This past weekend we visited Positano, which essentially is a small town carved into the side of a cliff off of the Amalfi Coast. Of all the places I have been, Positano is the most captivating and breathtaking. The moment when I first saw the views from the winding streets above the water struck me as nothing else has before. I was instantly in love with Positano and everything it had to offer.
As a group, we were fortunate enough to stay together in a beachfront villa that was quaintly positioned between two restaurants. We had our own private beach with views of the cliffside. The greatest part about Positano was waking up with everyone enthusiastically throwing on swimsuits and sunscreen and heading out to relax for the entire day. We started each day with a cappuccino and a croissant and ended it with a nice glass of wine.

On Saturday we took two private boats on tours of the coast and oh my goodness; it will change your life. From jumping out of the boat into the crisp, salty water, to snorkeling in caves, and eating gelato in Amalfi, it was the time of my life. The weekend in Positano was a time to bond and get to know everyone else better, and it has enriched this next week already.
The Positano field trip was not included in the program cost, but if offered the opportunity to go, take it because it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The trip was set up for me, which made planning very easy, but we made sure to book the boat trip well in advance of going.
The photo I have chosen is of Reilly and me standing on the beach with Positano in the background. To me, this represents the essence of Positano because the photo is almost unreal and Positano feels just like a dream. I tried to take advantage of every moment I had in Positano because I never wanted to leave. It is the most amazing place in the world.
Julia Roddam

This is a picture of my first time in Rome on the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy Program. I learned a lot on this field trip . I indulged in many delicious foods, which was fair since life if about balance and I walked 12 miles that day.
Rome’s vast size requires to have somewhat of a plan before coming it is imporant  in order to avoid blood stained socks from blisters. However, I chose to wander aimlessly in Rome with my friends and the blisters and dirty socks were worth it. Every street is a new and exciting surprise, lined with shops on uneven cobblestoned with hurried locals shopping and yelling greetings through open doorways. It is truly a beautiful energetic city.
I chose this picture of myself on a random moped because it is a great representation of this program and why I came. I came to Italy to experience many random places and travel in new, fun ways. Also, the stickers on the moped had locations all over it and I hope to visit many places. So far, I have been to Budapest, Hungary and Positano, Italy, and both were amazing.
Another significant symbol is the Gelato cone. It has truly become a part of my everyday life, and I know already I will miss it dearly when I go back to Georgia in November. So, for now while I am abroad, on my many future trips to Rome, I will continue to be on the on the hunt to discover all the pizza and gelato I can handle.
-Anna Caitlyn Camp

Buonasera (good afternoon) from Ariccia!
Boy do I love this little town so far. After spending a few blurry days catching up on sleep, I think I am finally adjusting to the Italian time zone. Ariccia is the quaintest little town, with hilly cobblestone streets, ivy covered balconies, and quiet farms off in the distance.

Our very first night, Maurizio, one of our instructors, showed us the many layers of the city. Partially built to confuse plunder-seeking pirates, and partially built as the Roman Empire grew, Ariccia is laid out in a series of winding streets and piazzas (open alleyways). Our first day in Rome we toured the ruins of the Roman Forum and learned that there are 7 different street levels that date back to ancient Roman times. Similarly, in Ariccia, the lower we walked, the older the streets and the homes became. It’s mind blowing to think that we are living in a Palace that is older than our country.
So far we have spent three days in Rome, and while it is rich with history and architecture, it is also full of tourists and solicitors. Getting off the train when coming home to Ariccia incurs a little sigh of relief. Not to say that Rome isn’t an incredible city, but Rome is to New York City as Ariccia is to Auburn. Ariccia evokes a sense of serenity that the New York City of Italy just doesn’t have.
One of my favorite things that we did yesterday was visit an elementary school and help a fourth grade class with their English. The children were adorable, and we taught them all about Auburn, D.C., and even taught them to sing and write God Bless America! I loved how excited they were to learn about our country.
I couldn’t write this blog without mentioning how blessed I am with the people that have become my fast friends – there is an incredible group here, eager to learn and excited for adventures. I can’t decide whether I’ve been here a week or a month, but I’m thrilled that this journey of learning, excitement, and adventure has only begun!
-Sarah Hill

If you are ever looking for an amazing place to visit if you want to visit Europe, it is definitely the Swiss Alps. You heard it first from Natalie Sapienza. Everyone says to visit Italy, but Interlaken, Switzerland is a hidden gem. This past weekend I traveled to Interlaken and I have never been so in love with a country from the minute i stepped off the airplane. To start, off the Geneva airport is gorgeous and has anything I could ever imagine. No one even needs to have a mall nearby, because the airport has everything and more. I traveled with a great group of girls and was really excited that I got to go with them. We started our trip off with a two and half hour train ride to Interlaken and the hole country of Switzerland was picturesque, I was blown away by the beauty of this country. Once I arrived everyone in the group was obsessed with this small, adventurous town. Everyone spoke perfect English and then could turn around and speak French and German, not to mention, everyone was incredible nice. We had our first excursion Friday night and it was night sledding! It is probably the most surreal thing I have ever done in my life. I was flying down a mountain in the Swiss Alps in the dark while it snowing. All I have to light my way down the three-mile track was the night sky, which is perfect! The sky was so clear and I have never seen so many constellations in my life. I will never forget sledding down that mountain, leaning back and just staring up at the gorgeous sky. It was an amazing trip and I will never forget it and hope to go back to visit a beautiful country.

As we are approaching the end of this semester my utter lack of excitement to go home is growing stronger. Don’t get me wrong! I miss my family and friends back in the States, but I have fallen in love with the cute little town of Ariccia, the friends I have made, and Italy in general. It seems as if I just arrived in Ariccia, and then blinked and now we only have two weeks left.
Didn’t take me long to fall in love, and call Ariccia home; from the beautiful sunsets over Lake Albano, the baroque architecture, to the wonderful towns people that truly give this town it’s charming nature. It’s always nice knowing I can get up, and walk across the street to Rita’s to have a delicious cappuccino, or walk down the Corso to see my favorite mustache man and order a panino. Boy, am I going to miss those! Also, after long weekends of travel I am always washed over with a feeling of relief, comfort, and a sense of home the moment I walk through the Palace door. Everything about this quaint little town has pulled on my heart strings, and has made it that much harder for me to leave this place.
When I was arriving in Ariccia I may have been a little nervous, but I was more excited than anything. This experience forced me out of my comfort zone. I was walking into this semester not knowing a single person, but after the first night in Ariccia all my nerves washed away. For the past two and half months I have been living with eighteen ladies all with uniquely, beautiful personalities. As I got to know each one of them a little more I knew this was going to be an amazing and unforgettable experience. I can confidently say that I have made life long best friends that I wouldn’t have gained if it wasn’t for this trip. Not only have they become great friends, but they have become my Chigi family. They have helped make Palazzo Chigi, and Ariccia feel like home.
This opportunity and the amazing people I have gotten to know have enriched my life in so many ways. The town of Ariccia will forever have a piece of my heart, and it will always be my second home. This has been the best experience of my life.

~Bryce Bolivar

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Our group was very lucky to attend the light show at Caesar’s Forum in Rome. This is the first time the program had taken a group to an event like this. The light show at Augustus’s Forum was such a unique experience according to Linda Ruth that she thought that we would really enjoy seeing it at this new advertised venue. We stayed in Rome until dark to take a tour of Caesar’s Forum with a headset audio that gave us information on the functions the ruins used to serve as well as stories from the past. While we were walking through the site the lights illuminated the ruins and gave us a picture of what used to be there. This is was much more informative than solely using a tour guide because it painted a picture so we were not just listening but also visualizing the story as it was being told. It was so exciting to be able to walk through and picture what life was really like in Caesar’s Forum and the history behind it. This tour truly brings Ancient Rome to life and allows visitors to experience something totally different than a traditional tour. I thought the ruins were beautiful in the day time but seeing them lit up made the experience unbelievable. They were so beautiful, and offered the coolest experience to feel like I was living back in Ancient Rome walking around the Forum. It was like getting to live through a history movie. I would highly suggest keeping this opportunity in the program because it was one of my favorite things that we did in Rome.
By: Hannah Warriner