End of Week 1: When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do
Throughout my five weeks, I will be bunking at the Gianicolo Residence in Trastevere. Trastevere, from its roots, translates to ‘beyond the river’ in reference to our location across the Tiber River from the Ancient Roman center. This area of Rome is very picturesque and the ideal location for a John Cabot study abroad student. The university has two campuses, each a short distance from the residence, and the area is swarming with small bars and restaurants serving all the pizza and pasta you could imagine. The Tiber River is busy at night with street musicians, pop up stands, and locals out to grab a bite to eat. Gianicolo itself is a beautiful complex, with large apartments and windows that stretch floor to ceiling with wooden shutters. Each apartment contains a kitchen, living area, dining room, and bathroom. We also have a washing machine, but no dryer as clothes in Italy are traditionally air dryed. Our apartment neighbors the homes of permanent Italian residents and around us long lines are strung from window to window, sagging with damp clothes absorbing the heat of the sun.
Yesterday, I got back from a run and immediately flung my windows open to welcome in the fresh breeze. As I leant out the window, I watched as a shutter across the way slowly cracked open and a pair of dark and delicate hands reached out and worked to get the rest of the shutter loose. Soon the window was wide open and a young woman appeared with a basket of clothes. I watched as she stretched out the window, her torso hanging, to grasp the clothesline. She then began looping her laundry amongst the line, and pulling it to send the clothes she already strung further down. She did this is a graceful rhythmic pattern, and had cleared the basket within a few minutes. Air drying takes some getting used to, it’s a slower process so you must save time for it. But when in Rome…
In terms of meeting new students, this can always be a challenge when studying somewhere new and unfamiliar. I’ve seen it be especially difficult when study abroad programs do a poor job of facilitating immediate interactions between students. I was pleasantly surprised with John Cabot’s onboarding and thought they had an impressive orientation scheduled that provided a multitude of opportunities to meet other students in the program. From my personal study abroad experiences, I’ve also witnessed a general trend that people want to make new friends. It’s typically part of the reason they’ve decided to study elsewhere. Talking to people, exchanging contacts, and making scheduled plans is always the best way to meet people quickly.
