When you are studying in a place as beautiful as Rome, it is easy to expect continuous fun and glamour. When I first arrived, I wanted to bounce all around the city (and country), eat all the foods and go to all the places that I saved on Tik Tok. Those things were great, and I still have more exploring of Italy to do, but that is not where I found the most fulfilment during my time abroad.
Over the past three months of my being here, I have found the most fulfillment in the most mundane things. As I prepare to leave soon, I feel like I am beginning to fully understand the meaning of “la dolce vita.” It was not eating gelato at the Trevi fountain, or taking photos at the Pantheon that helped me reach this understanding; it was bonding with Rome more intimately. During my first week, jetlag took hold of me and roused me awake at 5 am. I decided on a whim to run from my apartment to the Colosseum. I ran through my neighborhood and got to the Colosseum so early that I was the only one there. I got to see the sunrise over this beautiful structure. The city was still, and I felt some much-needed peace after my tumultuous journey from the US. This is a snapshot of “la dolce vita.”
The sweet life for me is going to the deli and being greeted with the smile, even though you butchered the Italian pronunciation for every word that you used. It is in having your hands prune as you wash Legos for migrant children, and it is in taking a walk with no destination in mind. Living the sweet life is about slowing down and experiencing everyday things that your host country has to offer. And in doing these things, I began to think about the mark I would leave on Rome and not just the other way around. My work at Joel Nafuma Refugee Center allowed me to give back to the community in Rome. I spent the entire day sifting through blocks, but the thought of supplying children with clean toys filled me with joy that no gelato could compete with.
So, it is important to traverse your host country’s landmarks because they reflect a history that spans centuries. But it is equally important to immerse yourself in the new communities that are being built around ancient cities like Rome. If you want to learn more about ways to immerse yourself in culture abroad, feel free to read my blog on cultural immersion. And if my experience abroad has made you excited to explore too, head over to Temple’s education abroad website .