Studying abroad is an exciting opportunity to experience a new culture, meet people from around the world, and grow both personally and academically. At John Cabot University in Rome, students quickly discover that life abroad is filled with new routines, unexpected discoveries, and small moments that make the experience unforgettable.
Originally from San Diego, California, Maddie is a third-year Business Marketing major at California State University, Long Beach. During her spring semester abroad at John Cabot University, she is also gaining hands-on professional experience with the JCU Marketing Office while exploring life in Rome.
In this student perspective, Madison shares some of the small everyday comforts she didn’t expect to miss from home, and how she discovered new versions of them while studying abroad in Rome.
When preparing to study abroad in Rome, I expected to miss the obvious things, my family, my friends, the familiarity of home. What surprised me most, though, were the everyday comforts I didn’t realize I relied on. Simple routines like running errands, going to the movies, or grabbing an iced coffee suddenly felt unattainable in a new country.
Over time, I learned that studying abroad isn’t just about adjusting to a new culture, it’s also about integrating new versions of the little things that once felt ordinary. In the process of missing home, here are four small things I didn’t expect to miss and how I found new versions of them in Rome.
Moving thousands of miles away from home, I obviously couldn’t pack every comfort item into my suitcase. It wasn’t until I started unpacking and settling in that I realized how much I would miss the familiar things I took for granted, like the American superstore. That magical place where you can buy a vacuum cleaner, cold medicine, and Oreos all in one trip.
Living in the center of Rome, that kind of convenience doesn’t really exist.
My first lesson came when I tried to find a blanket. In the winter, Rome apartments can get surprisingly cold, and I assumed I’d just pop into a department store and grab something cheap. I tried OVS and other familiar chains, only to find thick sheep wool and faux-fur throws which were beautiful, but also 60 euros. Not exactly what I wanted to spend on a blanket.
A few days later however, when I was walking through Porta Portese market, I stumbled across a booth stacked with simple fleece blankets at a fraction of the price. After that, I started noticing similar stands all over the city, tucked into side streets, small home shops, and outdoor markets.
I had been searching like I was still in America. Rome just works differently.
It can feel inefficient at first, going to one place for nasal spray, another for nail polish, and another for storage containers. But once I stopped expecting Rome to function like home, the errands felt less frustrating and more like small quests that were getting me more familiar with the city.
Growing up in Southern California, food was never just sustenance — it was culture, family, and routine. Being half Filipino, Asian food in particular was central to my life, and having access to this kind of diversity felt completely normal.
Rome is a huge city with over 2.8 million residents and it’s far more diverse than people expect. There are communities from all over the world living and working here. If you look closely enough, it’s not all pizza and pasta.
Here are a few of my favorite spots that brought a little taste of home (and new flavors!) to my student life in Rome:
Pho 1 - This spot near the Vatican serves steaming bowls of pho that felt especially comforting on rainy days or when I was feeling sick.
The Neighborhood - A Filipino restaurant in Prati that instantly reminded me of home and made Rome feel less intimidating.
Inka Chicken - A Peruvian place in Testaccio that blends Southeast Asian and South American flavors in a way that is surprising and delicious.
Studying abroad in Rome doesn’t mean giving up your favorite foods. It just means finding them in new neighborhoods, and sometimes in this process, you discover something entirely new that becomes part of your routine.
Back at home, going to the movies was a big part of hanging out with friends. When I left for Rome, I felt a little heartbroken over all the movies I’d miss and the long, dramatic debates my friends would have afterward.
When I started looking for a movie theater, I quickly realized that most theaters show films only in Italian, which makes sense, who would fly all the way to Rome just to watch a movie?
Still, English-language screenings do exist. To avoid accidentally buying a ticket for a movie in Italian, make sure the listing explicitly says “in English” or, for American films, “OV” (original version).
Just a short walk from campus is a movie theatre called Cinema Triosi. The theatre doubles as a study space so the lobby looks more like a coffee shop rather than an expansive area. However, It was actually packed with people when I went, so packed I couldn’t find any ticket attendant to tell us what theatre our movie was in. It turns out there is only one theatre. No maze of hallways, no escalators, just one screen, and a much simpler setup than America.
Going to the movies in Rome isn’t the same as it is back home, but that’s kind of the point. It’s smaller, quieter, and a little less obvious, but once you figure it out, it becomes another familiar routine in an unfamiliar city.
As part of my daily routine at home I would use my Unlimited Sip Club membership at Panera, go through the drive through, grab a huge iced coffee, and finish half of it before I even got to my destination. Coffee back home was something I carried, something to keep me moving through the day.
Rome is very different. Here, coffee isn’t fuel, it’s more of a ritual. Most people order a small espresso or cappuccino and drink it standing at the bar or sitting in the cafe. Iced coffee is less common, and drinks are much smaller than in America.
If you do want a larger iced drink, there are a few spots that serve them. In Trastevere, Alle Fratte di Trastevere offers sweet, flavored iced coffees, much closer to what you’d expect back home.
Even so, adjusting to smaller drinks and standing at the bar took some getting used to. However, I eventually began to appreciate the rhythm of it, how even a few minutes with a tiny cappuccino could feel intentional, a small pause in the middle of a busy day.
Drinking coffee in Rome reminded me that life here moves at a different pace. Slowing down, even just a little, turned something as simple as a cup of coffee into a moment to settle in, check in with myself, and mentally prepare for the day.
Experiences like Maddie's highlight one of the most meaningful aspects of studying abroad in Rome: discovering how everyday routines can evolve in a new cultural environment. While students may initially miss small comforts from home, they often find new traditions, favorite places, and unexpected moments that shape their time abroad.
At John Cabot University, study abroad students have the opportunity to experience life in one of Europe’s most historic cities while taking courses in English, building international friendships, and gaining valuable global perspective.
Interested in learning how you can spend a year, semester, or summer studying abroad at an American university in Italy?
Visit our Study Abroad page or email studyabroad@johncabot.edu to explore your opportunities!