The idea of studying abroad had always been one that had excited me, having had the chance to travel abroad in the past I knew the experience would be one to remember. As I got closer and closer to graduating I began to realize that my time window for the opportunity to study abroad was quickly coming to a close. However, through my home university I got the chance of a lifetime to study and live in Rome for a little over a month in the summer of 2019. John Cabot University is a partnered school with the University of Texas at El Paso and was one of the few programs at my home university that allowed for such an extended stay.
John Cabot has multiple campus locations in the neighborhood in which we were housed. I think this added greatly to the experience because living in the dorms as a student you were still part of the Italian community without being bound to campus. It was a short 5-minute walk from the dorms to the main campus and an even shorter walk to the campus that was up the street from where we lived.
There were plenty of little markets and shops located in close proximity to the dorms, so my roommates and I wanted for nothing; everything we needed could be found in a quick 5-15 minute trip. The dorms themselves were very clean and had plenty of space for the four of us who resided there. I personally paid for the option to have my own room, and in all honesty for the amount of time that we lived there this option was definitely worth it. I was able to study at any hour without disturbing any of my roommates and having that little bit of extra privacy was greatly appreciated.
The faculty and staff of JCU were friendly and accommodating as they were more than willing to show us the ropes of the city, how to get bus passes and travel, making the experience of living in Rome that much easier. The on-site cafeteria located in the main campus of JCU had surprisingly great food! Oftentimes between classes I’d find myself there to have lunch rather than going out to buy food as we had a voucher that paid for one meal a day; if you were smart about it you didn’t have to spend too much out of pocket.
The classes I took were taught on-location meaning I would venture out into various parts of the city for daily lectures. This really allowed me to explore and see almost all that Rome had to offer. It was also pretty nice being able to sit in some of the ruins and take notes - there’s no other immersive experience quite like it! Not to mention all the little fountains of fresh drinking water scattered around the city; that water is literally some of the best I’ve had in my life and I might just miss those little fountains the most! The food was amazing, the people were friendly and most locals in the area we stayed in knew some English, so communicating wasn’t a huge issue.
After a month had passed and it was almost time for us to return home I felt quite sad at having to leave. I really felt like Rome had become a second home for me and I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to go again. I’d say to anyone who is considering taking the leap and attending a study abroad session at JCU to just do it! There is no other experience like it and you won’t be alone, they have people there to help you out with whatever you need. It’s the experience of a lifetime and if you’re thinking of taking the leap you certainly won’t regret it.
Vanessa Lauren Welch
Hometown: El Paso
Home University: University of Texas at El Paso
Double Major in Art and Art History
Study Abroad Summer 2019