This past week was one that I wasn’t expecting, and I doubt one that my fellow classmates were either. Day 1 and 2 of the week were booked solid with our first real class days. Then, Wednesday came around. We gathered in the common room at 7 AM sharp, with our Roma passes in hand. All of us were thrilled to be spending the day in one of the most historic cities in the world. Little did we know we would walk almost 10 miles that day!
Once we arrived in Rome, we began our day at the Coliseum. The majority of us had never been there before. Immediately, we were filled with amazement at the size and splendor of it. It is HUGE! The thought of men building this gigantic arena with the equipment of their time is surreal. It is almost as big as Jordan Hare Stadium!

As we left the Coliseum, we moved on to see the only three triumphal arches left in Rome, Caesar’s burial site, and the Wedding Cake (obviously my favorite because it represents cake) to name a few of our stops along the way. Our day was JAM-packed with history, laughter, lots of pictures, and good food.
By the time Thursday rolled around, we were exhausted. But we knew there were more places to see and more history to be learned. We pulled through and began our 7-ish mile journey through the rest of Roma! We did a lot that day, but mainly toured through the Vatican (with what seemed like the rest of the world), and it was breathtakingly beautiful.
After our field trips to Rome ended, I realized something. Even though we were all hot, sweaty, and exhausted, we still had a great time, and there was no where else I would rather have been. Traveling through the city together brought laughter and memories that I will never forget. I can see the kind of relationships forming between all of us that will be lifelong, and because of that, I am thrilled to see what the rest of the semester brings. Ciao!
Jena