I have been in Rome for almost two weeks now and I can say with out any doubt that studying abroad was the best decision of my life. I never imagined how inspiring it would be to travel thousands of miles from home and live in another country for a semester. I am not even two percent of the way finished with my adventure in Rome and I can already feel it changing me into the person I want to become. I know for a fact that I made the right decision to not only study abroad but to come to Rome, the most breathtaking city in the world.

I was nervous at first coming into a new apartment with not one or two, but seven new roommates whom I have never met before. Of course the worst cases flooded my mind. I was relieved to learn that all seven of my roommates were cool guys. We all get along great and help each other out. After, we all are in a new environment and out of our comfort zones.

The first day in Rome I took advantage of having no class and visited the Collosseum with a few roommates. After getting lost for about an hour in Rome we finally made it to the former Flavian Amphitheatre and were blown away by its massiveness and beauty. Its shadow swallowed us as we took in the scene. Unfortunately, though, getting lost had caused us to get there too late to be able to venture inside. We had to settle for seeing the massive structure from the outside and getting gelato. It was quite an adventure for one day so we decided to head back. One day officially in the books in Rome and it already stole my heart. I never want to leave.

Christian – University of South Carolina