When you step off of the plane into a new country, you’ll feel like a new person. The world is your oyster, so naturally, you’ll want to try things that you may have never done at home. Do things that take you out of your comfort zone, do things that you’re bad at because this is where the most fun lies when you’re abroad. But before I’m an adventurer, I’m a girl on a budget, so here are some of my favorite experiences in Rome that were free!
1.Galleries Galore
Rome has one of the best gallery collections in the world. I was lucky enough to have experienced a handful of them during my time in Italy. They are normally free of charge and a cool way to meet new people as well as get familiarized with contemporary art being produced by Romans and people abroad. One day as we were gallery hopping, me and Katana stumbled across an unfinished gallery. We met the artists as they set up their pieces and the gallery curator invited us to the opening the next night.
For Katana, who is an art major, they got to network with established artists. For me, I got out of my comfort zone as a non-art major. I mentioned in past posts that I focus on migration policy, not only did I meet ambassadors, but I also got to talk about migration in the context of art. The people I met and the connections I have made just by exploring galleries is something I hold dear to me. As a non-art major, being in these spaces was a bit daunting for me, but they gave me a new appreciation for art and what goes on behind the scenes. Gallery hopping is an affordable way to explore the art scene of whatever city you are in.
2.Temple Knows a thing or two
Temple organized many events for us to experience Italian cuisine and culture. Many of the things that they offered us would have cost at least $50 elsewhere, but we got it for free. I have had a fantasy of going to culinary school and always wanted to do a cooking class and felt like Rome was the perfect place to live out that dream. Temple offered a cooking class free of charge where we could make our own pasta and tiramisu from scratch. We were directed by a trained chef and were able to learn about Italian eating culture firsthand. This allowed the students to bond with each other and unwind from our hectic schedules; and I got to flex my whisking skills a bit.
2.Temple Knows a thing or two
Temple organized many events for us to experience Italian cuisine and culture. Many of the things that they offered us would have cost at least $50 elsewhere, but we got it for free. I have had a fantasy of going to culinary school and always wanted to do a cooking class and felt like Rome was the perfect place to live out that dream. Temple offered a cooking class free of charge where we could make our own pasta and tiramisu from scratch. We were directed by a trained chef and were able to learn about Italian eating culture firsthand. This allowed the students to bond with each other and unwind from our hectic schedules; and I got to flex my whisking skills a bit.
3.Let your friends teach you something
As I mentioned, I am not an artist. I cannot draw to save my life, but my friends can. So, something I found myself doing was trying to paint with the big dogs. I learned how to stretch a canvas, how to set it with rabbit skin glue etc. These are things that my artist friends must do all the time, but I was naive to all the work that goes into painting before the paint can even touch the canvas. I would sit in the art studio for hours attempting to create anything presentable. I always failed, but these painting sessions allowed me to bond with my friends and also appreciate the expertise that goes into their art. Still, no matter how many Bob Ross tutorials I followed, everything came out bad. Meanwhile, this is what Katana does in 30 minutes.
Overall, I understand the desire to explore your host city, but I also know how expensive that can be. I hope that these activities inspire you to venture into your host city and find free options for you. And if it’s not free, pull out that student ID because it more than likely can be discounted for you! Check out how some of my peers are spending their time abroad.