Well this is my first time making a blog but we will see how this goes! Starting off, I am on a study abroad trip in Rome and Florence for a month with a writing a photography class from my school, Baylor University. I had heard about the trip from my advisor and he encouraged me that it would be a unique experience to practice my writing and photography in a culture that I was not used to. I have been to Europe before but I have never lived here. To be honest, I didn't think the Italian culture would be very different from the American culture, but after a few days in Rome, I was proven wrong.
Very wrong.
From the transportation, to the supermarkets and the language barrier, I thought I had made a mistake coming here within the first day. I hardly knew anyone in my group and even though I look pretty "cultured" staring at a map of the city, I had no earthly idea where I was going. I knew we would only be in Rome for a week so I wasn't too distraught about learning exactly where I was. Knowing me, I am directionally challenged, so I resulted in keeping my mouth shut and following the group.
Seeing the Coliseum in Rome was one of the high points of the Roman city, but fighting through the crowds and the rain was a challenge. However, after a long day of touring, it was finally time for dinner. Everyone knows that Italy is known for amazing food. But if you have never been, then I cannot use enough words to describe how wonderful the pasta and pizza are. The cheese and bread are so fresh and flavorful!
I learned quickly that the places buried back in the ally ways that are "mom and pop" restaurants are the best. To summarize my point, the smaller the restaurant, the better it tastes. I might be biased but that is just my experience. We learned that the tourist traps are the restaurants on the main streets. No food in Italy is considered "bad" but I encourage everyone to venture off the main paths and find the true Italian cuisines.
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