A natural instinct kicks in when you enter a space that is not your own. If you are a guest in a friend’s home, you offer to help with the dishes. You set the table, clean up after yourself, and try to leave the space a little better than you found it. These gestures are small, almost automatic, but they communicate important: gratitude, respect, and an understanding that you are being welcomed into someone else’s world.
Studying abroad feels the same, except on a much larger scale. When you live in a foreign country, you are no longer merely visiting a home for an evening. You are a guest in an entire culture, one that is opening its doors to you daily. That realization makes giving back while abroad feel not only meaningful, but necessary. Volunteering at the Mensa “Giovanni Paolo II” soup kitchen in Rome became my way of honoring the generosity of the city and the people who have welcomed me into it.
Rome has so much to offer with history on every street corner: a language I am learning to navigate, meals shared with friends, and moments of quiet awe in places I had only seen in textbooks. Volunteering felt like an extension of basic manners, an instinctive response to being hosted so generously. If you benefit from a place, you should also contribute to it.
One of the most powerful parts of volunteering at the soup kitchen was the level of immersion it offered. It is easy to stay within a bubble of students, tourists, and curated experiences while abroad, however, a city is made up of far more than its landmarks. True cultural immersion means meeting people from every part of the community, including those who are often overlooked or pushed to the margins. The soup kitchen introduced me to individuals whose lives were shaped by food insecurity, economic hardship, and displacement – realities that exist everywhere, but look different in every country.
This experience also challenged many of my assumptions. American soup kitchens, while vital and deeply important, can often feel like tense or unsafe environments.
In the U.S., it is common to see multiple security guards, physical barriers separating staff from guests, and an undercurrent of fear that someone might behave unpredictably. These measures exist for real reasons, but they create a sense of division between those serving and those being served.
The soup kitchen in Rome felt entirely different. The atmosphere was calm and peaceful, and strangers sat together at tables, sharing meals and conversation. There were no visible barriers, no overwhelming security presence, just people enjoying their food together. The food itself was thoughtful and nourishing, with healthy options that felt prepared with care rather than obligation. It did not feel transactional; it felt communal.
What struck me most was the respect that flowed in every direction. Guests treated staff with kindness and curiosity, while staff met each person with dignity. Many of the people I spoke with had incredible stories about their journeys, families, work, and lives in Rome. I was able to practice my growing Italian skills, and help others practice speaking English. These conversations serve as important reminders that food scarcity does not define a person; it is just one part of a larger human story.
Working at the soup kitchen reshaped my understanding of what giving back abroad can look like. It is not about “saving” a community or positioning yourself as an outsider doing good. It is about participation. Volunteering with a genuine heart means showing up with humility, listening more than speaking, and recognizing your place within a shared human experience.
Leaving Rome, I carry this experience with me as a reminder of what it means to be a good guest. Whether in a friend’s kitchen or a foreign city, the principle is the same: active gratitude requires active participation. Giving back is not tedious or labor intensive: it is part of belonging. I learned the most meaningful way to immerse yourself in a culture is not through museums or monuments, but through shared meals and stories, and the simple act of showing care and respect for the place that is hosting you.
If you’re interested in studying abroad in Rome, check out our Temple Rome program page for more information!
