Living down the street from the Vatican!

Author: Jennifer Sandoval | Major: Interior Architecture and Design | Semester: Fall 2023

Now that I have returned home and have had time to reflect on the past semester that I spent in Rome, I am finally able to put into thought and words just how amazing of an opportunity I had to experience all the things I did while abroad. I was able to advance personal and academic goals, I traveled to many different places, experienced many different cultures, and I created new friendships.

Although the Interior Architecture and Design program requires us students to study abroad for a term, it has been a goal of mine since high school to study or move to Rome at some point in my life. The University of Arkansas Rome Center provided me with the best of both worlds by allowing me to continue my academic goals while also allowing me the freedom to create my own life abroad by placing me in the local community. Academically, I knew that there was no better place for me to spend a semester abroad other than Rome due to the architectural history and culture that belongs to the city. Classes were very different from those in Fayetteville. By default, classes were smaller, which allowed professors more time for group conversation and for classes to be geared in the direction of interest that the class held. For example, my Women in Art & Architecture class with twelve students total was offered the opportunity to visit the archives at the MAXXI Roma museum, designed by Zaha Hadid, during the last week of classes due to our expressed interest in modern architecture and arts. All of my professors and courses were very considerate of our interests while also taking advantage of the proximity of so many different historical works of art, artifacts, and locations. Ironically, I was spending more time outside of the physical classroom, but learning and growing so much more on a daily basis.

Life outside of school in Rome was an educational experience that I’ll personally continue to seek for the rest of my life. I often felt an overwhelming sense of fulfillment, which I now understand was directly related to the perception of life that the Italian culture holds. Not once did I feel as if I was racing against the clock, there were very few times that I felt anxious or stressed, and I developed a very well balanced school and social life. I quickly learned that people in this new community of mine truly savored every moment in life. It was so easy to pick up this mentality and break away from societal norms back home where life is often rushed and there’s a constant pressure of being busy all the time and getting things done. I found myself having time and energy to explore my own neighborhood, to plan weekend trips, to visit museums and shops, and to even sit down by the river and soak everything in. The pace of life in Italy is truly something beautiful and admirable.

I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have studied abroad at the University of Arkansas Rome Center. My only hope is for this program to continue providing an educationally rich experience to students who are open to learning about themselves and finding their place in this world even if it means moving thousands of miles away for a term to do so. I would do it all over again if given the chance, and I could not recommend it any more to any student reading this. Pack light, study some Italian, enjoy Chick-fila while you have it, and get ready for the best experience of your life.