Vivere Come un Locale a Roma! #HogsAbroad in Italy #ThrowbackThursday

Ciao! My name is Mackenzie Patureau. I am a junior Studio Art and Art History major in the School of Art. This summer, I took two studio courses - Perspectives on Rome, History & Drawing, and Space, Light, & Points of View at the University of Arkansas - Rome Center.

During my stay in Rome, I lived in a three bedroom apartment with six other girls, some I knew before, others I just met. However, we all became immediate friends. It was located in the quaint neighborhood of Prati - walking distance to school and the Vatican City. The air-conditioning in our apartment, like most of Italy, was lacking. Therefore, we would open our windows for the majority of the time. The benefit to this was in the evenings we heard all the street musicians serenading. Living in a bustling, local neighborhood allowed us to get a feel of the Roman lifestyle.

We would buy our fruit and vegetables from a store down the street. Most importantly, the most delicious gelato shop was steps from our door. Frequently, after dinner, we would purchase our gelato and people-watch in our backyard, AKA the Vatican! We could not have asked for a better location - we were able to experience life in Rome like the locals.

Our first night in Rome, we ate at a restaurant right across from our apartment building and met the nicest waitress, Lori Donna. She helped us with our Italian by basically only speaking it to us. Being an Italian minor, I tried to pick up as much of the language as possible. I would start almost every conversation I had in Italian - some I could make it all the way through without any English but sometimes not so much! Often when local people realized I was American, they joked that they thought I was Sicilian because of my Italian! I do not know if they believed this, but it made me confident enough to keep working on my language skills.

Besides gelato, my favorite local treat was coffee! I will always recommend going to a hole in the wall kind of place and getting a regular cappuccino but it was HOT. I would opt for a Caffe Shakerato the majority of the time. This drink you can find on almost any Italian menu. It is coffee with a little cream and finely crushed ice shaken, it’s almost like a coffee slushy and a great way to caffeinate and cool down.

As you are reading this, you must think the only thing I did during my five weeks in Rome was eat and drink coffee - but this is not true! We would attend school four days a week at the beautiful Palazzo Taverna or around the sites of the city. During our class, we would take in popular tourist’s destinations like Borghese Gardens, the Colosseum, the Cat Pit (where Caesar was killed) and my favorite, the Roman Forum. We saw countless cathedrals, each one more breath-taking than the last. The church I liked best was the Contarelli Chapel. It is a French church that holds three Caravaggio paintings.

If you have the opportunity to study abroad - do not hesitate! Attending UARC (University ofArkansas - Rome Center) was the perfect way to experience living in a foreign country for the
first time. The familiarity of having professors and friends from Fayetteville made the experience
a little less intimidating. This will be a summer I will never forget!

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Studio Art & Art History major Mackenzie Patureau spent the Summer 2019 term abroad at the U of A Rome Center with the help of our Office of Study Abroad Scholarship and the Department of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures.

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

2019 #HogsAbroad Photo Contest Winners

The winners of the 2019 Study Abroad Photo Contest were announced and displayed during the opening session & International Bazaar during International Education Week.

During the previous school year, over 1,100 students studied abroad in 50 different countries.

These students submitted images capturing the places they visited, the people the met, and the wide range of "classrooms" they worked in -- including community clinics, cathedrals and temples, coral reefs, archeological sites and even a jungle or two.

This year’s photo contest was the largest ever, with over 400 photos submitted in 8 categories. The winners are displayed here and will be archived in the University Library’s ScholarWorks collection. The photos will also be displayed in Mullins Library throughout the winter.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

Selfie 

Agrodome Alpacas
Myles Joyce
U of A Faculty-Led: Human & Animal Interaction in New Zealand, January Intersession 2019
"The Agrodome, a massive farm in Rotorua, was home to the most photogenic alpacas known to man."

Trevi Fountain Wish 
Kalyn Jackson
U of A Rome Center: Summer Campus, Summer 2019
"This is a selfie of me throwing my coin in the fountain the wrong way at the Trevi Fountain. Even though my wish will not come true I still enjoyed my experience and loved the outcome of this photo!"

Selfie with the Pyramids
Timothy Burnett
U of A Exchange: Politecnico di Torino, College of Engineering, Spring 2019; Torino, Italy
"I traveled to Egypt for my spring break. This is my selfie from the pyramids in Giza, Egypt."

A Day In The Life 

A Day in Uyuni
Alex Duckworth
U of A Faculty-Led: International Photojournalism in Bolivia, Summer 2019; Uyuni, Bolivia
"The class spent three days traveling around the Uyuni salt flats."

Ciutadella Park
Hannah Taylor
AIFS Barcelona, Spain: Spanish Language and Culture, Summer 2019
"This park was a part of my friend group's daily lives in Barcelona. Whether we went for a picnic, to read a book, to take a walk, or to do a project, we definitely spent our time there."

Gelato Experiment
Austin Lawrence
U of A Exchange: Politecnico di Torino, College of Engineering, Spring 2019; Torino, Italy
"This was a class on gelato making using liquid hydrogen."

Events

The Dance
Crystal Smith
U of A Faculty-Led: Spanish Immersion & Service Learning in Puebla, Mexico, Summer 2019; Peubla, Mexico
"This photo was taken at a hotel in which we stayed in Cuetzalan and these young performers treated us to this display of traditional song and dance."

Battle of the Oranges
Kelsea Crabb
U of A Exchange: Politecnico di Torino, College of Engineering. Spring 2019; Torino, Italy
"Every year the city of Ivrea in Northern Italy hosts one of the oldest and strangest festivals in the country. Teams battle in the city piazza's throwing more than 500 tons of oranges at each other over the span of three days giving it the title of the largest food fight around."

A Holy Day
Margaret Woodruff
U of A Faculty-Led: Tibetans in Exile Today (TEXT), Summer 2019; Dharamsala, India
"We were fortunate enough to be in Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama's private residence is located, during the holiday honoring the Buddha's birthday and the day of his enlightenment. Celebrations included large numbers of people circumambulating the Dalai Lama's temple, the hanging of prayer flags, and a free meal provided to everyone in attendance. In this photograph, two monks sit, praying for compassion for all sentient beings."

Global Classroom 

Sharing Their Stories
Margaret Woodruff
U of A Faculty-Led: Tibetans in Exile Today (TEXT), Summer 2019; Delhi, India
"The purpose of the TEXT trip to India is to work with the Tibetans in exile to share the stories of their lives. We conducted a series of oral interviews with Tibetans that had fled to India from their home country in hope of a better life, free from persecution. This photo was taken before we started recording our first interview of the trip, with TEXT student Andrew Kutchka conducting the interview and our friend Gesge Yeshi Choedup as translator. The woman that we spoke with ended the interview by saying how she hoped that one day she would be able to return to Tibet and that we would join her. At that point, it was clear to all of us how important it was to give these individuals a platform where they could share their amazing stories of resilience and compassion."

Ancient Classroom
Davis Campbell
U of A Faculty-Led: Honors Passport to Sicily- A Mediterranean Mosaic, January Intersession 2019; Sicily, Italy
"This photo is of us learning from a lecturer while sitting on ancient ruins on Mozia Island"

Sustainable Thinking Clothing Exhibit
Dominique Savage
U of A Rome Center: Summer Campus, Summer 2019
"With our weekend trip to Florence, our Economics class explored the wonderful exhibit called Sustainable Thinking in the Ferragamo Museum. The Ferragamo shoe company illustrated that some of their products and materials are sustainable conscious. This photo was taken in the "Transformation" room exhibiting "transformed fibers made from secondary raw materials."

Hogs Abroad

Hogs on Top of the World
Caleigh Cristensen
U of A Faculty-Led: Coastal Caribbean Biology, May Intersession 2019; San Ignacio, Belize
"Standing on top of a Mayan Ruin in Belize just after we called the hogs."

Hog on an Alp
Esther Heckmann
U of A Exchange: Regensburg Universitaet, Regensburg, Academic Year 2018-2019; Regensburg, Germany
"Reppin' UARK at the summit of one of the Alps in Southern Germany"

Woo Pig Sooie!
Lily Ledyard
Semester at Sea - Spring Voyage, Spring 2019
"Calling the hogs on the back of our floating campus!"

Miscellaneous 

Desert Sunset
Adrian Bradley
USAC Spain: Spanish Language, Culture, and STEM in Valencia, Fall 2018; Valencia, Spain
"This photo was taken during the sunset in the Sahara desert located in Morroco."

Young Chimp
Gopi Lukhi
U of A Faculty-Led: Tanzania - Ecology, Evolution, and Peoples of East Africa, Summer 2019; Gombe Nation, Tanzania
"Portrait of a young chimpanzee at Gombe National Park."

A Dinosaur Fight
Emily Wilson
U of A Faculty-Led: International Photojournalism in Bolivia, Summer 2019; Uyuni, Bolivia
"Because the Uyuni salt flats are so vast we were able to take all kinds of bizarre photos. This photo engages perception play while we fight and run away from a toy dinosaur."

People

Mäori Waka
Myles Joyce
U of A Faculty-Led: Human and Animal Interaction in New Zealand, January Intersession 2019; Auckland, New Zealand
"At the Mitai Mäori Village, the locals displayed their culture through various forms - one of them being a ride in a waka (Mäori for canoe). The warriors dressed in traditional attire as they chanted war songs accompanied by a drum. Meeting the Mäori people was the highlight of my time in Rotorua."

Doña Rosa
Crystal Smith
U of A Faculty-Led: Spanish Immersion and Service Learning in Puebla, Mexico, Summer 2019; Peubla, Mexico
"This photo was taken at a black clay workshop and Doña Rosa showed us how she worked the clay into a beautiful pot before asking for volunteers to learn a few of the techniques. Doña Rosa uses a special technique that is only found in her city of Oaxaca, Mexico to make the black clay shine.

Topkapi Palace - Istanbul
Dayton Thurn
U of A Rome Center: Architecture & Design, Spring 2019
"Topkapi Palace - Istanbul"

Places 

Beautiful Arch
Adrian Bradley
USAC Spain: Spanish Language, Culture, and STEM in Valencia, Fall 2018
"This photo was taken in a chapel in Austria. It was the middle of winter and we had walked in just to get out of the snow for a moment."

The Tower That Views the River
Demi Spencer
Intensive Mandarin Chinese and Chinese Culture, Summer 2019; Nanjing, China
"Yuejiang, or The Tower that Views the River, allows visitors a glimpse into the modern city of Nanjing, while preserving history and Chinese traditions."

Perspective Change
McLain Stalker
U of A Rome Center: Marketing in Rome, Summer 2019
"This photo was taken walking through a cave on our hike down the Dolomites. It was a trial for most and very lengthy. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, or challenging oneself to have a more positive outlook during trial is a game changer."

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Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

a list of things i’m homesick for #HogsAbroad in Italy

five weeks is a long time to be in a place so incredibly different than your home. it’s especially difficult because your setup is temporary and you’ve only packed what you could fit. you go without items you’re accustomed to having unlimited access to. adapting to this has been a really valuable experience and has taught me how to lessen my dependency on the material. i still miss my american things, though, and have kept a list of things i felt random longings for.

things i miss about america:

• ice. it’s virtually nonexistent in italy and no matter how hard i try, i can’t get behind lukewarm water. i also miss iced coffee, but italy makes up for that in unmatched hot espresso.
• air conditioning. another rarity due to a more limited access to electricity. we had days as hot as 99 degrees with no way to cool off. when a texan complains about the heat, you know it’s bad.
• walmart. we’re spoiled brats thanks to the convenience of this establishment. an employee whose sole job is to bag our groceries for us? a one-stop shop for all of life’s necessities? italians don’t roll that way.
• instant rice. the pace of life is very different here when it comes to food. it’s all about relaxing and connecting with people. that means that the markets here aren’t stocked in pre-cooked foods. as a college student, i’m having a bit of an identity crisis.
• the ability to look up the menu before meals. i’m absolutely the type of person who already knows what she’s going to order before i even leave the house. most restaurants don’t have websites here, though, because they’re tiny, family owned joints. most don’t even have their hours of operation listed.
• petting dogs. i learned the hard way that it’s not quite normal to pet other people’s dogs here. my theory is that they don’t treat their dogs like children, as we do in america. i actually catch myself pouting and reaching out toward cute dogs i know i can’t touch. it’s hard, okay?

of course, none of the things i miss are necessities and going without it is half the point of traveling and immersing yourself in a new culture. i’m breaking habits in order to step outside myself and gain appreciation for other ways of life. the italian way of life has tons of things they can boast over america, too.

things i’ll miss about italy when i’m home:

• cheap coffee and pastries. most mornings, it costs me 2 euros or less for a coffee beverage. the drinks are smaller here but american coffees have more milk in them so really, you’re getting the same amount of espresso. and 6 chocolate-filled croissants for 1.80 euros? can’t wait to go back to paying $7 for a latte.
• the emphasis on relationships. it’s so fulfilling to create meaningful connections with italians. i truly feel seen and valued by most people i interact with, especially when i wander around alone. italians are predisposed to help you when you’re not walking around with I’M A TOURIST stamped on your forehead.
• pure foods. no gmos, no fake sugars, real fruit. i watched a waiter make my strawberry daiquiri with a handful of real berries and not a trace of syrup. it’s nice not having to worry about what’s hidden in the food i’m consuming.
• the scenery. the weighty history of the buildings i walk past every day on my way to class will never be lost on me. there’s nothing in frisco, texas, as cool as the pantheon.
• not having to tip my waiter. this sounds stingy, but the wait staff actually gets paid at or above minimum wage and so tips aren’t necessary to make sure they earn what they deserve. it’s nice knowing people aren’t solely dependent on other people’s generosity to make a living.

i could make each list go on forever, but you probably get the idea. there are so many things that i appreciate about my homeland and many other things that i’ve learned to love in my new culture. going back to america this weekend will require another adjustment on my part. i’m probably going straight to chipotle after deplaning, and i have a strange urge to sit and watch a load of laundry go through the dryer (we hang our clothes to dry here). it has been pretty cool, though, to see all the ways i’ve grown accustomed to living a different way.

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Junior English/Creative Writing major Rylie Frederick is spending the summer 2019 term at the University of Arkansas Rome Center.

Read more from Rylie at https://rylieinrome.home.blog/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Interested in becoming a HogsAbroad Social Media Ambassador like Christine? Contact Katie at ksabo@uark.edu.

"could be worse!" #HogsAbroad in Italy

when you’re living it up in italy, only taking two classes that require minimal effort, things could most definitely be worse. in fact, that was our mantra this past weekend. early friday morning, my friends and i got on the first of many metro trains to kick start our miniature vacation to the amalfi coast. we took a metro and then a train to naples (psa: the metro is the superior method of transportation in italy) and that was the only thing we had pre-planned. we completely winged the rest of the weekend.

the only way we could get from naples to our bungalow in sorrento was via the cicumvesuviana. you’ve probably never heard of it and you definitely don’t want to ever ride on it. it was the sketchiest, most crowded tram we could have found. it creaked and jerked like it was about to fall apart. we stood shoulder to shoulder without a/c while straddling our luggage and inhaling cigarette smoke for an hour. just when we thought the cart couldn’t fit one more body, the italian equivalent of a mariachi band pushed their way on and began blasting despacito. even if we wanted to drop coins in their basket, we couldn’t physically move to get into our purses. we did what we had to do, though, and made it to sorrento with smiles on our faces.

we were able to drop our bags off at the bungalow, which boasted a private view of the sea, and then went on a search for a bus to positano. evidently the sita bus doesn’t have an official stop. after flagging down every bus that passed by, we found what we assumed to be the right bus and lo and behold, it was filled to the brim with people. my best comparison is a can of sardines, but like, vacuum sealed. it’s important to note that the route to positano consists entirely of switchbacks on the edge of the cliff. one of us had to focus on not throwing up, another was being launched across the aisle, and all of our hands were so sweaty that we couldn’t grip the poles. for another hour, we were hysterically laughing and also trying not to fall into the doors and tumble down the face of the mountain.

don’t worry, though; we arrived safely and the process of getting there made the breathtaking view that much more incredible. positano was the most beautiful place i’ve ever seen. we laid out on the beach, swam around the crystal clear water, ate lunch at a restaurant on the sand, and browsed in little linen shops until the sun began to set. we watched it go down while drinking fresh strawberry daiquiris and eating pasta on a rooftop bar. when it got dark, we went down to the bottom of the city to retrace our original path back to where the bus had dropped us off. no one talks about the amount of stairs you have to climb in positano, either. climbing 400 steps to the top of the duomo was child’s play compared to this. at the top, we decided to taxi back to sorrento and managed to wave down a van that fit us all. our driver was lovely and gave us a history lesson while teasing us about our american obsession with ice water.

day two proceeded in similar fashion. we took the circumvesuviana, bless our hearts, to the port of sorrento after missing the tram we intended to take. a ferry took us to capri and as soon as we docked, we hightailed it to a pastry shop and munched on some of the best croissants and coffees we’ve had yet at grotta azzurra. then, we bought passage on a boat that sailed us around the entire island of capri. halfway through, we literally jumped off that boat into a 4-seater rowboat and when the waves subsided, lay flat on our backs as the guide launched us into an underwater cave. we slipped him 5 euros to let us jump into the blue grotto, which illuminates a neon blue due to the reflection of the sunlight through the tiny opening. back on the island, we sprinted back onto the ferry as the crew was untying the boat from the dock and waving at us to hurry. to save a little money after an expensive day, we swam at the public beach in sorrento and took home some zucchini flower pizzas from the beach bar. we ate them on our little porch in our damp swimsuits, watching the sun go down. then we got gelato from a bakery and stayed up late belly laughing at all our attempts of getting good pictures of such a hectic and fulfilling day.

this has been my favorite weekend of the trip, not in spite of the challenges, but because of them. not many people share the realistic aspects of traveling in a country where you don’t speak the language. the destinations are picture-perfect but the process can be messy. i mean, the hotel van got into an accident at the bottom of the driveway on the way to drop us off at the tram station. the driver of said van loaded our suitcases upright on their wheels and we were doubled over trying to stifle our laughter as they crashed around the trunk the entire way. we got kicked out of a pool for not buying a swim cap. we spent an eternity trying to get cute pictures in capri and ended up with maybe two acceptable shots. if you have the wrong attitude, these things can cast an irreversible shadow on your trip. luckily, i made friends with some girls who would rather laugh til they cried than complain.

we accomplished what we set out to do. we figured it all out on our own (special thanks to apple maps and universal hand gestures). we saw so many beautiful things, met tons of wonderful people, made unforgettable memories, and learned to be independent. i could have written this entire blog post without mentioning any of the less-than-ideal stuff, but that’s not always how life works. of course the view was great, but the path that lead us there brought so much meaning to the experience. miley cyrus really hit the nail on the head when she said it’s the climb.

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Junior English/Creative Writing major Rylie Frederick is spending the summer 2019 term at the University of Arkansas Rome Center. 

Read more from Rylie at https://rylieinrome.home.blog/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Interested in becoming a HogsAbroad Social Media Ambassador like Christine? Contact Katie at ksabo@uark.edu.

a weekend in firenze #HogsAbroad in Italy

this weekend, half of the students in my program traveled by train to florence for roughly three days of museum tours, eating, and exploring. we saw many cool things, including an aerial view of the city from the top of the duomo, the gucci gardens (gucci began in florence fyi), and famous paintings such as the birth of venus.

day one, we stepped off the train and went straight into the medici family mausoleum. multiple sculptures crafted by michelangelo rest here along with late members of the most important family in florence. we took a break for lunch, where i devoured the best cacio e pepe at a little place called trattoria da guido. of course, we had to test out the gelato around and unanimously concluded that the ice cream from don nino right next to the duomo was the best we’d had in the country. they also had a nice build-your-own cannoli bar and who wouldn’t love that?

our professors then sent us to the top of the duomo. i’ve actually climbed it before, but walking off that final step into the blinding sunlight still made my chest compress. that feeling of almost flying, of being able to see the entire city and the mountains that surround it- that’s worth the four-hundred-something stairs. we then rewarded ourselves with florence’s specialty: wild boar. i had mine served in a red sauce over noodles and let me just say that the university of arkansas has a very tasty mascot.

day two began bright and early with a tour of the ufitzi gallery and the basilica of santa maria novella, which provide access to some of the most breathtaking ceilings. we followed that up with lunch at mercato di san lorenzo, which sits in the middle of the city. it’s a two-story building housing dozens of different restaurants and bars. we split up and picked from sushi, fried chicken, classic italian, smoothies, burgers, seafood, and restaurants dedicated entirely to truffle dishes. we spent the rest of the afternoon shopping around for some of the best leather in the world. florence, after all, was founded on the industry (pro tip: the famous market in the middle of the city doesn’t have an ounce of real leather for sale. explore the brick and mortar shops a little bit away from the crowds to find real italian masterpieces).

our activity for the evening was sipping some wine in the rooftop bar at the grand hotel minerva while the sun set on the duomo. we then had some cocktails and snacks at konnubio, a quaint and intimate lounge with an open roof and tons of greenery. to conclude our saturday in florence, we managed to find an irish pub popular among american students. in fact, we met lots of other students from arkansas and even caught the end of a championship football game that ended quite favorably for the italians.

our third and final day was a brief walking tour of the city, which is so small that we walked down every single street in a couple of hours. at volume, i tried my first shakerato, which is the italian equivalent of iced coffee. hot espresso, simple syrup, and ice in a cocktail shaker. the coffee froths at the top and cuts out the need for any milk. i might start making my coffee that way back home! for lunch, we came across rosalía, a precious salad bar offering fresh juices and american-style coffee. and then it was back on the train to rome.

i’ve always loved florence and how the vibe is more laid back and relaxed compared to rome’s hustle and bustle. it’s a lot smaller and less urban, which is why a couple days was all we needed to exhaust the city of sights and sounds. the one thing we didn’t get to do this time around was see michelangelo’s david due to ticket scarcity. i highly, highly recommend it to other travelers, though. it puts every other sculpture to shame (except bernini’s apollo and daphne. they’re tied for first). if you’re an arkansas student considering this program, just know that florence is one of the best cities in italy and the fact that it’s included in the curriculum is truly amazing! if you’re just someone keeping up with my time here, i guess all you need to know is that florence will always have a special place in my heart.

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Junior English/Creative Writing major Rylie Frederick is spending the summer 2019 term at the University of Arkansas Rome Center.

Read more from Rylie at https://rylieinrome.home.blog/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Interested in becoming a HogsAbroad Social Media Ambassador like Christine? Contact Katie at ksabo@uark.edu.

livin la vida local #HogsAbroad in Italy

one of the things that my friends and i are challenging each other to do this month is to behave like a local. or at least, try our hardest to. in some ways, this has been an easy transition. we’ve taken the subway without asking any questions, conquered the bus system, sipped our coffees standing at the bar, bought produce at a corner stand, and refrained from asking restaurants to split our check. however, in other ways, trying to shed our american assumptions has proven to be more difficult. here are five things i’ve picked up on and adapted to in an attempt to make my time here as authentic and rewarding as possible.

1. italians don’t wait patiently in line for anything. not for coffee, not for food, not for events and definitely not for the bus. you have to be a little pushy to get what you want in a timely manner and as long as you’re not physically or verbally abrasive, no one will scoff at you. there’s no better way to look like an intimidated, lost american than standing toward the back of the huddle in the coffee shop and watching everyone else effortlessly catch the barista’s attention (pro tip: they sometimes change the menu according to the time so don’t be shocked if the barista says you can’t get a drink with milk in it after 4pm).
2. dinner is not the time to get drunk. the relationship with alcohol in italy is one of the biggest cultural differences i’ve experienced. casual, social drinking is emphasized here while drinking to get blacked out is almost unheard of. if you want to go out with your friends, there are plenty of bars and nightclubs, but if you’re eating pasta with your girls, don’t overdo it on the wine. you’ll be out of place and potentially perceived as disrespectful.
3. the dress code is nicer here than in america. on a day to day basis, italians tend to look instagram-ready. you don’t see a lot of leggings and sweatshirts, even on college students walking to early morning classes. if you want to keep the negative attention off yourself and experience what it’s like for those who live in rome, up your style a little bit. if you really want to blend in, go for the neutral colors or even better, pile on the black and reach for the leather. from what i’ve noticed, the aesthetic here is clean, minimalist, and modern with a touch of casual chic. confusing? yeah, i’m still trying to catch on myself.
4. the cars will not hit you. at least not in rome. many of the crosswalks do not have buttons for you to press and are rarely placed at actual intersections with traffic lights. that means you’ll be crossing four lane roads without any way to make the cars stop except for your body. ever been to new york city? it’s like that but worse. the key is to realize that the cars are not going all that fast and they know to watch for pedestrians. the other key is to just be ballsy. it may seem like they’re going to flatten you, but they will absolutely swerve around you as long as you make eye contact and don’t jump out right in front of them. do not, and i repeat, do NOT stand on the corner and wait for them to stop. they will literally laugh at you from behind the windshield.
5. everything costs money, even the water at dinner. you will be offered either sparkling or still water at every meal, and even if you order the flat water, it will still show up on your bill. typically, so will that basket of bread that they sometimes bring without asking. do not be afraid to decline these things! i’ve been carrying and refilling my own plastic water bottle so that i don’t end up spending thirty euros on water by the end of the trip. also, those guys lining the streets trying to give you bracelets? they will never give you anything for free. i’ve seen them put jewelry on people so tight they can’t get it off and then demand payment. just ignore them or say “no grazie” and keep walking. don’t even slow down; they’re hustlers trying to profit off polite tourists.

this list is by no means comprehensive, but i feel like these five things have been the most important differences i’ve noticed during my short time here. since i recognized them and made the conscious effort to conform to them, i’ve found myself getting more confident and comfortable in italian culture. i’m sure that when i get back to the states, i’ll be saying “va bene” to my waiter and asking for aperol spritzes at jj’s out of habit. but that’s a sign that your travels have truly changed you and opened your eyes to a new way of living.

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Junior English/Creative Writing major Rylie Frederick is spending the summer 2019 term at the University of Arkansas Rome Center.

Read more from Rylie at https://rylieinrome.home.blog/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Interested in becoming a HogsAbroad Social Media Ambassador like Christine? Contact Katie at ksabo@uark.edu.