A view of the Colosseum in Rome, Photo by Natarsha Yan/TheChoateNews
The Colosseum stands, a towering monument boasting ancient grandeur and architectural eminence. The air is thick with fervor and the tang of rusted blood, a remnant of a time long past — a time of heroes and conquests and flourishing arts. The crumbling stone walls whisper of the long, winding history of one of the greatest empires of human civilization: Rome.
As a Latin student with a longstanding passion for history and the Classics, I was overjoyed to be offered the opportunity to do a term abroad in Rome this fall. Here in Rome, studying along with me this term, are fellow sophomores Sasha Pavlik ’21 and Aissatou Diallo ’21. Studying classical history and art at the very heart of where it all originated seemed to be a dream come true for all of us. And indeed, upon arrival, we discovered that our school was situated quite literally at the center of the city, surrounded by the Colosseum and the lofty Circus Maximus.
“I am in love,” Pavlik declared, just two short days into school. “The city is beautiful. The food is delicious. And the classes are amazing too. My favorite subject here is definitely Latin. Being able to see pretty much the entire city of Rome and all its historical wonders right outside the window of the Classics Tower while learning its ancient language is an experience like no other.”
Diallo is also greatly enjoying living and studying in Rome. She gushed about one of her favorite experiences so far in the city — a night-time visit to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. “I’ve seen photos of the artwork in the Museum, but seeing it in person is a whole other story. The Sistine Chapel Ceiling mural by Michelangelo is an absolute masterpiece. Now that I’ve seen it for myself, I’m even more excited to learn about it in my art history class!”
However, this first week has not just been all fun and excitement. Moving to a new city and acclimating to its culture, people, and lifestyle has definitely proved challenging at times. “The people here are all so sweet and welcoming, but not being able to speak their language is definitely a bit of a struggle. It’s also quite strange to find that nearly all the stores here close before five o’clock, and restaurants don’t open for dinner until at least past seven. The working hours here have definitely made doing certain things a lot less convenient,” Pavlik shared about some of the difficulties she’s encountered since arriving in the city.
We are all eager to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of studying in Rome, regarded by many as the cradle of Western Civilization. As Diallo said, “It’s not everyday we’re going to be living our studies. I plan on seeing and doing everything this city has to offer!”
