My First week in Ariccia was wonderful, but a blur. It took several days of the initial shock to settle in that I had moved thousands of miles away from my home and family, but in every corner of this town, I was welcomed with open arms. As our bus pulled up to the Palace, a few local vendors stood outside of their shop and waved to us, welcoming us to Ariccia. I knew immediately that I would enjoy my time here.

My knowledge of the Italian language was close to none, apart from a few words and phrases I learned from an app. There are not a lot of English speakers in Ariccia, which accompanied with my insufficient knowledge, made even ordering a coffee a daunting task. The café and restaurant owners surprised me with their abundant patience and kindness with us as we attempted to place our orders. When I would get stuck on a word or didn’t know the term for a pastry, they would help correct me and teach me the correct way to say the word which I have greatly appreciated.

It was also encouraging to find that many of the people I have met so far are just as interested in my life as I am to learn about theirs. In these short two weeks, I have already gained a lifetime of experience with the opportunity to get to know the people of this town better. My homesickness is eased with every conversation and encouraging word, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of this semester holds.

Caio!

Caroline Ward

“Anticos”

Our daily breakfast from one of the places that we feel the most at home.