Have you ever heard about the author Neil Gaiman? You know, the English author that wrote many of our favorites such as Coraline, Stardust, The Sandman? Yes? Well, he wrote The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it was published in 2013. This novel was adapted for the stage in 2019 by Joel Horwood. This play is a production by the National Theater production. Why do I give you all of this information?
One of my favorite things from London is the tube. There. I said it. There is no epic line preceding it. It is just a fact.
You see, my school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, which is a cute little town, but there is not much going on. I also do not have a car, so it is very difficult to get anywhere besides the local Target.
I have officially been living in Rome for over two months. In that process, I have gotten into the groove of a new lifestyle. I have found myself on a first-name basis with the baristas at a local cafe, designated a restaurant as my go-to lunch spot, and learned to get around the city without the need for a map, but one thing I still feel unprepared for is having guests visit. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know this city at my own pace, but I have had friends come to visit for much more brief periods of time.
When I learned most of my friends were staying in the dorms while I was in a homestay, I couldn't help but feel a little jealous in the beginning. Seeing all their texts in the Line group chat, saying they were doing homework together on the third floor, or they were having a movie night, or otherwise just getting up to usual college student hijinks in the dorms—all of that gave me major FOMO.
One of the most unique challenges of my time abroad has come from balancing an internship alongside my course load. While it has been a challenge, this experience has been quintessential to defining my study abroad experience, and in this post I will focus on what has made this opportunity so memorable.
Overview of My Internship
Week 1 has come to a close, but my mind has already been opened beyond measure. As I tried to mentally prepare myself, I found myself trying to be aware of things I had no idea about. I did research on the tutorial system, looked at videos of others' experiences, and spent my last few weeks at home spending tons of time doing the things I miss the most right now, but nothing I did could've truly prepared me for the transformation I am going through.
It has been a while since I came back from spring break and I have been trying to write about my experience. I was not sure if I wanted to give tips regarding my trip or talk about my personal experience, so I guess this blog will have a little bit of everything.