Without doubt, I can say that this past summer was the best summer I’ve ever had—one spent adventuring in a foreign city while earning nine credit hours in classes focused around the Romans: the Urban Tradition of Rome, History of Rome, and Art of Rome. I was frequently told what a life-changing experience studying in Rome would be but I thought of it merely as a way to get me excited for the summer. It turned out to be a completely warranted description of the experience I would have while spending six weeks exploring another culture. Every morning our group of twelve got ready to leave by 8:00 am, eating a traditional (and delicious!) Italian-style breakfast at the beautiful family-owned hotel, the Ercoli, that we called home. After eating, we’d venture into the city, often walking to our various destinations in order to develop cognitive-mapping skills (i.e. learning our way around the busy, loud city of Rome using landmarks. We used not only our sense of sight of the beautiful architecture but also the smells of frutteria—local fruit and vegetable stands—and the sounds of the many grandiose fountains placed around the city for navigation. Dr. Chris Gregg, who actually participated in the program as an undergrad, would lead us around, taking us to museums or various monuments and giving lectures that incorporated Roman history, art, and tradition. The courses were intertwined in such a way that it was easy to comprehend the depth of culture that existed in ancient society. Not only was I able to experience the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Rome, but several side excursions were included in the program (as well as a long weekend which gave me time to adventure in the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, Trento in Trentino, Italy). We spent several days in Campania where we visited the ancient remains of both Herculaneum and Pompeii, two cities destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. We took several other day trips to places such as Hadrian’s Villa and Tarquinia/Cerveteri. I would recommend this study abroad program to anyone interested in not only learning about another culture (both modern and ancient alike) but also broadening his or her ability to step outside one’s own boundaries and engage with the world in a new, enlivened, and adventurous way. For more information on the Rome Program, visit www.rome.uga.edu. BACK TO CLASSICS NEWS
