DU Abroad

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Above, as you can see is a beautiful picture I attached after returning back to Italy this weekend. Sometimes more than traveling on weekends is required. I have personally gone through moments where I have to decide if I will dedicate a weekend to go to a different city in Italy or spend it in a nearby country. Whenever I have consulted friends about this, I receive the same advice of, “Just go to the place that would be rare for you to return to again.” In the foreseeable future, I will likely return to Italy and see Tuscany or the Amalfi, but who is to say I will ever get the chance to go to Croatia or Switzerland?

Because I’m studying abroad in Italy, I have access to a lot of breathtaking locations in addition to travel discounts that I want to take advantage of while I am here. This is why I have decided on a plan that works for me and is easily customizable if it seems like it could work for you. The plan is to travel to Italian locations during the week and dedicate weekends to other countries. While it may sound simple, it takes sacrificing routine and comfort. For me, I have classes from Monday to Thursday from ten thirty until two thirty; thankfully, I am near the train station both from school and my home residence. You can typically find more affordable trains when you purchase a day before or the day of a trip, unlike with flights, where you can’t let deals pass you by.

Now, of course, the downside is that Italy is a very large country and it takes hours by train to get anywhere. Because I’m aiming for day trips, I am limited to certain regions, but at the end of the day, I choose to view the country by any means and then regret not seeing enough of it at the end. I hope this advice of not sacrificing a place for the next one on a weekly basis helps you all aim to make the most out of your study abroad experience.

Ciao!

I had been planning this trip since before I got to Maastricht. I had always wanted to go to Rome and it was on my bucket list. I had planned to take the trip at the end of October (since that was when the period ended). Everything worked out in the end and on top of that, I was able to go for three nights instead two. The trip was so much fun, and I am glad I went. Here is a recap.

Like the trip to Budapest, I had a 4:30 am bus ride to the Brussels airport for an 8:40 flight. I did not sleep the night before and it did not feel like I was asleep when I was. I slept on the bus and the flight to Rome as much as I could, but since we had an amazing view of the Alps on the flight out, I had to gaze at their beauty. The flight was uneventful, and I landed in Rome without trouble. I then took a bus to the city center and the first thing I did was eat some pizza and ice cream. After that I walked towards the Rome Colosseum and the Rome Forum. I did not have tickets to get inside on Friday (I had them for Saturday) so instead, I walked around the area for about 2-3 hours before heading to my hostel to check in. After checking in to the hostel and getting settled, I made my way over to the Trevi Fountain. Expecting to see the fountain in action, I was greeted with an empty fountain as they were doing restoration work to the fountain. Other than that, it was still very cool to look at and I even found a good ice cream place by the area (I would go there every night after dinner during the time I was in Rome).

Saturday I was able to actually enter the Rome Colosseum for my tour. I wanted to explore the entirety of the Colosseum, but all the exclusive tickets were sold out, so I had to get a ticket that allowed me access to only the first and second floors of the Colosseum. The Colosseum was amazing. I have always wanted to visit it and I am glad I got the opportunity to visit it. After the Colosseum I made my way to the Rome Forum, which is part of the last remnants of the Roman Empire. The place was massive, and I was there for about 5-6 hours exploring the area. After then Forum I found some dinner and went back to the Trevi Fountain to get some ice cream and to enjoy the sight of the Trevi Fountain.

Sunday, I explored the Vatican City and although I did not go into any of the buildings, it was a sight to behold. I walked around the area for some time before making my way back across the river to the Pantheon, my next stop in the Rome Getaway. I explored the inside of the Pantheon, where I saw sculptures and paintings from the times of Ancient Rome. I spent the rest of my day walking around the city and ended off the night with- you guessed it, more pizza and ice cream by the Trevi Fountain. I had an early flight out Monday morning, so I went to bed early. The flight home as quick and I was able to get on an earlier bus back to Maastricht so that was nice.