When I applied to be the Administrative Intern for JSB Spring 2020, all I really knew was that I would get to come back to Ariccia, a place I love with all my heart, a place that changed me as a student of the JSB Spring 2018 class. There was no way I could have prepared for what a life-changing, unique, crazy experience this would be. I could tell you all about the day trips in to Rome and how we got to experience not only the tourist side of the city, but also the off-the-beaten-path side as well. I could tell you about our overnight trip to the region of Umbria and how we got an inside look at the craftsmanship of the people of Italy and once again got to explore a historically rich area of Italy. I could tell you about the different professors and Italian men and women who came to our classroom, invested in our lives and education, and taught us things that we will remember for the rest of our lives. I could tell you about how hard Lacey works to make this the best possible experience for the students. I could tell you about how Cinzia is dedicated to her job and cares for her people so well. I could tell you about how sweet it is to hear Roberta say “Ciao bella” every morning while working hard to make sure our schedule is perfect. I could tell you about how amazing Maurizio and Franceso are and about how much they love this program, Ariccia, and us. I could tell you about how we were sent home six weeks early because of the Coronavirus and how heartbreaking that was for me, not only because I knew what we were all missing out on, but mainly because the girls did not get to complete their study abroad experience they had waited years to experience. I could also tell you about how resilient they have been in completing their study abroad education online from America. I could talk about it all for hours.

But what I want to tell you about most is the sweet memories I made with these 21 girls in the short six weeks we had together. In some ways, it felt like many months that we lived together in the Palace. But mostly, it felt like it went by way too quickly. Valentine’s Day dinner in town, sunsets on the overlook, weekend trips to new places, cooking dinner together, making tik-toks, watching the Bachelor on the projector, sitting in each other’s “nests” to talk and laugh and cry, talking about the hard stuff and sharing in the really good stuff, getting food poisoning, feeling home sickness, having anxiety attacks, laughing until we cry, squealing about a cute Italian boy who wants to take you out for gelato, getting stuck in a different country multiple times, falling in love with Italy. The list truly keeps going, but this is just a taste of the things we got to experience together. If something happened to one person, the group as a whole felt it because there is something so special about sharing this kind of experience and living in close quarters with a group of 21 girls. And these specific girls are the most caring, fiery, supportive, compassionate, strong, welcoming, and fun girls I have ever met.

We will forever be remembered as the JSB group that was sent back to America 6 weeks early due to COVID-19, and we will forever remember that short time we had together in Ariccia as a time our lives really were changed for good.

With love to Italy, Ariccia, JSB, and my Chigi babies,

Emmie Whorton

When I signed up for this trip at Camp War Eagle, almost two years ago I had no idea what I should expect. Throughout these first six weeks here at JSB I guess you can say things have not exactly gone as we could have expected. From our cancelled flights in London and Paris, to having to take over night trains just to make it back to class, and now the rapid spread of the Coronavirus in Italy, we have had to face many challenges. 

JSB Spring 2020, the group that will forever be remembered for being here during the spread of the coronavirus. As I sit here, I wonder things like: What will happen if we leave Italy? Will we be allowed back in? Is our program going to get cancelled as a whole? What if we somehow end up in quarantine? Unfortunately, these are the kinds of risks you take when you sign up for any trip abroad. 

Although we have faced much adversity in our time here, I have learned and grown so much as a person. We have also grown together as a whole group. These will be the kind of stories we will remember for the rest of our lives. These are the kinds of situations that bond people, and I know that I will be leaving this program with twenty friends for life. 

So although things may not have gone the way we have planned, you live and you learn. We have adapted plans and taken everything with the best attitude possible. Now all we can do is hope for better luck in the upcoming six weeks. 

War Eagle!

Haley Chambers

This past week was spring break, which also means I am now halfway through the semester! It has been an incredible experience in every way, and I am sad to see the time passing by so fast. I cannot believe six weeks have already gone by.

I have learned to soak up every moment because in the blink of an eye. I know I will be heading home soon, reminiscing about the best three months of my life. I have taken nothing for granted as we travel throughout Italy on field-trips, seeing sights I never imaged I would ever see in person growing up like the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Trevi Fountain, and more.

On my own I have also traveled every weekend to new places including London, Milan, Sicily, Malta, and Paris, and cannot wait to continue seeing the world in the upcoming weeks, as well. Better yet, I am able to take on these new experiences and places with new friends that I feel like I have known for years. I have learned so much about many new cultures through my travels here, and I feel this is a great takeaway and something I will always be conscious of in the future.

So far, some of my favorite places in Italy are the small towns I most likely never would have visited or known about without the Joseph S. Bruno Program. I have fallen in love with the town we live in called Ariccia, as well as the surrounding towns, Albano and Nemi. These towns meet every expectation of the ‘Italian lifestyle’ I have envisioned before I came. Everything is so authentic here from the lifestyle to the food, and that is what makes me love it here so much.

Albano has the train station, a lot of shopping, and many restaurants we visit for aperitivo (an early appetizer-style meal before dinner). My favorite place of all though is another nearby town, Nemi. Though it is very small and quaint, it is known for its tiny strawberries, and a view of Lake Nemi that is breathtaking. I love overlooking the lake while enjoying a delicious strawberry pastry and cappuccino. It is in the small moments sometimes that I feel like I am living a dream.

Ciao bella (goodbye, beautiful),

Bethany Hadley

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