With two weeks in the program already done and only 10 left, this semester is already flying by! I’m past the first week, which was filled with orientation, jet lag, and adjusting to this new life in beautiful Ariccia, and now things are finally starting to feel real.

Slowly but surely, I’m beginning to settle into a bit of a routine during the week, from attending classes, to cooking for myself, to watching movies with my classmates in the common room after dinner.

As I become more and more at home in the palace and in our little town, I am also starting to realize that the rest of the program is going to go by in the blink of an eye. With that realization comes the pressure to check every dream travel destination off my bucket list as soon as possible.

But, despite that pressure, I am so glad that I chose to spend my first two weekends in Rome. It’s incredible to me that I’m only a train ride away from one of the most beautiful cities in the world, filled with so much life and culture, and so much to see and do. While I am so excited to travel all over the world, it is really important to me that I don’t forget about what is so close by! From the ancient architecture, to the fantastic food, to the places I wouldn’t have been able to see if I hadn’t got a little lost, I would definitely recommend spending as much time as possible in this gorgeous city.

Ciao!

Katie Pope