Before coming to Ariccia and beginning our journey on the JSB program, I couldn’t wait to plan a dozen weekend trips to all sorts of countries that I dreamed of visiting. Countries like Germany, Spain, France, Greece, and the United Kingdom were on my must-see list. I did not realize at the time how beneficial (and just as fun) it would be to spend one of our free weekends in our new hometown: Ariccia. 

The first week here felt like a whirlwind. Our schedule was jampacked with fieldtrips and lectures, all while attempting to adjust to the culture and learn my way around. While a few other girls planned trips to other countries for the next weekend, a couple friends and I decided, why not just take a second and stay in Ariccia? 

There was a little bit of stress at the beginning of this semester abroad to take advantage of every weekend and see all of the places on my bucket list. I recommend putting Ariccia and Albano (the town right next to Ariccia) on your bucket list. After a weekend exploring my new home, I quickly realized how beautiful it was and how many fun things there are to do here. I discovered amazing shopping, a cute little bar with the best apple pie-flavored Moscow mule I have ever tasted, and some of the best “apertivos” (heavy bar snacks and light cocktails) I have had so far. 

My little weekend at home made me feel much more comfortable with the area, and I feel like I actually am at home. If I had to recommend one thing, it would be to take the time to appreciate the area you are in. There is so much to be discovered!

Gabrielle Berman

I may be one of very few people that have taken Latin classes throughout school. So, as soon as I learned that we would have the opportunity to visit Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius, I was beyond excited.

All 22 of us girls started out for Pompeii very early and eager to hike up its most famous mountain-Vesuvius. Although there were a few bumps in the road (like our bus breaking down for two hours), we arrived in Pompeii with the most beautiful weather anyone could ask for.

We were finally able to see what the others and I have read about in textbooks and heard from teachers for so long. Standing and looking at a city that was created 2000 years before our time and being able to get a feel for their daily lives was remarkable.

The next stop on our journey was Mt. Vesuvius. As we inched up the windy roads to where we would begin our hike, there was snow piled up along the road. Many of us began to rethink our 5:30 a.m. wardrobe selection of leggings and a light jacket once we stepped off the bus into the wind tunnel.
Reading a textbook could have never prepared me for how beautiful and remarkable this volcano was. The hike up was comical at the beginning when half of the girls took off in a run up the mountain into the brown sandy mud. This tempo did not last for more than 50 feet. This hike pushed me harder than I have been pushed in a while, but the view from the top was worth a thousand words.

Experiencing the life of ancient Roman and seeing so much history has by far been one of the best experiences on this trip.

Avery Thomas