Ciao from Roma!

Just 7 short days ago, I arrived in Rome where I will be spending the next 5 months. After struggling to pack everything into one suitcase and saying goodbye to all my family and friends, I was off to the airport filled with a mixture of enthusiasm, anticipation, and apprehension. I have wanted to study abroad for an entire semester for years and it felt so surreal that it was finally happening. Now that I have been here for a week, it still feels surreal. Over the past 7 days, I have walked a total of about 15 miles all around Rome, gone to mass at St. Peter's Basilica, eaten never-ending amounts of delicious food, and spoken quite a bit of Italian. I have always felt so at home in Italy and it feels so good to be back. There's nothing like going to the local caffetteria for my morning cappuccino, walking along the Tiber to get to class, and passing by some of the most famous and beautiful monuments and ruins on a casual afternoon stroll. This past week has felt like a dream and I can not wait to see what the next 5 months have in store for me!