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Living the Italian slow life

Published on by miadervisevicLeave a comment

While the past few posts have been about my travels and what adventures I’ve been on, it’s important to show my life inside of Rome as well. While traveling and doing a lot on weekends is certainly fun, the slow life I have on the weekdays (and the weekends where I don’t have flights to catch) are also just as rewarding.

To all of those who are reading this before going abroad, I must warn you that you will have some slow days, and while it may look like your peers always have something planned, it’s okay to take things slow and reflect on where you are in the present moment. Enjoy the simple things of your new life abroad.

My apartment rests on the corner of a botanic garden, which is beautiful in the morning, where the sun shines over the trees and birds chirp as my alarm clock. Even on rainy days, it’s beautiful with the sound of rain hitting the leaves and the fresh smell. On a particularly sunny day in Rome (after a week of rain or so), my friend/roommate Bri and I headed to the botanic garden to see what it housed and explore the lush gardens and trees. A small butterfly pavilion sat in the middle, to which I was ecstatic because butterflies are one of my favorite animals! We enjoyed butterflies flying around us, and the humidity in the pavilion. We also made a pact to come back in late March or April when its acceptable to finally wear skirts and dresses and take photos in the gardens with the butterflies.

On another slow day, Nicole, Abby, Danielle, and I went to the famous keyhole that overlooks the Vatican. With the keyhole plastered all over Pinterest and TikTok, we knew we needed to check it out for ourselves. The keyhole was exactly like the videos we had seen and had the most gorgeous lookout to the Vatican. With arches of trees covering the road, St. Peters Basilica stood in the center with a halo of light. While we tried to take photos of the sight, it was terribly difficult, and nothing could beat what we actually saw. After admiring the view, we started the walk back and came across a lovely little park with orange trees and artists painting and playing music. With the sun out and the warm weather, it was the perfect activity for a day where we had nothing else to do. I bought a beautiful watercolor of the Trevi fountain from a local artist at the park, which is a perfect souvenir with a memory to go along with it.

The slow days bring a certain beauty to life abroad and they help immerses yourself in the life of the city you’re living in. Take a few weekends to enjoy the city around you or explore the country you’re living in. If you’re always traveling to other places, you won’t truly get the experience of your life living abroad. I’ve loved having time to explore Rome and have the city take its imprint on me. Finding side streets and little markets is the perfect way to make the city your-own.

My favorite memories from my time abroad so far have been exploring Rome and its many different qualities and sides. I’ve loved being able to try so many different gelatos and pastries from little local shops, to finding cute streets to walk down, filled with vines, flowers, and bikes propped up on the buildings.

The Italian slow life has slowly seeped into my bones and made me appreciate taking the time to look around and exploring when I have “nothing to do.” While I still get annoyed when people walk slowly, I’ve been understanding how enjoyable life is when you stop, look around, and notice things many people have passed by. Beautiful flowers and plants on the top of buildings, artistic architecture of ancient Rome, and family-owned shops, all bring a certain beauty to Rome, and a beauty to slowing down and looking around. Even getting a cappuccino in the morning and people watching or spending hours at dinner with your friends, have made me appreciate life and my life here in Rome more.

I will continue to let the slow life influence me because I refuse to let this part of my life flash by, as Rome has taught me to enjoy every moment of this time. So, I will continue to look around, spend hours at dinner with friends, find new details in my everyday life, and maybe I’ll learn to walk a little slower, like the Italian do.

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The Journey Leading up to and Arriving in Japan

Published on by Katie SandovalLeave a comment

Week 10 was one of the busiest weeks I’ve ever had as a junior at DU. With finals approaching, I had to finish assignments almost a week ahead, make time to study for exams, and prepare for my upcoming study abroad experience—all at once. It pushed me to my limits, but looking back, I’m both relieved it’s over and proud of myself for making it through.

Once I was done with my coursework, I jumped straight into packing. Since I’d be spending nearly five months at Doshisha University in Kyoto, I wanted to pack light. I brought a few sets of clothes, some winter gear (since the first week of March in Japan is still chilly), necessities, a few books, a power converter, chargers, medicine, power banks, and some snacks for the journey.

Then came the travel itself: nearly 15 hours in the air with three friends and a few other classmates. The first flight, from Denver to San Francisco, was fine. But next flight from San Francisco to Osaka was rough. I hadn’t slept well the night before, and about five hours in—halfway through the flight—I started feeling unwell. A headache, no appetite, just overall exhaustion, but I would distract myself from watching movies, talking with my friends, and trying to take a nap here and there.

Landing in Osaka also brought its own challenges. We had to go through customs, which was stressful. We had been given paperwork to fill out on the plane, but I didn’t realize that, at least in Japan that I know of, you can actually complete the customs forms online before your flight (wish I noticed that sooner as it would have taken a lot of stress off). On top of that, I had to ask if one of my over-the-counter medicines was okay to bring. Despite studying Japanese for almost three years, my speaking skills aren’t great, so communicating was not easy. Thankfully, the customs officers were patient and helped me through the process. In the end, my medicine was ok to bring, and from there it was just a matter of picking up our checked bags and finding our hotel.

A few people had decided to take a bus to Kyoto to stay at a hotel there. However, we decided to stay in hotel in the airport as we were exhausted from the fight. By the time we settled in, it had been about two days of nonstop travel and preparation. It was exhausting but being with friends, all of us helping each other out, made navigating everything a little easier. Now, I am looking forward to getting everything ready for the next 5 months of my life here in Japan.