Rome Week 6

Melissa Tait checks in weekly from her study abroad semester in Rome; catch up with her every Wednesday on Trazee Travel.

Don’t get me wrong: I love studying abroad, but it can be exhausting when you are constantly exploring a new city and continent. With midterms coming up, I decided to take a weekend off from traveling and hang out in Rome. Although the most I really saw of Rome was a new club and restaurant with friends, I reminded myself it is okay to take some time to relax. It also gave me a moment to sit back and reflect on my time thus far.

© Melissa Tait

Here are a few tokens I have already taken away from my experience:

• Cook with friends: Every Tuesday, a group of my classmates have arranged a potluck. It has helped me push myself when it comes to cooking and twisting already-existing recipes. My macaroni and Italian cheese dish was a hit last night. Italians really do know how to cook and I’m on my way to learning their secrets.
• Always sleep outside: It might sound crazy, but when you’re surrounded by the sparkling night lights of Sorrento or Rome, I have found putting your mattress on the terrace and catching some zzz’s is the best night’s sleep you’ll ever have.
• Wine A LOT: I recently took a two-hour course on wine tasting to learn the basics about different types of wine and pairing them with food. Italians take wine seriously and basic knowledge is great to have whether in business or at the dinner table.

© Melissa Tait

I would never have guessed these three things would stand out to me, but they have made my time in Rome feel like home. With half a semester left, I cannot even imagine what is awaiting me.

Ciao!