#iperome

My time in Rome is officially over, meaning my days walking past ancient ruins and structures, enjoying an aperitivo with my friends, and taking a gelato break are officially in the past. After 8 weeks of wandering through different streets and exploring different cities and countries, I can say that it most definitely fulfilled my expectations and left me with countless memories. One of my favorite things about the Rome program was that it was 8 weeks which is decently long for a summer program, because I genuinely wanted to feel like I was living somewhere else for a long period of time. I most definitely now have enough memories to last a lifetime, so my 8 weeks did me well, but personally I wouldn’t mind more even in the slightest. 

As I look back on what my main goals were going into this program, I am glad to see I pretty much achieved them. One of my main goals was to travel and explore different places and cultures as much as possible. I was only in Rome for 2 of the 8 weekends during my program, so I got around to say the least. Not only did I explore different parts of Italy such as Florence, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and Pisa, but I also went to different countries such as Greece, Spain, and England. As I went to multiple different locations, I was able to spot differences in cultures and practices whether it be in food, clothes, manner, or how they spend their time. I did new things such as jetskiing, snorkeling, and going to one of my favorite artists’ concerts. 

Doing a study abroad is a bit tricky and falls into a grey area in the sense that I am not simply a tourist because I am living there for an extended period of time, but I am most definitely not a local resident given that I can’t even speak the language and I was still exploring the different parts of the city. Therefore throughout my time there I prioritized being a respectful tourist. I tried to say things in Italian as much as possible, keeping my Google Translate pulled up to Italian on standby. If there is a cultural custom to eat some things at a certain time or do things a certain way, I tried my hardest to do so. I was open in trying new things and foods, and always listened to people that lived there if they had any advice or guidance. 

Most importantly, I made connections and relationships with people in my neighborhood. After greeting the doorman to our apartment building multiple times a day I finally talked to him. I made acquaintances with the baristas at the coffee bar on my street, greeted and talked to the owners of a restaurant on our street, and was on a smiling basis with the local fruit vendor. I never really got too home sick because I didn’t treat it as an 8 week vacation, I tried to feel like I was living there, and I adapted to make myself feel at home. Over these last 8 weeks, I can confidently say that Rome became home. I knew the way around my neighborhood, which bridges to take across the Tiber River depending on where we wanted to go, which crosswalks would be most convenient to cross, where there were water fountains to refill my water, and where to go for my favorite gelato or pizza al taglio. In a bustling city full of tourism and people coming in and out, I found my way to settle in the background and enjoy the parts of Rome that are always there: the people, parks, piazzas, and simply the atmosphere. 

Here are some random things that people did in Rome that stood out/I enjoyed:

Italians are windowshoppers; they always stood outside stores for a long time pointing at an item that they liked

The corporate bike/vespa rush; the use of bikes/vespas is extremely common in Rome so especially at around 5 pm when people were coming back from work you would see countless people in their corporate clothing riding a bike which would always amuse me

At around lunch time I would see many people taking a break from their corporate jobs sitting outside enjoying a snack and drink, getting a gelato, or walking around the block

Prego.

Rome is a very walkable city with everything you need on every street of corner, so older people are more able to live independently and go grocery shopping or walking around by themselves

Coffee culture; going into a bar for two minutes to get a caffè at the bar counter, sip/drink it, and leave

If I had any regrets or were to do anything differently, I would have been even more outgoing and talked to more random people and locals. My favorite moments were talking to people about how life was growing up in the U.S. compared to how they grew up. I wish I fostered a bit more of connections so I would have people to visit or talk to. However, the fact that CEA CAPA was not a real university and was a study abroad program full of American students, it was a bit hard to talk to Italians my age. If I had any advice for anyone going into a study abroad program, it would be to be the most outgoing version of yourself possible. Talk to random people in the grocery stores, at a coffee bar, in a restaurant, anywhere. Just put yourself out there, and enjoy and embrace where you are. At the end of the day I made a lot of new friends, traveled the world in places I always wanted to go, and made more relationships and memories than I could ask for. 

A presto Roma, thank you for everything. Ciao grazie.

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Ciao ragazzi! It is with disbelief and bittersweetness that week 8 of 8 and therefore my journey in Rome has come to an end. It feels like it was just a couple weeks ago when I was awestruck staring at the street and building I would call home for the summer. Without further ado, I present to you my last week in Rome. 

Unfortunately the last week of a school program means finals :| Although they were not necessarily difficult, my art & archaeology class assigned a bit of end of program assignments. We had to do a presentation (mine was about food in ancient Rome), a final paper about the topic in our presentation, and then we had a final. Unfortunately this required me to lock myself in a chair until I finished the assignments because they were all on separate days (Mon, Tues, Wed). I also had my fluid mechanics final on Thursday, yay! Therefore, I was trying to be as efficient as possible so I could do good enough on the assignments and finals while being able to spend as much time outside enjoying my environment for my last week and knocking out anything I wanted to do while I was there. For my paper and presentation I was unfortunately a bit stationary in my apartment, but on the day of my exam I made sure to go to Villa Borghese one last time and prepare for my exam outside in the shade that the beautiful park provides. 

Villa Borghese

I then ventured to a sandwich shop that has been on my list this entire summer, La Vita e Un Mozzico. Although it is very popular, the owners have not let that alter their quality as they take their time making the sandwiches and talking to the customers. Therefore the line does take very long, but wow was it worth it. I got porchetta, stracciatella, and their pesto on pizza bianca, and it was probably one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. 

La Vita e Un Mozzico; the owners + the sandwich

All my assignments and exams for art & archaeology went well and they were nothing crazy, so don’t be scared into spending hours studying and preparing for them. I then had my fluid mechanics final, which I was a little more nervous about. Frankly, I just reviewed the practice exam he gave us and it was enough for what I needed. 

CEA Capa hosted a farewell event for us which consisted of a scavenger hunt where we went around the city trying to find specific things. We headed over to Vatican City as a few of the tasks were there. One of my favorite tasks was to take a picture with a nun, which gave me the chance to practice asking her to take a photo with us in Italian. One of the things that is definitely different and I just find funny/enjoyable to see is seeing a whole group of nuns or priests going out and getting a gelato. Also walking past clothing stores specific for priests is unique for me to see, and is most definitely an ode to the different culture I am experiencing in Rome. Following the scavenger hunt, CEA Capa also took us out for a pizza dinner.

Scavenger Hunt

As it is our last week, my friends and I hit up our spots one last time. Therefore on Tuesday, we went to our Taco Tuesday place and dressed up in our “I love Roma” shirts. We also explored around to the cafes/bars we regularly visit, and as always it was a great time.

Our last Taco Tuesday

Throughout the week I went walking and shopping around as I wanted to get some souvenirs. One of my first stops was to a gourmet food shop for food souvenirs, and I have honestly never been more overwhelmed in my life. There were different pastas, jams, biscuits, chocolates, spices, sauces, the list goes on. I got a cool multicolored bag of pasta and ran out of there planning to come back with an actual game plan. Honestly what was much easier, most definitely cost effective, and probably even more authentic, I simply went to my grocery store and picked out a few items and biscuits that I wanted to take home. 

My local grocery store, Pewex

This part was pretty fun though because after my classes and finals my friends and I were able to walk around, shop, and get a good bite to eat. I barely did any cooking this last week, so I was very much enjoying my last few bowls of pasta. Additionally we wanted to have a last couple group dinners, so went to a couple new places on our last few nights. On one of the nights we were standing outside the restaurant waiting for a table, when a tiny entourage surrounding a petite woman donning a sparkly blue dress and pitch black sunglasses (at 9 pm) that covered the top half of her face walked out of the restaurant and right by us. For me, the sunglasses very much stood out to me, so I stared right at them and her. My friend said that it was a certain famous woman but I was so focused on the sunglasses that I didn’t actually take in her face, so I didn’t think it was her. Later in the restaurant when we told the owner we are from the U.S., he said “Oh, my friend who was just in here was also from the U.S., New York. My friend, Sarah Jessica Parker.”

While we were eating, people then saw on their phones that Zendaya and Tom Holland were at Castel Sant’Angelo where the spiderman logo was projected onto the structure as they were promoting the new Spiderman film. Castel Sant’Angelo is a five minute walk from my apartment. Rome is a bit surreal. 

I hit a couple mini goals this week. One day I was walking around the city alone carrying a few different bags. Therefore I guess it did kind of look like I lived there and wasn’t on vacation (which I mean technically is true). I was walking in the middle of an empty road/alley in front of a couple when the guy who was debating whether to walk on the sidewalk or not said “I think she’s a local and she’s walking in the middle, so I think it’s ok.” 😝

Cappuccino update: Well it is safe to say I hit another one of my goals. This week when I walked into Bar Sant’Angelo, instead of being asked what I wanted, the guy that usually rings me up asked me which pastry, and then the barista confirmed, “cappucino?” I have officially reached regular status. I also worked up the courage to use a tiny bit of Italian that I looked up and asked the baristas and workers what their names were, and I introduced myself. For my last day as I went a bit later and wasn’t in a rush to get to class, I enjoyed my last Italian breakfast sitting outside on the patio as I took in the environment one last time, emotional while eating a croissant. On my way out, the workers gave me a keychain. It looks like I found a place, grazie Bar Sant’Angelo.

My last cappucino + cornetta con crema from Bar Sant'Angelo

The barista, Sara, who made my cappucino every morning

my Bar Sant'Angelo keychain; check it out if you're in Rome :)

The last 24 hours of the program were honestly extremely depressing, and mostly bittersweet. On the last full day of the program we had our “last supper” together, went out together one last time, went back to our apartments to enjoy our last late night McDonalds glovo (their ubereats/DoorDash) while many girls needed to pack to catch their early morning flights. There were tear-filled goodbyes and recounting of memories as we helped people pack, and I watched the sunrise from our window. 

the first and last sunrise I saw in Rome

After a quick power nap I got up early to start and finish my packing. To my surprise I had a decent amount of room left in my bags. I finished early, so I went out with my friends that were still there and did last minute souvenir shopping. I enjoyed my last meal in Rome, which was a very delicious pizza with mozzarella, sausage, and potatoes. 

My last Roman meal

I then went to my favorite gelato spot, Gelateria La Romana, and had my last gelato to close out my trip.

Gelateria la Romana

I was the last person in my apartment, so walking around it empty was a hit to my heart. (I do highly recommend taking a last walk around though because I almost left my comb there). I hadn’t really been that emotional prior to this, but after seeing everything empty and looking out to my street one last time, it finally hit.

Me in front of my apartment door :)

It was even worse when I said goodbye to my friends as I got into my taxi. However, nothing will compare to when I was in the back of my taxi driving around the beautiful neighborhood that I called home for the last 8 weeks one last time. As I drove past the storefronts and restaurants I walked past everyday, saw the storeowners and workers I have come to recognize, and heard the familiar clanking of espresso glasses coming from the coffee bars during the lunch rush, I looked at the small community I hopped into for the summer and felt nothing but gratitude and love for the beautiful culture, city, and people I experienced. A presto, Roma, grazie mille.

Thank you for following along with me this summer as I explored the beautiful ancient city of Rome, arrivederci.

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Ciao ragazzi! We have officially finished up week 7 of 8 here in Rome, so I have turned to my checklist to make sure I cross off as many attractions and experiences as possible. 

This Monday, June 29, was the Roman holiday Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, which celebrates the martyrdom of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Therefore many businesses were closed, and we didn’t have class today! My friends and I headed to Vatican City to finally visit the St. Peters Basilica. After waiting in line for just a short while and passing security, I walked into what was probably the biggest and grandest church I have visited. Covered in gold, the arched ceiling lit up the space. As you walked through the church, intricate paintings covered domes in every corner. The entire time I was walking through, my eyes wandered continuously as I tried to take in all the detail. 

St Peters Basilica

We then went down into the Vatican Grottoes, which is an underground crypt housing tombs of many former popes. We saw tombs from as early as the 1200s.

Tomb of a former pope

To celebrate the holiday, the city hosts a firework show at Castel Sant’Angelo. Thankfully our apartment is only a five minute walk from the attraction, so we were able to secure a spot with a good view. The view of Castel Sant’Angelo as the fireworks lit up the sky was truly a sight to see. I also really enjoyed being amongst a crowd of locals as they celebrated their city’s holiday. Overall, it was a very Roman experience and very worth it to visit if you are planning a trip to Italy around this time of year. 

Throughout the week, I prioritized using my break between classes to wander throughout the city and explore different neighborhoods. Even if it is an area I have been to, I enjoy walking the streets and being outside in the environment. I walked through Campo d’Fiori and its narrow streets full of little shops and an outdoor market. The walk through this area has come to be one of my favorites as it seems very authentic. Since it is right next to it, I ventured through the Jewish Ghetto neighborhood. Rome is so vast and diverse that there are unique foods in the different areas. Therefore, I made sure to try the specialties of the Jewish Ghetto. I had crostata di ricotta e visciole from the famous bakery Pasticceria Boccione, which is a ricotta and sour cherry tart, and it was absolutely amazing. I then went and tried fried artichoke, another specialty of the area. 

Crostata di Ricotta e Visciole

Carciofi alla Giudia; Fried Artichoke

It is my last weekend of the program, so I decided to spend it in Rome as I have only stayed in Rome the very first weekend. Another of my roommates stayed in Rome as well, so we set out to venture around the city. We had a very Italian day as we enjoyed our breakfast standing at a coffee bar, enjoyed a break with drinks, and grabbed a slice of pizza al taglio. One of my favorite aspects of Roman/Italian culture is that people emphasize simplicity, relaxing, and just enjoying your time with others. Therefore it is very common for people to sit down with friends for a drink during aperitivo, a coffee, or a gelato and spend a good amount of time just talking. This is one of the things I have enjoyed adapting to. 

Something I highly cherish is conversations I have had with locals and random people here in Rome. We walked into a shop, and after talking to the craftsman he took us into his workshop to show us around. We talked about our studies, how he found his way to starting the shop, and about his art.

We then head to Civitavecchia beach to view the sunset. We went by train and the ride was only about an hour long, and it cost only about 4 euros. In terms of beaches to swim, I will say that Santa Marinella is probably the best one to visit as the beach in Civitavecchia was pretty rocky. Other than the water, the ambience and sunset were exactly what we were looking for. We enjoyed a very nice dinner right on the water, and not much can top a sunset view with a nice fresh bowl of spaghetti alle vongole. 

Civitavecchia

Spaghetti alle Vongole at La Nassa w/a view

Sunset at the beach

My family was in Rome this weekend, so I enjoyed spending my day walking around the city with them. Rome is still very much in a heat wave with highs at around 93 degrees Fahrenheit, so walking around meant trying to stay under the shade as much as possible. Later on, we set off for the Circus Maximus for a very cool night. The film The Gladiator was being shown “live in concert” with a live orchestra in the Circus Maximus, which was used for chariot races and gladiator fights during the ancient Roman times. As my family loves The Gladiator, this was the perfect event. The live music, the ambience with ruins in the background, and the emotion from the film made it an amazing experience. 

As the event ended very late and we were right near it, we were able to go to the Colosseum at night when there wasn’t much of a crowd.

 Colosseum

On our walk back we also went to the Trevi Fountain which was open to the public at this time, so we were able to go to the bottom with no crowds or fee. I highly recommend visiting the main attractions late at night or early in the morning (specifically Trevi Fountain) because it allows you to enjoy the view and environment of the historical attractions in a relaxed way. 

Tossing a coin in Trevi

This Sunday was also the first Sunday of the month, which in Rome means that many of the main attractions are free to visit for the public. Therefore attractions like the Colosseum, Pantheon, Roman Forum, etc. are all free to visit. Therefore I visited the Capitoline Museums as I have yet to visit, and it was overwhelmingly full of impressive art and statues. Reading the descriptions of the paintings and statues also helped me briefly study for my Art & Archaeology class as I was able to get an understanding of the founding of Rome and aspects of the Roman Empire from viewing the art. All the pieces were very impressive, and I highly recommend visiting. 

Capitoline Museum

Romulus & Remus Statue at Capitoline

Statue of Constantine @ Capitoline

Cappuccino update: The plan is in motion! The guy who works the cashier asked me if I was getting a cappuccino before I asked him. Not much to update, so here’s another photo :)

Bar Sant'Angelo breakfast

Another week in Rome means another week full of good food, so here’s some things I have eaten that stood out and deserve being mentioned. I was looking for a pizza, so my roommate and I headed to La Pratolina in Prati, a pinseria. Pinsa is essentially a pizza with a light, airy flatbread-like dough essentially. I got the Pratolina which had mozzarella, smoked provolone, mushroom, prosciutto, and truffle. Enough said. I can confidently say that it is the best pizza I have had in Rome, it was absolutely insane, and they had so many options I was struggling to pick one. 

Pinsa from La Pratolina

After wanting to go for several weeks, I finally went to Giolitti, one of the most famous and like gelato shops in Rome. It absolutely did not disappoint, their salted caramel was probably the best I have had. I went four times that week. 

Giolitti

It was another great week exploring and living in this vast, historic city, and I cannot believe my time here is almost done. Until next week, a presto.

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

pre p.s. (I am hoping everyone gets my mamma mia reference in the title)

Ciao ragazzi! We have officially gotten through our sixth week here in Rome, and I’m slowly (but by slowly I mean excessively) starting to freak out about how little time left I have here. I’m getting slightly stressed on making sure I see everything I wanted to, making use of most of my days I have here, and taking full advantage of the opportunity. I feel like this is a very common thing to experience when you go into an experience that you have such high expectations for such as a study abroad term. Therefore, it’s good to remember that at the end of the day no matter how small an experience, you are still experiencing something new. Especially for something like this where you are living somewhere for eight weeks, it is good to remember that you don’t always have to be on the move, going somewhere, or doing something. You can simply live like you would at home, while enjoying the new space you are in.

This week in my Art and Archaeology class we visited Palazzo Massimo, which is a part of the National Roman Museum (Museo Nazionale Romano). There I was introduced to frescoes, which are essentially mural paintings that were painted on plaster. The ones I saw were extremely well-preserved, and it was very cool to see.

Frescoes in the Palazzo Massimo

Something that was a bit confusing to me but I have since picked up on while taking this class is the types of statues we see. The majority of statues that are in the museums were statues that were in palaces, government buildings, or forums during ancient Rome. These statues are mainly of Greek Gods and Roman emperors and tend to be copies of a certain statue, so you will see multiple statues of what seems to be the same figure and pose.

I went back to the Pantheon to visit it with my class this time, so I was able to truly appreciate the magnificence of its structure and how perfect it has last for nearly 2000 years. Quick history lesson: the main reason the Pantheon has been nearly perfectly restored for thousands of years is because it was consecrated as a Catholic church. In the time where Rome was becoming a Catholic capitol during the Middle Ages, all other Roman monuments were looted and destroyed. Anyways back to now, one of the things I found most interesting is that the Pantheon is open at the top. It was actually pouring rain right before we went, so I was curious to see how wet it would be inside and if there would be puddles of water everywhere. However, there are drains built in the floor to drain the water. Therefore, only the very center was blocked off and signs were put up to be careful for slipperiness.

One thing about Rome is that you can get a very cheap lunch if you look in  the right places. The neighborhood I am staying in, Prati, is very local and full of working Romans rather than tourists. Therefore, I found a sandwich shop/gastronomy that has very authentic and cheap options. For lunch one day I got lasagna, which I finally had for the first time since I have been here, and it was only 3 or 3.5 euros! The shop was full of people visibly on their break from work. In general around 12-1:30 I always see people walking around in their work clothes enjoying a pizza or sandwich with pizza bianca. I have also noticed that many people will go to the grocery store around lunch time to the gastronomy counter (which has bread, mead, and cheese), and get a sandwich there.

Another week further into the summer, means Rome keeps getting hotter. The heat wave has continued, and the highs tend to be around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This has made it a bit less desirable to randomly go on a walk and wander around, therefore I tend to stay inside my apartment during my break between my two classes.

Cappuccino update: My morning cappuccino from Bar Sant'Angelo has not failed me, and I've become a fan of their cornetto con crema. That's all, so here's a photo :)

my Bar Sant'Angelo masterpiece

This weekend I crossed a huge thing off my bucket list and what has been one of my dream vacations for a while, and I went to Santorini, Greece with a bunch of my friends from the program. We booked this trip around the first weekend I believe because we knew it was something we wanted to do, and it was very nice not having to deal with booking flights or finding a place to stay during the time leading up to it. I also recommend booking flights as early as possible because they will be cheapest then. We decided to book a hostel for our accommodation. Luckily there were 8 of us in our group, so we booked an 8-bed room, so it was just us and it essentially felt like a big sleepover. When booking hostels, make sure you check all the reviews to find out if it is safe and clean. I also stayed in one on my trip to Barcelona and there were other people in the room, so don’t forget to bring a lock for your bag or locker just in case they don’t provide one. Overall both times I had pretty good experiences staying in them. 

The weather was perfect, the views were breathtaking, and to my surprise it didn’t feel very crowded. Some of my favorite things we did was we did a beach day at Kamari beach. It wasn’t busy at all, the water was cold and refreshing, and the shops along the beach were cute and fun to peak in to. For the highlight of our day, I went jet skiing for the first time! It was very easy to book as we just went to the stand there and signed up/paid, and wow it was so much fun. It was a great experience and I highly recommend it.

Kamari Beach!

Jetskiing!

The next day we booked boat cruise with another group from CEA Capa as we found out we both happened to book our Santorini trips the same weekend. It was such a new and cool experience as I haven’t really done a boat day before, and to do it in Greece for the first time was probably the cherry on top. The boat took us around the island to different beaches, and we were able to jump into the water and swim a few different times. There were snorkel goggles so I was able to swim through the water and see all the fish and the underwater environment. Lunch was also included for our cruise. It was very nice to have an activity that was fully planned through and gave us an itinerary for nearly half the day. There are so many cool planned activities you can do in all different places you travel, so make sure to take a look a bit iin advance so you can easily book them.

Boat cruise tour

Once again I made sure to eat foods that were local to the region.  Honestly one of my favorite things that I had the first and last night we were there was a gyro pita that was a whopping 5.90 euros. You truly can’t go wrong with the classics. I honestly had a lot of Greek food this weekend, and I personally grew up eating a decent amount of Greek food so I enjoyed all of them. I had spanakopita (a spinach/feta pie that was one of my favorites growing up), souvlaki with kebab, bougatsa (a phyllo dough pastry filled with custard), and loukoumades (small Greek-style donuts).

Spanokopita

Kebab Souvlaki

Loukoumodes

Another main highlight from our Santorini trip was the sunrises and sunsets. They were truly a sight to behold and I highly recommend you plan a sunset dinner or wake up for the sunrise. I woke up around 5:50 one morning to catch the Iran FIFA World Cup game, so I made sure to see the sunrise since I was awake. I didn’t even catch the beginning, but it was absolutely worth seeing and exceeded my expectations.

Santorini sunset

sunrise :)

This was probably one of my favorite weekend trips, and it was a great time creating memories with my friends that I have made through this program. A presto, ciao!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Ciao ragazzi! We have transitioned into the second session in our program, which means I am now also taking my nontechnical course which is Art & Archaeology in Ancient Rome. The course focuses on structures of ancient Rome and the motivation behind architectural details to better understand civilization in Ancient Rome. The class meets Monday through Thursday from 3-6. A couple of the days we are in class for a lecture, but for the majority of days we meet onsite and have a walking tour of different sites and museums. For one of the main reasons I wanted to take the class, I finally went inside the Colosseum! As it is an Archaeology class we focused more on the structure itself rather than the history of the gladiators. Standing inside of it, it’s easy to imagine how it looked at its peak: fully enclosed, covered in marble decoration, and tens of thousands of Romans cheering during the Gladiator games. I was surprised to learn that the bulk of the destruction of the Colosseum is due to an earthquake in the 1300s. 

Colosseum!

The next day we went next door to the Roman Forum, which back in the peak of ancient Rome was the center of daily life from political to social buildings and activities. It was a square full of grand government buildings and temples that were covered in marble decoration and statues. It was very cool to walk through certain areas where even the ground was original from that time. 

Roman Forum

We also walked through the palace, which impressed me more with every new area we saw. It was vast, full of gardens and ponds, covered in marble decoration, and embellished with paintings on all the walls. Obviously it wasn’t currently in that state, but the thought that structures of that nature existed thousands of years ago will never fail to blow my mind. 

Courtyard w/ a fountain and garden

Painted designs of the rooms

Although the sites were very cool, the weather was not at all. Unfortunately, this week Rome has begun to heat up, with the high temperature being around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily my room is air conditioned, but our apartment’s living room is not. Additionally, public buildings and stores are all usually air conditioned, so it hasn’t been horrible. The main time I have to deal with it is during my art and archaeology class which tends to be outside when we are onsite (which is most days). Fortunately, our professor is very aware and makes sure we are in the shade as often as possible or will push class to a later time to avoid the peak temperatures. If you are planning to go to Europe at this time of summer, specifically Rome, keep in mind that you will be doing a lot of walking outside in the sun and heat, so always have water on hand. One of my favorite things about Rome is that there are water fountains all over the city. Tap water is safe to drink here, so you will always have access to drinking water when you’re walking around the city. I highly recommend carrying around a water bottle as you will be able to easily fill it up. 

Cappuccino Update: For the first time I will not be updating you about a cappuccino because I finally had my first caffè (a shot of espresso)! When people say they drink coffee or want a coffee here they don’t mean drip coffee or a fancy latte, they simply mean a shot of espresso. Italians will sip on their caffè at all times of the day whether it be for breakfast, an afternoon pick me up, or as dessert to help digest their meal. I tried it straight up without any sugar for my first sip, and it went so well that it only took me a second before I reached for the sugar basket, which (shocker) made it much better for my taste. It is definitely a taste I just need to get used to, so I do see myself liking it plain someday. I even had it again this week, and it was already much better. 

My first caffè

As it has come up in the last couple of weeks, I have settled in the cafè I go to in the mornings. It’s right on the corner of the street I live on, and it’s only a block away from my classes. Yes, the fact that they make my favorite cappuccino plays a role in my visits, but I realized this week that that is not my favorite part. As I enjoyed my cappuccino, I saw the vendor from the fruit store on the same street sipping his caffè at the bar. I also saw that the man sitting with his caffè while reading his newspaper was the owner of a restaurant right next door who I am greeted by most mornings on my walk from class. Yes, it is a typical snack bar that houses pastries, sandwiches, coffee, and cocktails, but it also holds a community inside. It is this feeling that I come back to and appreciate most. Since the city is designed to be walkable, there are supermarkets, cafès, dry cleaners, and shops on every street and corner, forming these little communities. It was the opportunity to temporarily be a part of one of these communities that made me want to study abroad, so I am glad to be currently experiencing it.

Another update, I finally braved the meat/butcher counter at the grocery store this week. They do have prepackaged meat selections in the fridge, but I wanted to get a different type of salami and wanted it fresh, so I finally went for it. I simply grabbed a ticket and then when it was my turn, I told the worker the type of meat I wanted and how much (the weight), and I was done. I simply just looked up how to say the weight in Italian which wasn’t hard at all. 

My spread with fresh salami, pizza bianca, and brie cheese

This weekend, CEA CAPA took us on a day trip to Pompeii! I was a bit skeptical if I would really enjoy my time there as I went into the mindset that it is just ruins, similar to what I see in Rome. However, in Rome the ruins pop up in places here and there, and are a bit scattered and a couple buildings at a time. Walking into the ruins of Pompeii was walking into an entire city of ruins. It allowed me to fully imagine what a town in the time of the Roman empire looked like and how it functioned. The amount of remains makes it possible to imagine the houses fully structured and decorated and think of a time when people walked along the protruding steps of the cobblestone streets, hung around in the gyms, and spent their time in the market.

Pompeii

Lockers in a Gym

People used the steps to cross the street (sewer water ran through the streets)

A body recently discovered

Paintings on the walls of the city's market

It was very cool to see, but if you do go in the summer make sure to stay hydrated as there isn’t much shade to take cover in, and the majority of the trip is walking around. 

After Pompeii, a couple of my roommates and I decided to head to Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast. The views, weather, and the city were all so beautiful and relaxing. It was nice to go to a city where there aren’t necessarily historical sites or tourist attractions that need to be marked off a to-do list, and we could simply enjoy the scenery and where we were. We enjoyed a day at the beach club, which is something you should invest in (ours was only 20 euro per chair), as the majority of the beach is private and with the beach clubs. The water was amazing to go into. It was clear and blue, and it was extremely refreshing. 

Sorrento; views from the beach club

Sorrento was pretty full of tourists, but I could still feel the presence of local residents. We decided to stay there as opposed to Positano and Amalfi as it was more affordable, less crowded, and very easy to travel to as it has a train station. 

For one of my favorite evenings of this summer, we enjoyed a dinner at sunset at the Marina Grande. The sunset that night was beautiful and the views of the colored houses throughout the Marina brought it all together. 

Sunset at Marina Grande

One of my favorite moments was seeing the residents of the houses right on the Marina Grande spend their night standing outside on their balcony. They were doing daily tasks such as drying their hair or just sitting outside and enjoying their night and view. My favorite moment was seeing two older ladies who lived in buildings right across from each other, speaking to each other from their own respective balconies.

Two residents speaking to each other from their balconies :)

Staying on theme, I decided to eat what was local to the region. As we were right next to the water I got spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams), and it was one of my favorite meals of this trip. I also tried mussels for the first time and was very pleasantly surprised. All the fish was extremely fresh, making for a very nice evening.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Peanut salted caramel + chocolate gelato from Raki in Sorrento

For our last day, I took a ferry for the first time to Positano. We walked up and down the cliffs, wandering through all the small shops throughout the city. Docking into the town and seeing it along the coast for the first time, I was speechless. The views of the colored houses up high atop the cliffs next to the deep blue water were amazing and the best part of the town in my opinion. 

Positano

There were many ceramic stores similar to this; all featuring lemon designs

It was very small and I believe we saw it all as we walked certain paths multiple times throughout the day. It was basically a tourist city, but the views itself made it very worth seeing. 

Overall, it was another great week further immersing myself in my community in Rome and exploring other cities and cultures. Ciao!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Ciao ragazzi! I have officially hit my halfway point on my time here in Rome, which can only mean one thing as a student: midterms!!

The CEA CAPA program is split into two sessions, each lasting a month. I have to take one technical course and one non-technical course, and I chose to take fluid mechanics for my technical and Art & Archaeology in Ancient Rome for my non-technical. For the first session, I only have my fluids class on Monday through Thursday at 9:15-11:00 am. 

With my midterm coming up this week, I finally needed to put the study in study abroad, as honestly up until now I’ve mainly just been abroad. I’m not sure how the fluids class is specifically at Michigan, but comparing it to my other classes, it is considerably easier than classes I have taken at Michigan. Not necessarily the content, but in terms of structure and organization, my class here is very manageable and I am allowed to spend the majority of my time exploring Rome. From what I’ve noticed, the professor mainly wants you to understand the content and how to solve the problems. Therefore, the assignments (which are daily) aren’t that long or tedious, and they don’t get too difficult. To help myself get into study mode, I went to a free library I found that is in the city center, and it was pretty full. To prepare for the exam, the professor gave us a practice exam that was the exam from the year before. The sample exam was honestly enough to prepare for the midterm, so the exam went pretty smoothly. 

As I’ve seen almost all the main attractions in Rome, I’ve started to simply enjoy being outside in this different environment. I enjoy randomly wandering around the neighborhoods and down different streets. I have visited the Villa Borghese a few times to do a bit of work and enjoy nature. 

Lunch + Work in Villa Borghese

Piazza Ferdowsi in Villa Borghese (for Persian poet Ferdowsi)

Cappuccino Update: Given that I found the perfect situation last week, I didn’t feel the need to try somewhere else, and I am now on a new goal to reach “regular” status. One of my main goals going into this program was to connect with and create new relationships within my new environment, so I look forward to getting there one yummy cappuccino at a time. 

I wish I could give you a proper name for the cafe, but I'm not even completely sure, which honestly gives a nod to its authenticity. On apple maps, it is titled Caffe Prati, and the sign on the front of the cafe reads “Snack Bar”, which is a very common thing to see here. “Snack Bars” are very local coffee bars that serve coffee throughout the day and pastries while they last, and stay open throughout the day transitioning into an aperitivo spot. If you are ever in Italy and see Snack Bar or simply Bar written outside of a shop, I guarantee you will find good coffee and locals standing while they sip on their daily caffè.

Another week spent in Rome means a lot of opportunities to eat some good food. This week in particular I had a lot of good experiences. One day coming back from Villa Borghese I was absolutely starving and heavily craving pizza al taglio (by the slice), so I quickly stopped by Pizza dai Cinque on my way home. I know I say this all the time, but wow it was the best pizza I’ve had this trip, and it was only 2.50 euros. I also hit two gelato spots that were highly rated by locals and were on my list. My roommates and I went to Gelateria dei Gracchi (recommended by none other than Anthony Bourdain) the night before my midterm as a reward for studying, and they had a salted caramel peanut flavor that was insane. I also tried Gelateria La Romana which I always see full of locals, and once again I will say it was some of the best gelato I’ve had. They had a lot of interesting flavors, and I really liked the coffee cream (which had chocolate in it) and the caramel with almonds. I also finally tried amatriciana, which is one of the four Roman pastas. It wasn’t my favorite of the four, but it was still good obviously. 

Pizza dai Cinque

Gelateria dei Gracchi

Gelateria La Romana

Amatriciana from Su & Giu Cucina Romana

For the weekend, I crossed a huge thing off my bucket list and traveled with my sisters to London to see Harry Styles perform at Wembley Stadium! The weather in London was much cooler and prompted me to pull out the one jacket I brought on this trip for the first time. The moment we got to our hotel, we switched into tourist mode and made our way to see the switching of the guards at Buckingham Palace. We continued on with sightseeing to see Big Ben, the Westminster Abbey, and the House of Parliament. 

Big Ben and House of Parliament

Westminster Abbey

I will say it was nice to be in a country where the main language spoken is English, but I cannot tell you how many times “grazie” or “sì” accidentally slipped out. 

Continuing on with my goal to try foods particular to the region I’m in, we tried crumpets for breakfast. I fear I have been spoiled by my 1.50 euro cappuccinos here in Italy because now every time I am out of the country and see the cappuccinos doubled in price, I’m shocked. 

Crumpets

I also made sure I didn’t leave without getting a fish and chips from a local pub, and it did not disappoint. 

Onto the main event, I set off to see Harry Styles’ on his first night performing in Wembley Stadium. Going into this summer, I realized that being in Europe, I would be able to travel to other countries much easier than in the U.S, so the dots connected that I had the chance to go to Harry’s show. The concert was undoubtedly amazing, and I even got to see Shania Twain perform as the show’s opener. 

Harry Styles!!

Shania Twain

The next day, I got very lucky and happened to go be in London the weekend of the King’s birthday. Therefore, there was the Trooping the Colour Parade, and my sisters and I were extra lucky to arrive in perfect time to see the royal family including King Charles, Princess Kate, and her kids stroll by in carriages. 

King Charles

Kate Middleton + her family

Some other notable locations, we went to Notting Hill and strolled past the colorful houses and saw the filming location of the travel bookshop in the Notting Hill movie, which happens to be one of my favorite movies.

Blue door in the Notting Hill movie

We also made sure to visit Abbey Road to impersonate the Beatles.

The Beatles (yes that's them)

How did we visit all these locations across London might you ask? Our second home became the tube. Throughout our day I believe we used the tube at least five different times. There are a great amount of lines that travel all throughout the city, and as London is huge, it was extremely helpful in allowing us to see as much as possible. This is very different compared to the Rome metro as it only has 3 lines. I have heard many Roman locals tell me that their public transportation isn’t good, especially compared to London’s. However, to the eyes of an American who has lived in the suburbs her entire life, I thought Rome’s public transit was pretty good. 

Trying the famous chocolate strawberries at the Borough Market

Overall, it was another great and eventful week exploring different cultures and cities.

See you next week, arrivederci!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Ciao ragazzi! Another week in Rome means another week seeing more historical sites, eating amazing things, and humbling myself every time I attempt to speak Italian.

Starting off the week strong, June 2nd was Festa della Republica (Republic Day) in Italy, which celebrates the establishment of the democratic republic. As it is a national holiday and many stores/businesses close for the day, class was also cancelled. For celebrations, in Rome there is a huge military parade down Via dei Fori Imperiali, which is the street that leads up to the Colosseum. One of the main visual attractions is a jet flyover that leaves a trace of smoke in the colors of the Italian flag in the sky. I am embarrassed to say that I did not see this and I believe I was woken up by the jets as they flew past. My friends and I heard that the parade/festivities were going on until 1:00 pm, so we were told it wasn’t really a necessity to go right in the morning. Therefore right after I was woken up, I set off towards the Colosseum, but on my way as I walked past a protruding line to enter the Pantheon, I was pleasantly reminded and surprised with the fact that a majority of the state-run sites and museums have free entry on Republic Day. With that, my plans for the day were made.

My first visit was to Castel Sant’Angelo, a mausoleum and fortress that initially finished construction in 139 AD, so it’s safe to say it’s pretty old. This monument is about a 5 minute walk from my apartment, and I’ve walked past it a countless amount of times, so I knew this was the perfect situation to finally visit it. As it was used as a papal residence at one point, there were highly decorated rooms and many ancient artifacts displayed throughout.

View of St. Peter's Basilica from the top of Castel Sant'Angelo

Room inside Castel Sant'Angelo

Statue at the very top of Castel Sant'Angelo

I then head over to the Pantheon, as I have not gone inside of it yet. The Pantheon is one of the best preserved ancient monuments as it is nearly 2000 years old and remains fully intact. The interior was beautiful and looking up at the massive dome is truly insane, so I highly recommend anyone to go visit it if possible.

The Pantheon dome

After successfully seeing these sights, the fact that it is our first time in Rome during this holiday became rather present. We did a decent bit of walking towards the Capitoline Museum near the Colosseum. Upon arrival, we saw that that Museum, since it is not state run, was not offering free entry that day. While we were there, there was a church right next to the museum that sat at the top of a fair amount of steps. As we reached the top of the steps, we were treated with a beautiful viewpoint of Rome. The church itself and the design throughout its interior were beautiful. Along the same line of commonly walking past ancient ruins and monuments, it is very common to walk into any random church you walk by and be absolutely stunned by the architecture and design inside. Therefore, I highly suggest if anyone visits Rome that they bring a covering or are dressed prepared to enter different Basilicas as you explore the city.

Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli (next to Capitoline museums)

Following this we set off to see the Borghese Gallery, which is an art gallery in the Villa Borghese Park. Unfortunately, after our decently long walk we found out that even though admission was free you needed to reserve tickets in advance. Therefore, we were not able to go inside. For any city you are traveling to, do a bit of extra research and see if you need to book any activities or experiences in advance if it is something you are set on seeing.

Although I don’t commonly comment on and review/recommend specific food spots, this one was too good to not mention. As we were headed towards the Borghese Gallery, my friend and I passed the Trevi Fountain and were tempted by a café we walked past. It was right by the fountain, and it was called Il Bistrot. My roommate was eyeing the fresh stuffed cannoli as neither of us had a cannoli during our time in Rome yet, and I was eyeing the gelato after walking miles in the heat. Somehow, we decided to walk out empty-handed and said if we really want something later we will probably find another place. However, after we were more than a mile away at the Borghese Gallery and were looking for potential places to get a cannoli or gelato, our minds kept going back to the shop we walked into. Therefore, we decided to venture all the way back, and I can with full confidence say that it was absolutely worth it. I got a chocolate and salted caramel gelato while my roommate got the fresh cannoli, and I believe I can go as far to say it was probably my favorite gelato I’ve had so far, and the bite I took of the cannoli was probably the best I’ve had.

Il Bistrot gelato & cannoli

Included in the program, we have some planned excursions and activities, and one I was particularly looking forward to was a pasta making class. As we started mixing water into our bowl of flour I was patiently waiting for more ingredients, but to my surprise that was it. In the Southern parts of Italy, including Rome, people use semolina flour, and this specific flour doesn’t need egg or any additional ingredients, just water is enough. We finished ;;’with shaping our pasta and making a simple tomato sauce (which I surely took mental notes on). Overall, it was a really fun experience and I’m excited to try making it myself sometime.

Cooking Class Pasta

With the program being a study abroad program rather than a university, I am lucky to have my Fridays off. Therefore, my friends and I ventured north to Lake Bracciano. The town was small, very relaxed, and not touristy at all. It was full of residents enjoying their time at local trattorias and cafes. We did a nice hike along the mountains down to the lake. Throughout our hike we stumbled upon wild horses and donkeys, which very much added to the atmosphere of the town. After our hike, we went and got pizza for lunch.  At most restaurants in Italy, the pizza section of the menu is rather extensive as there is a lot of room for exploring and combining flavors. I tried to branch out a bit and tried a pizza with apple, mozzarella, walnuts, and honey, and honestly it was probably one of my favorite pizzas I’ve had here.

Lake Bracciano

Castello di Bracciano

Pizza Lunch

Wild horses!

As mentioned earlier, our program includes a couple excursions, and we had our first one this weekend as we headed to Florence for the day. We started our day off with a guided tour of the city, which left me marveling at the history of the city, its building, and the infrastructure. The buildings and houses date back to the middle ages and Renaissance period, which was visible through the tall towers and old brick. Many different features of the city can be dated back to these periods. The tall houses/towers were a defense tactic to stay unreachable, there were remnants of mini bridges that existed high up buildings so people could move from one house to another, and famously there were wine windows dating back to the 15th century. Florence is much smaller than Rome, and it was very easy to travel throughout the city to different destinations. We were told that most locals live outside of the city center as it is majority full of tourists. This is much different to Rome as Rome is so big that the tourist spots are just bled into and overlap with local life and residences.

Bell Tower, the Duomo, and a Baptistry

Renaissance Architecture

Wine Window

Following our tour, we climbed Giotto’s Bell Tower, which was 414 steps! The staircase was very narrow, so it was rather tight and difficult when people were coming down at the same time we were going up. However, the view of the city we were rewarded with at the end was extremely worth it.

Bell Tower

View from the top of the bell tower featuring the Duomo

Right next door, I headed inside the Duomo. The interior was initially less extravagant than those I have seen in Rome, but I was quickly corrected as I looked up and saw the painting on the Dome. The detail and precision on an object of that stature is worth seeing. In general, the architecture of Florence is a bit distinct from that of Rome. A lot of marble is used in Florence for the buildings themselves and the decorations compared to the Greek-inspired architecture of Rome.

Inside the Duomo

Affogato from Vivoli

Sunset View from Arno River

The next day, my group and I decided to head to a very cute and unique town called Lucca. It is most notably known for still having and being enclosed by Renaissance walls which cover a circular perimeter of the city. As it is characterized by being surrounded by these walls, there is a circular road/walking path around the city that is lined with trees and benches. Entering the city was like stepping into a breath of fresh air. Everyone was outside on a run, walking, or chatting with their friends and family. People were spending their Sunday mornings relaxing outside and enjoying nature. I really enjoyed being in that ambience as walking into the city felt like walking into a community. People would stop during their run or walk as they ran into neighbors and friends, families were all outside together, coworkers were going on a run or biking. It’s this unnoticed routine of being able to take a couple hours out of your day to connect with others and simply enjoy the environment you are in that I truly appreciate and I think stands out from the culture in the U.S.   

Walking path surrounding the town

Renaissance walls!

City Center (circular)

Out of all the activities I saw that day, the most common was biking. Therefore, my group of four decided to rent a quad bike and ride it around the perimeter of the city. It was honestly one of the favorite things I’ve done on this trip as it was a totally new experience for me, and we were able to see the entire perimeter of the city and enjoy the weather.

Quad Bike ride

Once again, I was inspired to eat foods typical of the region I was in. As I was still in the Tuscany region I decided to try wild boar ragu bolognese, and it was probably one of the best bowls of pasta I have had, so I highly recommend being open and trying different foods specific to the certain region.

After spending our afternoon in Lucca, we took a train to Pisa, and I think it’s obvious what our plans were for that city. We immediately booked it for the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The initial moment I got there I was a bit confused because the tower wasn’t really leaning that much from the side we were looking at it. However, we moved over a bit to the side, and the famous lean that brings millions of tourists in was on full display. We posed and got our pictures in to wrap up our weekend trip.

Now for what we’re all waiting for, here’s a cappuccino update: On the same street as my apartment and on my way to class, there is a coffee bar that I noticed is always bustling with people standing at the counter and sitting outside enjoying their morning coffee, so I finally decided to give it a try. Needless to say, I think I found a winner. I got a cappuccino and croissant for a whopping total of 2.80 euros, which is the best total I’ve come across. Not only price, but it was the best cappuccino I’ve had so far. Considering the location, price, quality, and overall experience, I will most definitely be back.

Until next week, ciao!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering

Salve! After a very busy first week, I’ve tried to take this week to feel more settled in and experience living in Rome. I say this, but Rome is so historic that I still needed to keep my tourist cap on for a bit longer to see the bucket list sites I didn’t hit the week before. Having been in Rome for a week and not seeing the Colosseum yet, I knew that was my first order of business. Since the Colosseum is very close to the Rose Garden, and the flowers’ bloom is reaching the end of its season, my roommates and I decided to check it out. On our decently long walk over, we casually walked by multiple ancient ruins, temples, monuments, etc. It’s hard not to laugh after every random site we pass by, and this is an aspect of Rome I’m not sure I’ll ever get fully used to. The rose garden was a very beautiful, relaxing environment, and it was cool to see all the different countries the roses originated from. For the main event, we headed towards the Colosseum and walked past the Roman Forum. For my Art and Archaeology class during the second session, I will have the chance to go inside the Colosseum, so we didn’t get any tickets and simply looked from the outside. It is truly insane to see in person, and my mind can’t grasp the fact that a structure that impressive was built 2000 years ago and is still standing.

Seeing the Colosseum for the first time

Rose Garden

Ruins we stumbled upon on our way

On our way to the Colosseum, we stumbled upon the Campo d’e Fiori market. It was full of very tempting fresh fruits, produce, meats, cheeses, jewelry, fancy olive oils and pastas, and so much more. Outdoor markets or stand-alone outdoor vendors with items such as clothes or shoes are rather common here, however this specific market is one of the most known ones, so I’m glad we stumbled upon it by chance. One thing I have noticed is that Italians don’t mind shopping. As I walk down streets, I walk past multiple specialty shops without realizing, so there is a very wide selection. It isn’t necessarily its own ordeal such as saying to a friend, “Let’s go shopping” and taking out a chunk of a day for it. It’s more ingrained into a daily routine and blended in with the rest of their day. As people are walking home or to the market, they stop at the outdoor vendor with shoes or look through the racks of pants. I have also noticed they have a tendency to window shop. It’s common to see people stopped outside a certain store, eyeing an item, and discussing it with who they’re with.

Campo D'Fiori Market

I crossed another destination off my list and finally went to Vatican City and St. Peter’s Square. Prati is one of the closest neighborhoods to Vatican City, so this is for sure not the last time I will visit. I haven’t stepped into St. Peter’s Basilica yet, but going to the square itself was very cool. One thing I highly recommend for people going to cities such as Rome or just any historical destination is to pay attention to the details of the architecture. I am always impressed when I see the little features and embellishments and think of the historical context of all these sites. Going off of this, the architecture in St. Peter’s Square is most certainly something to take in, and I look forward to visiting either the Basilica or the Vatican Museum sometime soon.

St. Peter's Square in Vatican City

My class took a trip to the Acqueducts to see the original Acqueducts of Rome built 2000 years ago. They used these sloped structures to transport water to the city to be used for different purposes. A couple of the ones we saw are still in use, and the water transported from it goes into fountains. None of the acqueducts were used for drinking water. Once again, seeing structures still standing from thousands of years ago will always be mind blowing to me.

The Acqueducts

As I get more settled in, I have started cooking at my apartment a bit more, and I’m obviously feeling inspired to make some Italian food. With that, I have begun my journey to try making a successful tomato sauce. I bought gnocchi to go with it. In the grocery stores here, I have noticed that while they do sell the typical dry boxed pastas in the aisle, they also sell fresh pasta in the fridge, so I obviously went for this. By the color of my final plate, I wasn’t very successful with the sauce the first time around. It was still good, but the tomatoes didn’t fully sauce. The next time around I was a bit more successful. Still not restaurant ready, but I honestly think I might need to use a bit more tomatoes potentially, so stay tuned.

First attempt: There was a sauce, but not giving "tomato" red

Not that mad at my second attempt

Cappuccino update: Okay, I thought I was getting the hang of the stand, don’t sit rule if you don’t want to pay more, but now I’m confused. I went to a café and ordered a cappuccino and the lady asked me, “here or to go?” Taking coffee to go isn’t very common here given that getting coffee is a quick interaction, with most people opting for a shot of espresso, which is tiny and doesn’t take long to consume. From my past experiences, the question commonly asked is “do you want a table” compared to just having it standing at the bar. Therefore, I said no to the to go and said I’d have it there. For this shop in particular, I guess there isn’t a difference in standing/sitting prices. Therefore, if you pay to have it there, you also pay for table, so it was to my shock more expensive than the about 1.50 euro price I was expecting. I think the general rule still stands, but each place is obviously different.

For my first planned trip this summer, one of my roommates and I decided to head to Barcelona, Spain! Following six years of Spanish throughout middle school and high school, I was a bit more comfortable with the fact that I wouldn’t be completely clueless during interactions. However, my use of the wrong verb in my first interaction with someone at a restaurant quickly humbled me. We were there Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon so we had a good amount of time to see the main attractions and mindlessly explore the city.

The most notable site we saw was undoubtedly the Basilica Sagrada Familia. It is the tallest church in the world (which just recently happened!), so it most certainly stood out. I wouldn’t realize how big it was until we got to an elevated viewpoint of the city and would turn to see the Basilica sticking out the ground towering everything around it. Every other building faded into the background and all I could focus on was the Sagrada Familia. The fact that I could see the detailed designs from however far we were was truly insane. We unfortunately booked this trip pretty last minute, so we weren’t able to get tickets to go inside La Sagrada, so if you’re planning on visiting or for anywhere you’re going, be sure to plan a bit in advance so you can see all you want to!

Ariel view of the city featuring La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada closeup

If you visit any of the notable attractions in Barcelona, there’s a very likely chance that it was designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi; he most notably is the architect behind La Sagrada Familia. I wasn’t really familiar with him prior to this trip, but I most certainly am now. We made sure to visit his other works such as Casa Battlo, Casa Vicens, Casa Mila, and Park Guell.

Casa Batllo

Park Guell

Casa Vicens

Casa Mila

These aren’t Gaudi pieces, but we visited Park Ciutadella, the Gothic district, Cathedral of Barcelona, and the Arc de Triomf. It sounds like a lot for three days, and it was. I walked 90,000 steps over the span of three days. No, I’m not kidding. So it was obviously a very busy trip that left us rather exhausted, but I’m glad we made the most of our days.

Cathedral of Barcelona

Parc de Ciutadella

Arc de Triomf

After seeing all these attractions, we headed for a relaxing day at Barceloneta Beach. The couple beach days I’ve had so far in Europe have honestly been my favorite days. The water here is so clear, blue, and calm. There aren’t really waves, so it is very refreshing to go and float in the water. The ocean floor is also a bit rocky compared to the states. Overall, it was a very nice day to just relax by the water and under the sun.

Barceloneta Beach

Throughout my trip this summer, I’ve been wanting to try different things based off where I am. Therefore, it was time to get into tapas mode! After I fell in love with patas bravas in none other than the Markley Dining Hall, I knew I needed to try the real deal, and it did not disappoint at all. I also tried paella for the first time. We (shockingly) weren’t able to finish, but we tried our best. I also made sure to get churros from a Xurreria with chocolate on the side, and it was most definitely worth the trip. It was a successful food experience to say the least.

Patatas Bravas + Paella dinner

As they are two different cities in different countries, there were a decent amount of things that stood out in Barcelona compared to what I’ve become accustomed to in Rome. In general, the city seems to be a bit more modern and flexible than Rome. For example, I saw a lot of iced coffee and matcha in Barcelona, which needs to be scouted out in Rome. People weren’t really restricted in how they dressed, and there was a lot of variety. People wore athleisure and weren’t really tied down to a button down blouse or business casual look which is what Romans are more accustomed to. Even in the summer heat, they still wear a long blouse and pants, but smartly opt for thinner garments. The vibe in Barcelona just seemed younger to what I’ve felt in Rome. However, this could easily be based on what part of Barcelona I was staying in and the fact that I am in a nicer, older neighborhood in Rome. There also seemed to be a bit more of people trying to take advantage of tourists, so just keep an eye out. I was also surprised to see how many cafes there were. Obviously it is still Europe, but I thought Italy was a bit more distinct in its abundance of cafes. However I honestly might’ve seen more there than I have here.

The streets of Barcelona

I really enjoyed getting to experience another country and culture which is something I really appreciate in Europe. For a less than two hour flight, I was able to step into another city with its own store, background, and history.

Back to pasta! Arrivederci!

Rassa Abedinpour

Biomedical Engineering