One of the biggest adjustments that I have gone through since arriving in Rome is learning its public transportation system. Since I’m from Hawaiʻi and go to college in Los Angeles where it’s common to drive everywhere, I never really had to learn a public transportation system. So, I took my study abroad experience as an opportunity to do so. I wish someone told me how complicated the Roman bus system is and the way it works, so I thought I would save you the trouble of researching it on your own.

Studying abroad is like going to summer camp. You are pulled from everyday life and dropped into an alternative universe of fun. At one time fun was playing capture the flag and swimming in a lake; now it’s exploring European cities and hiking the Black Forest. Either way, sharing in this intense excitement with other people forms the foundation of the relationships that will carry us through the coming semester. I remember how fast I could make a friend as a twelve-year-old.