A Day Studying Abroad in Rome

By: Ava Frias

My name is Ava Frias and I was part of the Summer Block II- 2023 Arizona State University Global Flex - 3 COURSE CREDITS. Spend a day with me studying abroad in Rome.

I began my day waking up to the sunrise in Prati, a neighborhood about twenty minutes from the center of Rome. My roommate and I got ready for our class titled “Genius Artists in a Genius City” where we spend each week discovering a new artist that was centered in Rome. We had spent last class learning about the famous works of Borromini and were now headed to the Barberini Palace, where the building was designed by Borromini himself and holds some of the world's most famous art pieces. To get to class we had to take the metro, which is an important form of transportation to navigate oneself around the city of Rome.

We were welcomed to the Barberini Palace with the crest of the Barberini family and its signature bees in the center. The building itself was full of spiral staircases, huge columns, and famous statues such as the Veiled Woman (The Vestal Virgin Tuccia)-Antonio Corradini. Inside the rooms of the palace I saw pieces such as La Fornarina-Raphael, Allegory of Divine Wisdom-Andrea Sacchi, Pietro da Cortona – Allegory of Divine Providence, Caravaggio – Judith Beheading Holofernes. I was in awe getting to see these famous pieces that I have read in history books live and in person.

After class my roommates and I had dinner at Osteria da Fortuna which had been recommended by locals. They make handmade pasta and are known all over the world. Inside the restaurant they have a chief molding and cutting pasta right in front of you. There I had meatballs as an appetizer and carbonara pasta as the main course. Rome is known for their carbonara and this dish was the best meal I had eaten during my time there. After dinner we stopped to catch the sunset and eat gelato where I had the pistachio flavor.

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