Lauren's Postcard from Rome!

*_Dear University Chic,_* *Being abroad is everything I thought it would be:* exciting, fulfilling, amazing, and very different. Living in Rome, especially, has already given me so many special memories and opportunities. The food, culture, and architecture I encounter every day just keep adding to my experience! As expected, Italian food is incredible. I've never tasted ingredients so fresh or had such thin-crusted pizza. Last week, my friends and I took a one-night wine-tasting course in which a wine connoisseur taught us about Italian wine while serving us authentic antipasto. Museums and famous landmarks are ubiquitous. I see Vatican City from my bedroom window, walk by the famed Piazza del Popolo on my way to school, and eat in view of the ancient Pantheon almost every night. How many people can say that? Going out has involved a mix of genuine Roman outings and basic tourist spots. My friends and I tend to stick to American bars in an area called Campo di Fiori, but there are often some Italians around as well. We usually go to a discothèque once during the school week; the clubs are full of both American and Italian young adults. Wine bars are also very popular for all youths and there are both natives and tourists hanging out near the Spanish Steps all the time. I've been glad to find that instead of being very techno-based, like most places in Europe, the clubs we go to in Rome usually play a lot of American hip-hop and pop music though it is very fun to find and Italian pop song here and there. For me, the best part about being here is the opportunity to travel essentially every weekend. Having no classes on Fridays lets me go away for a two or three night visits to practically any city in Europe; and airline research and planning ahead allows travel for a relatively cheap price. So far, weekend trips have included Florence, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Madrid. Florence is only an hour and a half away from Rome by train and is the perfect place for a quick getaway. A much smaller city than Rome, Florence still has plenty of famous sights, great restaurants, and fun, outdoor discos worth visiting. Amsterdam and Dublin, both relaxing because of their use of the English language, offer fantastic Asian-fusion restaurants, fun beer factory tours, and cute authentic shops. Must-sees include the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam and Trinity College in Dublin. Madrid, a large city, has the most unbelievable nightlife people don't begin their nights until 2:30 am, which accounts for their necessary four hour siesta every afternoon! Watching a bull fight and eating churros dipped in hot chocolate sauce made my time in the Spanish capital even more awesome. I've also learned that taking a bus or boat tour is a great way to learn about any city I'm visiting. It seems touristy, but it's easy to find a hop-on, hop-off tour in which the driver goes to a number of stops while giving historical background on the way. At each stop, the passenger can exit, walk around, and get back on whenever or at whichever stop he or she chooses. The hop-on, hop-off canal tour in Amsterdam was especially cool because it allowed me to appreciate the city's river system. Additionally, meeting up with friends who are abroad in different cities is a safe bet to showing a good time with both tourist and native attractions. It's also just nice and should be truly appreciated that one is able to catch up and hang out with friends from home, school, or elsewhere all over Europe! There are, of course, some downsides to being away. It is definitely hard to adjust to a different country for such a long period of time. In particular, Rome is very much "the Eternal City" and it is difficult for someone from big cities in the United States to get used to such an un-modernized place. Of course, on the other hand, I wouldn't trade Italy's historical culture for anything; like Italians say, who needs a Starbucks when they make the best coffee in the world? *I look forward to many more new experiences in Italy and other areas. I will keep you filled in!* -Lauren delicious | digg | technorati
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