The Teeming Streets of Rome ~Katherine McSherry, Study Abroad Peer Advisor, London, England and Rome, Italy

Since my first study abroad program to London, England I have been unable to stop the constant desire to travel.  I set my sights on my next trip only three days after returning to the United States.  I decide to visit the birthplace of most European cities, Rome, Italy.  Rome has become a city that I will never truly leave.  I went to Rome during the summer of 2013 and studied for four weeks at the American University of Rome.  I took an anthropology class - what better way to see the historic city of Rome than with a professor who knows about every piece of history?  Through my class I was able to tour the city and explore ruins and sights that I would have never seen on my own, and I would have never discovered so much about Rome and its past without this class.  I was able to become immersed in two time periods, the Roman Empire and the Renaissance.  There was a stark contrast between the city’s ancient rulers, the roman emperor, and the early modern rulers, the popes.  These contrasts between the time periods became blurred when it came to art and architecture the city, which mixed old gods with the new and reformed the great buildings of the past into structures of the present. Rome became an ever evolving city of beauty and grandeur, behind each ruin was a story and behind each masterpiece was a ruin.  

Combing through museums, ruins, fountains, historical sights, piazzas, and churches, I was able to see the underbelly of Rome and discover the hidden mysteries of this ancient city. Places and sights I had only read about were suddenly standing in front of me as tall and real as the day.  Icons such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps were suddenly right in front of me.  I went beyond the usual tourist spots to find my most beautiful artwork in obscure galleries and tiny alleyway churches.  Rome is a city that provides constant entertainment, I could have walked down the same street one thousand times and still have found something new to discover and gawk at. 

Rome can be a leaping off point to other cities around Italy.  While in Rome, I was able to take trips every weekend to a new city: Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii, Siena, Florence, Venice, Capri, and Sorrento.  I used the most of my free time so that I would be able to explore a new city within the walls of a fascinating country.  Italy is a country that is so diverse because it was, at one point, broken up into many city states each wanting to outshine the others through art and prestige.  Now these city states are cities with their own diverse history and culture to offer to visitors.  Places that almost ooze with the unimaginable, paintings so real that the images seem to almost move with their own hidden life and sculpture so alive it is like watching a play as you stare at their life like movements frozen in time. 

The people of Rome are the most helpful and gracious; most importantly they were always willing to give directions.  The city’s population is only paled by the amazing friends I made while on this program.  These people let me drag them around the city from one museum to another with pit stops at tiny shops and restaurants, and we did it all while sweating more than I imagined to be humanly possible, but laughing the entire way.  These are people who are truly wonderful and I am thankful to have met so many people who share the same passions as me.

While I have long since left Rome, there is not a day that goes by where I don’t remember walking through the teeming streets of Rome looking for adventure and beauty at every turn.  Rome is the eternal city with moments of time pressed between its pages I am glad to be a part of the city’s memory.

The Sights of England ~Stephanie Randazzo, London, England

An experience to keep with you forever is a wonderful thing and an amazing opportunity. That’s why I knew studying abroad through CSI was the right choice for me. I wanted to grab the chance as soon as possible, which is why I decided to do it at the end of my freshmen year. Knowing exactly where I wanted to go made things that much easier. The place is England, United Kingdom – it has been a dream of mine ever since high school. Luckily CSI made it possible for me to reach that dream through attending Middlesex University in England.

When I applied to this program I didn’t know anyone else that was going, but knew that it would be a great learning experience for me. I had never left the country before, but this brought more excitement than nerves. There is so much out there to see and learn about in the world. The perfect way to learn new things is firsthand, which I was able to do with this program. However, I was able to meet one other person from CSI who was also going to Middlesex University. Right away, she and I got along, so we decided to book our flight together. That made the six and a half hour flight a little more enjoyable by having someone to speak with.

Once I arrived in London, I couldn’t wait to get out and see all of the sights. Although I was a bit jet lagged, that didn’t stop me from wanting to see things right away. We had a welcome dinner that night and were able to mingle with others in the program. I met people from all over the world, including Germany, Austria, and Hong Kong. Everyone was extremely nice and all had the same excitement to be someplace new or someplace they once visited but wanted to explore further. One of the first things that everyone was told is that London is only a twenty-five minute tube ride from our campus. This makes it easy for everyone to just hop on the shuttle and experience the short tube ride during night or day.

The program that I choose to do is five weeks, and I am currently on my third week of being in London.  The sights that I have seen so far are completely marvelous. For example, the second day here I saw Big Ben and the London Eye. The line to get onto the London Eye looked a bit long, but it actually moved fairly quickly. It consists of a forty-minute Ferris wheel ride overlooking London and allows you to take some amazing photos. Along with having the freedom to see any sights I please, the University also put together excursions for students in the program. My favorite trip so far has been the one to Stonehenge and Bath. I’ve always heard people speak of these places and how wonderful they are. Well, we were lucky enough to have the University plan out a trip for all of the students. Within just an hour and a half I was able to see one of the most amazing sights in the world.

One of the things I love about Europe is the train system and how it is very easy it makes travelling. The trains run frequently and have fairly decent prices. For example, I booked a day trip to Scotland. I will be able to see Edinburgh, which I was also told is fabulous. Another part of Europe I will be visiting is Paris, France thanks to the University putting together an optional trip for that. Not only am I fulfilling one of my biggest dreams by being in England, but I am also travelling to other countries within Europe!

This trip has taught me a great deal about myself. I have been able to learn about new cultures and meet people from all over the world. Overall, I suggest to anyone who has ever considered going outside of the country to take an amazing opportunity through CSI to accomplish this. Even if you haven’t thought about going out of the country for study abroad, I highly recommend considering it due to the wonderful time you will have and all of the places you could see. This has truly been a life changing experience that I will cherish forever.