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“Ciao, Roma!” Settling In for the Semester

Greetings from Rome!

I arrived in Italy before noon on Monday, September 3 (around 6 a.m. in my hometown of Boston – six hour jetlag!) and moved into the Residence Candia, where many Temple Rome students will call home for the semester. We will be living right outside the Vatican! I am staying in an apartment with five other girls. I share a bedroom with two of them. It feels like I’m living in a triple with a bathroom and a kitchen/dining area shared with our other three housemates.

Staying in an apartment at the Residence Candia, just outside of the Vatican. Convenient location in the city!

I made steady progress unpacking my suitcases and setting up my part of the room. I sorted my clothes into drawers and put my books, glasses, and alarm clock on top of the dresser next to my bed (bottom bunk). I used one of my adapters to install a set of US outlets for my electronics.  My housemates and I bought other things for our apartment at local supermarkets and outdoor shops. We helped each other set up our shared spaces and got to know each other. We also learned about the amenities both at and around the Residence, such as weekly linen-changing services (with all towels and sheets are provided by staff) and local shops and cafés a short walk away.

Via Candia, the street in downtown Rome where the residence is. Lots of local stores and cafés, alongside convenient Tabacchi (which are everywhere in the city; you can get monthly passes and add money to your phone account there, too!).

I’m glad I’ve been able to get a lot of help moving in from both the Residence Candia and from Temple Rome. They have been very kind to help us all get settled in the city for the semester.

The Residence staff have been wonderful at answering our questions about the place and listening to our requests for additional supplies for our apartment. I appreciate their patience with my limited Italian during my first week; I was looking for an extension cord and asked for “una prolunga” (Italian for “extension cord”) for our room. This was before classes started (I’m starting Italian this semester and had only a basic grasp of “survival Italian”), so I didn’t know how to pronounce the term I found in my English-Italian dictionary. I was happy to see the receptionist smile and praise my attempt at speaking Italain. I borrowed an extension cord from the Residence until I bought a US-friendly power strip for my roommates and me. The friendly interactions with the staff made moving in much easier.

Asked for “una prolunga” (extension cord in Italian) from the front desk at the residence. I’m glad the receptionist was amused by my attempt at asking for something in Italian! I was relieved to see that I had found some outlets for my adapters: we all have power now!

Temple Rome staff helped me get useful resources for the semester as well. I learned where to buy my monthly pass for the public transportation in Rome, which consists of buses, trams, and the Metro. This is crucial to my stay in Rome; as a Bostonian who takes the buses and trains on the MBTA very often, I see myself taking the Metro and (occasionally the bus) to campus. I also had some help getting an Italian SIM card and phone plan with a special discount for Temple Rome students. I also got to rent a portable Wifi device through a university deal online. I’m glad I have all of these things now – I feel prepared and supported for my semester in Rome.

My part of the room. I share a bedroom with two other girls in the apartment. All set up with my backpack, books, alarm clock, US outlets, and cards (Temple University Rome ID, eRoma monthly transportation pass, Residence Candia gate key, and phone SIM card)!

All of these thorough preparations, along with the reassurance from and positive interactions with the local staff, have made my adjustment to a new city in a new country much more comfortable. I feel confident and ready for my adventure!
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Rome, Here I Come!

Hello! My name is Hui. I’m a Classics and Psychology double major from Boston, MA. When I’m not in class, I take pictures of events and scenic views on campus. I will be studying in Rome this fall as part of Temple University’s Education Abroad program, which is one of the many study abroad opportunities offered at Holy Cross.

I can’t believe that I’ll be going on my adventure overseas already! It feels like I learned about the study abroad experience from returning students at the Study Abroad Fair, during program-specific information sessions, and through one-on-one appointments with the Office of Study Abroad just yesterday!

I am grateful for the guidance I received at Holy Cross throughout the study abroad process. I’m thankful to my professors and advisors for helping me with my application last year and with my class planning for my semester abroad. Over the summer, the Office of Study Abroad made sure that all my travel documents were ready before I leave the States while the staff at Temple Rome helped me enroll in my courses for the fall and gave me a pre-departure checklist to prepare for my time in Rome.

I’ve put the finishing touches on my preparations this weekend: exchanged some dollars for euros, bought some EU-to-US outlet adapters, sorted all my travel documents, and unlocked my phone so I can use a local SIM card in Italy. All ready to go!

Suitcases, documents, and money ready to go!
Packed my suitcases, got my documents (passport and student visa, as well as consulate letters for my stay), exchanged some dollars for euros…Rome, here I come!

I’ve learned some useful tips in preparing for my time abroad. I had a lot of questions about getting ready for my semester in Rome, and I’m glad I had access to a lot of helpful resources. I met other students studying at Temple Rome this fall on social media and have been in touch with Temple Rome staff to take care of miscellaneous questions and forms. Here’s what I picked up from my experience:

1.) Reach out – don’t be afraid to ask your study abroad advisors and/or reach out to your host institution if you have any questions or concerns about preparing for your study abroad experience. The sooner you reach out, the sooner you’ll get answers!

2.) Plan ahead –  you’ll be notified of anything you’ll need to do for your applications or preparations far in advance. This applies for both the study abroad application during the year and for forms in the summer.  Make sure to do things that might take longer to complete first.

3.) Stay up to date – check your email to make sure you haven’t missed anything from the Office of Study Abroad or from your host institution. Any issues that might come up in your progress can be resolved easily if you’re aware of them! People are here to help.

4.) Get to know other students and administrators online – there might be social media groups where you can meet others in the program. You never know when someone else may have already asked or answered a question you have. You may even get learn new things from what other people have already discussed. I had a lot of “Wow, I haven’t even thought of that!” moments after seeing what other Temple Rome students mentioned online.

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone at Temple Rome and to exploring the campus and city at orientation! I’m ready to embark on this adventure: this road leads to Rome! Here I come!