#sarahmccloskey

[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 

[umichenginabroad]

Week 6: Making Connections

Welcome back!

Since my last post, we had a fun and busy weekend going from Pompeii to Sorrento to Capri to Naples and finally back home to Rome. On Friday, we had one of the CEA CAPA organized trips, where we walked around Pompeii, learned a lot about the history, and then we got lunch, and then took the train to Sorrento. We spent Saturday on a boat, which was by far the highlight of my weekend. We traveled with 12 people total (all my roommates and 6 other CEA CAPA students). We rented a private boat, so we had the boat to ourselves for the day. We got to swim at a few different spots and spend a few hours in a town on Capri. There was a heat wave this weekend, so it was extremely hot. I am usually prepared for the heat, but this weekend was another level of hot, sweaty, and dehydrated.

These are all photos I took on our boat tour. Some are from Capri, some are from Sorrento, and some are from somewhere on the ocean!

I know personally, going into this trip, I was worried about making friends and finding my people while I was abroad, so I thought I'd try and answer a few questions about it. I think one very important thing is your roommates. Since you will likely not know many people on the trip, your roommates will typically become your closest friends during the trip. I got lucky and got a group of roommates that were perfect for me because we have a lot of similar priorities abroad, like traveling on the weekends, sightseeing, and having fun, making the most of our time here. We don’t entirely get to choose your roommates, but you do get some say in your groups, which I talked about in a previous post. It’s also important to make friends in classes, which is also where finding roommates who are taking the same classes as you can be helpful. With that said, your class friends will be your best resources when studying. We use a textbook for my class, but other than the notes that I take in class and the textbook, there are no other resources available (at least for my class). We get the professor's email if we need it, but I find that it's easier to ask classmates. There are many ways to make friends in the program, through classes, CEA CAPA-organized events, and roommates. Once you make one friend, it's a lot easier to meet people through other people, too!

The actual "campus" is a lot different than Michigan. First, the program is a lot smaller. I would estimate that in the whole program, there are about 60 students. So, there is only one building where all of the classrooms are. It is right above a cafe where we get a discount. In that building, two floors are for CEA CAPA classrooms, and the rest are for other businesses or offices. The classrooms are fairly small since the class sizes are small. They only fit about 15-20 students each. In the building, there are also rooms to study in, although they are not particularly spacious. I prefer to study in my apartment for convenience and comfort, but it's always good to have that as an option.

This is the building where all the classrooms are, and it blends in with the rest of the city since Rome is so densely packed.

All of the CEA CAPA staff’s offices are located in the CEA CAPA building, which makes getting in contact with them very easy. In addition, we also get all of their emails. These are the people you contact if you have an emergency (that isn’t a 911 type of emergency) or if something breaks in your apartment. The professors don’t have offices there, and they also don’t have office hours, which is a small difference I noticed from American classes.

Overall, there are resources here to help you with your classes, living in Rome, and anything you need help with, and there are people to help you, too! One of the things that I would stress the most is making connections with other students, like your roommates or classmates, and that'll make the biggest difference here. Don’t be afraid to talk to new people in classes, and put yourself out there!

Now I have to go write an essay about Roman Art and Archaeology…thanks for reading!

Caio!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Rome, Italy

[umichenginabroad]

Week 5: Life as a Temporary Local

Welcome Back!

First, as usual, I’ll update you on my life recently. I've just started my Art and Archaeology course, so I've been doing a lot of sightseeing this week and learning a lot about ancient Rome, which has been incredibly interesting but also exhausting. This class is 3 hours of walking around Rome in about 90 degrees Fahrenheit heat, which is brutal, but the sights are breathtaking. This weekend we have another day trip included in the CEA CAPA program, and we’re going to Pompeii, and after that, I am headed to Sorrento with a big group of CEA CAPA students for the rest of the weekend.  

These are a few attractions from my Art and Archaeology class!

Regarding sustainability, some practices differ from those in America, notably in recycling. In America, you typically only separate what you will recycle and what will go to a landfill, but in Italy, they separate their trash more. Right outside of our apartment, there are several bins: one for mixed waste, one for plastic, one for cardboard/paper, and one for compostable waste. The responsibility for separating waste is placed more on everybody rather than recycling plants, as it is in the US. In addition, Rome has a lot more public transportation than America, but it is probably similar to many major cities in the US as well. It is very important to be mindful of these recycling practices, and I am often separating trash right up until I put it in the bin outside in the street. 

This is a painting taken from the basement of an ancient Roman building that I saw in Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. The birds represent spirits in the afterlife, and the garden represents flourishing life.

As a long-term tourist, which is the best way to describe my situation in Rome, I often feel out of place. There have been times when I’ve felt like I stand out as an American, especially as a non-Italian speaker, which was expected. There was the stereotype that Europeans don’t like American tourists, but I haven’t found that to be particularly true. The vultures at various tourist stands (like the ones on the street trying to sell you chargers or keychains) may pick on you more, but other than that, as long as you are respectful and polite, everyone else is too. Rome, being the Catholic capital of the world, has a strong religious presence, from the architecture to the public holidays to the items sold on what feels like every street corner. As someone who isn’t Catholic, I’ve realized how much life here is tied to religious traditions I’m not familiar with. This has been both eye-opening and has pushed me to learn more and appreciate the role religion plays in shaping identity and history here.

Similarly, I hear that Italians could sniff out an American from a mile away, mostly based on how we look. I can’t tell the difference between tourists and Italians until I hear them speak, although clothes and the way you dress do play a major role in blending in. Here, although it is blistering hot, people still tend to wear pants, closed-toed shoes, and dress very put-together. Shorts and sandals are not common here. Dresses and long skirts are common, but the majority of people will be wearing some sort of linen pants, which help keep you cool in this heat. You will not see much athleisure here, and Italians tend to dress less casually than Americans in general. Overall, the way to stay cool in the summer is through loose and light clothing, and dressing more like the locals helps you blend in. 

Another major difference is that Italians run on a very different schedule compared to Americans. Back home, I tend to eat lunch around noon and dinner around 6 pm, which I would say is fairly typical. Italians have siesta from about 1 to 3 pm, and they’ll typically eat their lunch somewhere during that, and not eat dinner until 9 pm or so (which is when I start winding down for bed). 6 pm here would be considered aperitivo, where people may order a few appetizers or a drink, but not dinner yet. In addition, Americans also operate on more of a schedule than Italians do, where they like to live at a more leisurely pace, which I can tell when I am walking about twice as fast as anybody else on the streets. It is a stereotype that people here are always at least 5 minutes behind, and I can say that is fairly true. Not that I am complaining, but I don’t think my professor has started class on time yet. 

These are some photos from different cities in Italy of me! (Venice, left, and Cinque Terre, right)

There will be many differences between America and Italy that you will notice, even more than I have mentioned here, but that is exactly what you need when you study abroad. All of these changes you will be able to navigate through with the support of the people around you, and these learning experiences are the main part that makes studying abroad such a special and amazing opportunity for personal growth!

Caio!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering 

Engineering in Rome, Italy 

[umichenginabroad]

Week 4: Academics

Welcome back!

I’ll start by updating you on what I've been up to here! This weekend, we decided to stay in Rome because we had our midterm exams on Friday and wouldn’t have had much time to travel. With that, we decided to do a few fun things around Rome! On Saturday, we packed up our towels and sunscreen for a beach day in Santa Marinella. The train ride was only 4.60 euros each way, and we spent the afternoon by the beach, swimming, and relaxing all day to recover from exams, traveling, and just life. Then on Sunday, we went to a famous market that has lots of vintage clothes, but we made sure to get there before the crowds got too full.

Next, I’ll finally put the “study” in “study abroad.” Since we just had our mid-term exam, I thought this would be a perfect time to talk about the academic aspect of this program. As a sophomore in biomedical engineering, there weren’t many programs that offered classes that would count toward my major. Luckily, this program has a fluid dynamics course that counts as an upper-level BME elective. Here, the course is technically a chemical engineering course, but it transfers in as a BME course. I am taking 7 credits, and the fluid dynamics course is 4 credits. We meet four days a week from 9:15 to 11 am and usually have 2 or 3 problems to complete each night. As long as I set aside about 1 hour a day for the homework, I have plenty of time. Other technical courses meet only 2 days a week, but for longer periods. 

In addition to a technical course, we are required to take an Italian culture course. I am taking an art and archaeology course for 3 credits, where the professor takes us on a walking tour around Rome of many famous sites and teaches us about the history. Unlike the technical courses, which you are in for eight weeks, all of the Italian culture courses are only taken for half of the time, so you are only in the class for 4 weeks. I am taking the art and archeology course in the second half of the program, and it is from 3 to 6 pm. Although I am not generally a fan of evening classes, my roommates had the class in the first half and enjoyed learning about the history of Rome, and seeing all of these famous sites, and said it was worth it.

Overall, the workload for these classes is, in my experience, not as heavy as it is at Michigan, but that may also differ based on what classes you take here. In my technical class, we have almost daily homework assignments, which are graded based on completion (so as long as you do them, you get the credit). We also get credit for in-class participation and two exams. The exams were also not as difficult as a typical Michigan exam. The professor prepared us well for the exam, so there was nothing unexpected. Other students, including my roommates, have said similar things about their exams. 

Overall, I just want to reassure everyone that this program truly wants you to succeed. Everyone understands that while academics are important and the main reason we are here, we’re also here to experience Rome and Europe. They do a great job of balancing learning and free time, which keeps the program manageable and helps create the best experience possible.

Caio!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering 

Engineering in Rome, Italy 

[umichenginabroad]

Week 3: Adventures in Italy

Welcome back! 

This week I have done a lot more exploring within Italy. The first few weeks, I was very excited and eager to explore Europe, but now I am focusing more so on Rome and other Italian cities. Some excursions are included in the Engineering in Rome program. On Monday, we visited a nearby neighborhood called Monti, where we were told a little about the history on a walking tour, got a supplí, and also some gelato. Monti is about an hour walk, or about a 20-minute metro ride. Monti is known for its food, shopping, and nightlife. 

Later in the week, we went on another included excursion to Florence. It was a day trip where we left early in the morning, and then were able to head back to Rome in the evening, but I chose to stay in Florence for the night and travel to a couple of other cities in Italy, like Venice and Cinque Terre. These day trips are great ways to get to know people in your program outside of class and a great way to see some famous cities that are included in your program, so it is much more affordable than traveling on your own.

A big part of studying abroad is gaining independence. I’m not quite halfway, and I already feel like I have learned a lot about myself and how I operate. I’ve always known that I don’t like to sit still, which means I like to stay very go-go-go, while other people may prefer to have breaks. To keep myself happy and not go stir-crazy, I need to be able to do things by myself, even in a new country. To add to this, I have a slightly different class schedule than some of my roommates because we are taking different classes, so I need to be able to fill my alone time to the fullest.

Doing things alone in a big city like Rome requires some planning and thinking ahead. First, a major factor is safety. Everyone needs to be aware that pickpocketing is very common here. The year is also the Jubilee, so there are record numbers of tourists here all year because of the pilgrimage happening, where many Christians go to the Holy Doors. You need to stay aware of your surroundings at all times. I always try to keep my hands free (except maybe my phone for directions). When walking around the city, you always want to travel lightly and keep all the important things separate (don’t keep your cards in a wallet on your phone). That way, if your wallet gets stolen, at least you still have your phone, and vice versa. I have been doing things by myself the whole time we’ve been here, and I haven’t had any issues yet (fingers crossed I don’t ever have any issues), but that is not to say that you should ignore all the precautions. It’s just to say that it doesn't need to be worrying you all the time, and to just keep it in the back of your mind.

With that said, there are many incredible sites to visit solo here in Rome. I know there can be a little bit of a stigma around doing things alone, but when your friends are busy with class or studying, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the city on your own terms. One of my favorite things is to go shopping, which there is plenty of in Rome. There is a street in Prati, which is the neighborhood where all of the Engineering in Rome apartments are, where there are many shops, and on top of that there are even more stores on a famous shopping street called Via del Corso, where you will find all of the high-end shopping in Rome. I like to walk around and find the touristy shops, where I try to find small gifts that I can bring back for family and friends. Many of my roommates have been collecting postcards, and I have also picked up a few bookmarks along the way to try to find small (and inexpensive) souvenirs from each city.

Aside from shopping, when I like to see the (free) tourist attractions. My afternoons for the first half of the program are free, while my roommates are in class. My afternoons typically begin with me scrolling on TikTok looking for recommendations of what to do in Rome. Luckily, I have been able to find a lot of interesting places to visit. Specifically, this week, I was able to walk up Janiculum Hill, where you get a beautiful view from up high of the whole city of Rome. It is one of the most beautiful spots that I have seen in Italy. Another highlight, I visited a cat sanctuary (another TikTok find)! There is a small section in about a city block of ruins that houses seven or eight cats that are fed and live there. I was also able to go to a nearby neighborhood called Trastevere that my roommate told me about, and it has quickly become a new favorite spot to go. I went alone one afternoon, and I couldn’t stop talking about it so much that I convinced two of my roommates to go on two different occasions to Trastevere. There, the streets are narrow and winding, and there are hundreds of shops and restaurants with ivy and flowers growing up the walls. At night there are things like live music and street performers, which only adds to its charm. 

In the end, I want to encourage SAFE, independent exploration of this beautiful historic city so that you can truly make the most of your trip here, since you only have so much time. There are so many different areas, so I encourage you to try and make it to all of the different neighborhoods, parks, historic sites, and everything possible. With that, as much fun as going solo around the city is, do your best to do things with the other people on the trip, like your roommates and classmates, as much as possible, because while this is such a beautiful place, it is often the people that make the biggest difference.

Ciao!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering 

Engineering in Rome, Italy 

[umichenginabroad]

Week 2: Traveling and Transportation

First, a quick recap of my activities lately…

I have been getting more acquainted with the area and have been walking around a lot more, and getting more adjusted to life here. My roommates sometimes have classes at different times than me, so I have been able to explore a lot more by myself.

On Friday, we went to “Climb the Dome.” There are a few trips and activities that are included in the program, like weekly workout classes, climbing the dome, a day trip to Florence, and more. If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t know what “Climbing the Dome” was until I looked it up. What this entails is going to St. Peter’s Basilica and climbing to the top of "the dome," and also going on the roof in some spots where you get a beautiful view of the church and Rome. The stairs to the top were rough, but the view is really like no other. It’s such a beautiful representation of the history and culture of Rome.

On Friday evening, we were on another flight to Malta! We stayed in Mellieħa, Malta, and we took a boat tour all day Saturday with an eccentric tour guide. On our boat, we made a few stops. The first stop was to do some snorkeling, then we went to the Blue Lagoon, where we swam and explored the island briefly. On Sunday, we just relaxed at a beach in Mellieħa for the day until our flight Sunday evening, when we headed back home to get ready for class on Monday and another week of exploring.

Now down to business, one of the things I often overlook during traveling is not the destination, but actually getting there. We all know to look at flights, but at least for me, I usually don’t look at how much the Uber, bus, or train costs to get to and from the airport. All these tickets add up, even after splitting them with whoever you are traveling with.

Luckily for class, and this goes for most of Rome in general too, we don’t use much public transportation, since it is only about a 15-minute walk to class. There are many restaurants, grocery stores, shopping, and a lot of the big touristy stops within walking distance. I know some students need to take public transportation to get to class, but most of the students I have talked to are within walking distance of the school building, and some are even closer than I am.

Not only are we close to class, but our apartment is also close to a lot of tourist attractions. We are maybe a 3-minute walk away from the Vatican (we can see it from our apartment!). We are also a 15–25 minute walk away from the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, and lots of fun shopping (an so manny gelato places). So my recommendation is to walk wherever you can. It not only saves money, but it also helps you find things along the way that you might not have seen before. One of my first days, the advice I was given as a pedestrian was to cross the streets confidently, and the cars would stop. This might sound like bad (and dangerous) advice, but this is how the roads work here. Obviously, you need to practice caution, but in general, not as many people drive here as they do in America, and in certain areas of Rome, cars aren’t allowed to drive unless they live there. Vespas or other mopeds are very common here, but beware, they tend to drive crazily in my experience. I have been more scared of the mopeds than any cars here, so always beware of the Vespas.

On the occasion that we do need to go somewhere that is farther away, like for a few of the classes that take you to different historical sites that they teach you about, the ways to get to these places are to use Uber, bus, or metro. The most reliable is the metro, which is a subway-type train in Rome, and it is only 1.50 euros each way. There are three lines, so the metro has a decent range. The trains tend to run on time, which is important when you need to be somewhere at a certain time. There are options to get metro cards for the month that can be helpful if you will be using the metro often, but you can also just pay for each ticket as you need.

Another reliable option is Uber or a local taxi service called Free Now. These tend to be pretty pricey. For example, an Uber or taxi to or from the airport will run you about 50–70 euros. I usually split these with whoever I am riding with, which makes it more reasonable, but still not the cheapest option. I haven’t used the taxis in Rome except to go to the airport, where it's just convenient. From the airport, there are taxis available with a set 55 euro rate, and plenty are always waiting. Often, the taxis are cash only, so keep that in mind before getting into one.

The final option is the bus. I have never taken one, but I have heard that the buses are not generally recommended since they are not usually on time. My roommates had planned on taking the bus to a historical site for their class, but the bus never showed up, so they had to take an Uber anyway. I would personally recommend trying to use the metro, Uber, or simply walking instead of trying the buses. But if you choose to take one, the buses are only 1.50 euros (the same cost as the metro), and if you get a metro card, you can use it on either the bus or the metro.

In the end, there are so many options for how you can get around the city that you will always get where you need to go as long as you account for the time it takes to get there and know the tips and tricks!

Caio!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering 

Engineering in Rome, Italy 

[umichenginabroad]

Week 1: Settling In

Hello again! 

My first week in Rome has felt like a dream; it’s been the longest and shortest week of my life. To think that just a week ago, I was in Michigan, and now I am half a world away. 

As a quick recap, after orientation and our first classes, we wanted to start traveling around Europe as quickly as possible, and the first place we decided to go was Vienna, Austria. 

We spent one day in Vienna, then went on a bus tour where we saw Melk, Hallstatt, and Salzburg, and watched in awe of the scenery between all of the cities. Then we flew back to Rome Sunday morning, where we could see all of the traffic and crowds here for Pope Leo XIV's first mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. But all that traveling meant a couple of very early mornings, so we all wanted to rest and chill at the apartment. 

This is the view from our apartment window.

I didn’t know what to expect when I got to Rome in terms of housing since it was included in our program, but the apartments turned out to be even better than I imagined. This isn’t your typical college apartment. The common area is very spacious with a large dining table and a sitting area. The apartment is full of windows that let in beautiful natural light and fresh Italian air. There are six of us in this apartment, and there is plenty of space for us all, and we share two bathrooms. We have three bedrooms, and there are two of us in each room, although there is little closet space, you won’t be able to bring much anyway, so it works just fine. 

These are photos of our living room, kitchen, and the lobby of the apartment building.

Exiting the living room, at the other end is the kitchen. It has a dishwasher, which unfortunately doesn’t work, and a stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, toaster, and washing machine that do all work. We tend to eat out frequently since there are so many places to try, but we have cooked a few meals so far to save some money. We've made things like pasta, tacos, and sandwiches, and it's always great to sit around the table and chat with my roommates. We grocery shop at a local grocery store that is fairly priced, which is only a ten-minute walk from our apartment. The food goes bad a bit faster here, so we only buy enough food for a few days and go back to the grocery store a couple of times a week. I love the fresh fruit here, and a favorite in our apartment is the kiwis. One thing that I learned before coming here is that most stores won’t give you plastic bags, so I packed a few tote bags for grocery shopping. 

Adjusting to a new lifestyle so quickly is tough, but each day gets a little easier as I settle in and find my rhythm.

Next week, I’ll take you along as I discover more of Rome and travel to a new place! 

Ciao!

Sarah McCloskey

Biomedical Engineering 

Engineering in Rome, Italy