I’m Monse, a junior at Colby College, double majoring in Education and Latin American Studies. This semester, I am studying Early Childhood Education in Rome through IES Abroad, where I am learning about Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and different approaches to early childhood education in Italy. Alongside my classes, I am also taking Italian, exploring my interest in fashion through Introduction to Fashion Styling and Communication, and interning as an English teaching assistant at a high school here in Rome. I am also one of the new GEO Correspondents, so I get to share a little bit of this experience with you!

My first almost-month in Rome still doesn’t feel real. One of my biggest dreams growing up was to visit Rome, and now I am incredibly fortunate to call Rome my home for the semester. Sometimes I still have to remind myself that I am not just visiting. I actually live here. It honestly feels like a fever dream.

One of my favorite things about Rome is how history is just everywhere. You can be on your way somewhere completely ordinary, turn a corner, and suddenly find yourself standing in front of something you learned about in class. Back at Colby, I studied the Column of Marcus Aurelius in CL163, and then unexpectedly ran into it while walking to the store. I have taken the bus right in front of the Curia of Pompey and walked through the Vatican on my way to class. These little moments make everyday life here feel completely surreal. How is this just my walk to class?!

It has been less than a month, but I already adore Rome. The people, the culture, the streets, the history, and, oh my gosh, the food! There is always something new to discover, and I feel like I could spend the entire semester exploring one street at a time and still not see everything.

Of course, moving to a new country and suddenly having an entirely different routine has not been easy. I am still figuring out public transportation, learning which buses actually show up when the app says they will, deciding what to cook, and trying to budget while also wanting to try everything. There have definitely been moments when I have felt overwhelmed or wished I already knew how everything worked. But every time I figure something out, even something as simple as knowing how to get home without Google Maps, it feels like a little victory.

And then there are the opportunities that make all of it completely worth it. I get to learn about education, work with students, take a fashion class, practice Italian, and experience a city I dreamed about visiting as a kid. Sometimes I think, “Okay, my life cannot get better than this,” and then, BAM, another incredible opportunity comes along.

I am getting to live out so many of the dreams I had growing up, and I do not take that for granted. This semester is already becoming an experience I know I will never forget, and I am so grateful that I get to call Rome home, even if it is just for a little while.

XOXO,

Monse