getting to live in an entirely different area with its own rich, distinct culture. Yes I can do this through trying all the different types of foods and visiting the sites (which I most definitely will do and share), but the unique opportunity that study abroad presents is the ability to form connections and somewhat of a routine in that different destination. Looking back at this summer, I want to be able to say I was a regular at a certain cafe, that the lady at the cheese counter knew to give me a ball of mozzarella, or the fruit vendor knew to weigh my bag for apricots. It is these types of bonds that will make me feel like I not only lived in but truly joined another community. I cannot wait to share with you the places I see, things I eat, people I meet, and memories I get to make. Arrivederci!  

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome; Rome, Italy

[umichenginabroad]

Week 8: Heading Home

Welcome back!

For this final post, I want to (attempt to) share everything that I learned abroad, and try to give you a few pieces of advice along the way.

These are from when I went into the Vatican Museums. I never got the chance to go through a Holy Door, but these museums were beautiful. Fair warning, if you get the tickets are the doos they are only 8 euros, but you may wait like 2 hours.

First of all, the hardest adjustment for me was that nothing seemed familiar. I found myself going to McDonald’s because that was the closest thing I had to some familiarity. There was a new language all around me, new food, new roommates, and a new apartment in a new city. I was trying whatever I could to find some familiarity, but I think what got me through it was my roommates and going on walks calling my family. My roommates were all going through the same thing as me, so we were all able to lean on each other during that first period of adjustment. I would recommend finding something that feels familiar (even if it is McDonald's) and latching onto that when you are feeling overwhelmed with all of the new things, just to have something that feels familiar.

On the other hand, when I did want to see something new, I found it nice when I was able to not have to look up everything and guess if, for example, a restaurant was good. It's like when you force your parents to pick the restaurant because you don't want to think about it. So here is where I’ll sneak in all of my favorites:

Pasta and Pizza

Hostaria Ago e Lillo 

Ristorante Maccheroni (Piazza Delle Coppelle)

Pinsa Mpò

L’angolo Della Pizza (across from CEA CAPA center) 

Gelato and Tiramisu

Pompi 

Two Sizes 

Gelateria Mamo 

Gelateria Cremilla 

Cafe:

Bakery House 

Cafe Prati 

Lumiere 

Souveneir Shops 

Emporio centrale 

Manufactus

These are photos from a few of my favorite spots! From left to right: bakery house, Panino Devino, and Cafe Prati.

Along with that, I would recommend looking on TikTok for recommendations of things, too, because I found it frustrating looking at Google sometimes. After all, there were so many options. I found that TikTok was able to give me a more in-depth look at what I was getting myself into, whether it was a shop or a restaurant. Even just ask around, you may know more people than you think who have been to Rome, and they can give you some recommendations too. You can always just walk around and explore and you’ll find something great!

These are some more photos from when I went to the Vatican Museum.

On the other hand, this opportunity has been a great experience for growth for me. I was able to interact with people of a different culture and see the world through a new perspective. I have learned so much about how other cultures prioritize different things. In Italy, I noticed that they appreciate simplicity much more than we do. They enjoy food with fewer and higher-quality ingredients and eat them slowly, enjoying every bite, and they take a break halfway through the day. As much as I would love to take a 2-hour siesta every day, I don’t think that will be realistic for me to do at U of M (I wish it were). They value a slower lifestyle than we do in America, and I think that is one of the things that I loved about being there because although Rome is a major city, it didn’t feel as hectic as a lot of other large American cities. I hope I can take some of this slow and steady lifestyle with me back to America.

Many aspects of this program have helped me learn, but it wasn’t only through the courses; it was also through the development of so many other skills. I had to learn to adapt when I was in a situation where the two of us didn’t have a common language, or I had to learn how to use the metro to get around when walking an hour in 100-degree heat wasn’t realistic. Adaptability is a great skill to have in engineering or any career.

I also gained some technical knowledge in Italy. Rome is such an old city that it has remnants of architecture unlike any other. I was able to learn about how they distributed weight in some of the first domes ever built, or what materials they used that allowed some of these structures to stand for over 2000 years. I could see how technology has changed over time and is always improving, even though we see these ruins as a pile of rubble, that at the time, these buildings were marvelous. They came together to make a beautiful city that is completely different now from what it was 2000 years ago.

This is me in the colosseum! This is a great example of the engineering marvels of ancient Rome.

In Italy, they have different sustainability habits as well. Like, they rarely have dryers with their washing machines, and they air dry things. They do a lot more separating of their waste, whereas most places in the US will only have recycling and trash.

My final piece of advice for you is: Get out there. You'll regret it as soon as you leave that you didn't get to see all the things that you wanted to. I am confident in saying that I made the most out of my time, but there were still things I wish I got to see. Eight weeks feels like a lot of time, but it'll be over before you know it. The way to make the most of your time there is to see as many new things as possible, so just go.

These photos are from a firework display outside of a mausoleum of Hadrian called Castel Sant'Angelo (right), where we could see the mausoleum and St. Peter's Basilica (left).

Overall, I couldn't be more grateful to have the opportunity to study abroad, and I was able to share this experience with you all. I hope my posts have helped you learn a little something about Rome and my time there. Thanks for following along!

Caio!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome, Italy

[umichenginabroad]

Week 7: Budgeting

As the final weeks approach, I’ve been looking back at everything I’ve been able to do, but also how expensive it can be. My bank account is looking rough. Studying abroad is very expensive, and I am grateful that I can do it. I’m extremely thankful for the financial aid and scholarships that helps me cover some of the costs, but once I got to Italy, I knew I would have a hard time holding my spending back. 

Food 

In general, I think things in Italy are slightly cheaper. I can get a couple of days of groceries for less than 15 dollars. Produce like fruits and vegetables, I would say, are the most expensive, and comparable to American prices, but you can find cheap groceries. I also have noticed that eating out can be cheaper if you’re strategic. You can get a sandwich and chips for 7 euros, or a croissant for 1.50 euros. But for me, while in Italy, I constantly craved a big bowl of pasta and a drink, so my meals weren’t always very cheap if I am being completely honest. For that, it would typically run me about 20 euros, which is like 25 USD (or sometimes more). I didn’t do this every day, so it's all about balancing eating in, takeout, and restaurants. And then in true American fashion, McDonald’s is always cheap too if you want to save money (and I personally love McDonald’s and I went there yesterday). One thing I have noticed is that takeout is not nearly as common in Rome as it is in America. My roommates and I love to have nights where we do takeout and watch a show (usually Love Island), so we know our places that will let us order takeout, but in general, the culture here is to enjoy a slow meal at a restaurant instead of at home. 

So much delicious food here! And most of the time, I didn't take pictures of most of it because I would dig in as soon as my food arrived! In my final post, I will give lots of recommendations.

And this is the best pasta I have ever eaten. Don't ask me what it's called because I didn't even know when I was ordering it, but it is delicious...it's some sort of stuffed noodle. I got this probably night 3 here, and I still think about it more than I should.

Souvenirs 

Souvenirs also get expensive. Being in Italy, I wanted to get some leather goods and plenty of souvenirs for my family, and those added up quickly, and I somehow still want to buy more. A cheap souvenir that all my roommates have been trying to buy are postcards everywhere we go, because they are cheap and space-saving. I’ve been trying to save on souvenirs, but I obviously want to buy some. Before I left for Rome, I made a mental list of what I wanted to buy and what was most important to me to get. Also, for things like leather goods, there is a market on Sundays that you can go to, and you can really bargain down the price, so have a price you are willing to pay (and then take a few bucks off because they are usually pretty desperate for a sale). 

This is what a lot of the streets look like, and eventually they will all blend together, but they are so beautiful, and there are tons of shops everywhere, so there is no shortage of things to buy.

Traveling

I think a big part of studying abroad for me was to also see other cities in Europe. So, what I spent the majority of my money on other than food was traveling. We went somewhere 6 of the 8 weekends, and I understand why somebody might not want to travel that much, but I strongly recommend that if you can afford to, go to at least one city outside of Rome, even if it’s just for the day. Although it was still expensive, all my roommates did what we could to keep costs low and stay budget-friendly. We found the cheapest flights or took overnight trains, and stayed in hostels. Typically, transportation would cost around 100 euros (we found a few for less, and some for more, but this was probably the average). Then, hotels/hostels/airbnbs varied a lot. Some of the popular cities we paid 60 euros for one night (and that’s per person, sadly), or other cities where we would pay 50 euros for 2 nights. It just all takes a lot of searching for cheap Airbnb/VRBOs and hostels to find the best and safest option. Although hostels are cheapest, they can sometimes not feel the safest, so look at the reviews, and if you split the cost of an Airbnb with other people, it ends up costing about the same (but make sure they’ll ACTUALLY pay you back…I may be speaking from experience). My best recommendation is to look at reviews because a hostel will usually live up to its 5/10 rating (and not usually in a good way).

Speaking of traveling, we went to the Dolomites and hiked this weekend!

Fees

Something that I did not expect was all the fees that there are. Unfortunately, my credit card information got stolen pretty soon after I got here (I still have the card, but there were suspicious charges on it), so I had to use my debit card the whole time, which had a high conversion rate and then on top of that a 3% international fee. It doesn’t sound like that much, but all the fees add up. I would also recommend that you have a backup plan with credit cards and payment methods because I have seen multiple people have issues with their credit cards (like me) and other people whose credit card company thinks it's fraud since we’re not in America (despite telling the company we’d be abroad). If I had thought about it, I may have looked into a better and lower-fee credit or debit card, but I didn’t know about all the fees since I hadn’t done this before. I didn’t bring my physical debit card because I planned on not using it at all here, but when I could no longer use the credit card (which was the only physical payment card I had) I had to use my debit card and I only have it on Apple Pay, so I needed to make sure my phone didn’t die so I would be able to pay for things (like the metro to get home). And since I don’t have a physical card, I can’t withdraw any cash. 

Rome is such a beautiful city that, as this final week is approaching, I don’t even mind that all my money is slowly disappearing, because it was all worth it. I want to be able to try all the restaurants, see all the attractions, and spend as much time as possible with the friends I’ve made here because I don’t know when I will be back in Italy. Since I have spent so much time traveling, I still have a few historic sites that I need to see. I have yet to see the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and I want to walk through one of the Holy Doors. I am so sad to leave Rome, but I am also beginning to get homesick, and am missing American stuff. Every Italian is probably rolling in their grave when I say this, but I miss American food like Taco Bell and Panera and string cheese, and I guess I miss my family too. But overall, this has been the best experience of my life. I am so grateful for the ability to do this, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Ciao!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering 

Engineering in Rome, Italy