It is crazy to think that we have been in Ariccia for a little over two weeks and still have just less than ten weeks left. So far, we have explored the “Castelli Romani” (Roman Castles in the Alban Hills) and the famous and beloved city of Rome. In this short time, we have learned an immense amount about the Italian culture and way of life that I would not be able to experience through a traditional classroom setting or textbook.
Learning and exploring Italy is great, but another amazing thing about Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy is that they allow time for weekend travel. The good thing about this is that in addition to being in Italy for the summer, we are able to travel around Europe and discover even more cultures and different ways of life. This weekend was the first weekend we have had time for weekend travel and a group of us decided to go to Germany.
First, we went to Fussen, Germany. We took a taxi to the Rome Fuimicino airport, then took a plane, caught a metro to the train station, and finally took a beautiful and scenic train ride into the town of Fussen. Fussen looks like a fairytale town and has a lot of charm. The first day, we visited a castle up in the mountains and had a traditional German meal for dinner. The second day, we went back to Munich to discover the major attractions there, including a trip to Dachau, the first concentration camp.
All in all, the weekend travel was a good experience because it taught us a lot about planning personal travel and navigating other countries on our own. Visiting other cities is both refreshing and exciting because it is such a change of pace from our little town of Ariccia. It allows us to compare and contrast the Italian charm and beauty of Ariccia with the charm and beauty of other places in Europe and truly appreciate the aspects of each place. I enjoyed being able to take advantage of every moment and every opportunity while abroad.
I can’t wait for more adventures to come!
Hana Thannickal

In front of the Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Germany right before our tour of the inside