View from the Spanish Steps

Author: Emerson Metzger | Major: Psychology | Semester: Summer 2025

After months of waiting, the bus ride from the airport and into the city of Rome felt like I was stepping into a completely different world. The first real shock that stood out to me was the plants. I had taken three semesters of Italian, attended several orientation meetings, and had
done extensive research to prepare me for the trip of a lifetime, but nobody had thought to warn me that the trees would look weird! Looking out the window at the captivating rock pine and cypress trees was the first of many new experiences that would define the most exciting month
of my life. Ever since I was accepted to the University of Arkansas I knew I wanted to study abroad at the Rome Center. I have always been fascinated by history from all eras, and I recognize
Rome, the eternal city, as one of the most historically significant places in the world. Once I heard that one of the university’s Italian professors was organizing a course on the history of the Renaissance I knew that it was the program for me!
Learning about the history of Rome while on-site was an unforgettable experience. My
course was split between class trips to historical locations and museums and classroom
lectures. While I was apprehensive about our lectures at first, they ended up being just as
exciting as our field trips. The Rome Center is housed within a beautifully preserved, historic
palace in the heart of Rome, and our classroom was filled with its original frescoes. Whenever
we discussed the art of the Renaissance, you only had to look around the room for examples!
Our class tours were also incredibly varied and engaging, as we were fortunate to have a class
excursion most days. Some of my favorites include viewing a once-in-a-lifetime exclusive exhibit
of the painter Caravaggio, a trip to the Centrale Montemartini museum: a defunct power plant
turned ancient sculpture gallery, and a tour of the 3rd century catacombs of St. Domitilla. My
favorite aspect of the course was the moments when our lectures and tours would align. For
instance, one day we read an excerpt from Bocaccio’s Decameron, and the next day we got to
see an original copy of the book in a museum. Another day we read a firsthand account of the
16th century excavation of an ancient Roman statue, only to see the same statue in the Vatican
Museums hours later.
Before studying there, I had no idea how much I would fall in love with the city of Rome.
If I had to describe my experience with a single word, it would be “Magical”. Each and every day
was filled with small moments of magic, watching people dance spontaneously with a group of
street musicians, turning a corner to see an opera performance on the street, and even the
nightly flock of seagulls resting in St. Peter’s Square after the crowds leave. As the weeks went
on, I began to recognize regulars in the areas I would visit, such as a man and his dog playing
fetch every day in a plaza and my favorite street performer playing guitar outside the local castle
every Tuesday and Thursday. I even became friendly with the restaurant waiters I would pass
every night walking home to my apartment. I didn’t just get to visit Rome, I got to experience it.
Studying abroad was an experience I will never forget and I would recommend it to
absolutely everyone. The Rome Center is an incredible resource available to University of
Arkansas students and I am grateful to have the opportunity to study there. The staff are all
amazing, the entire experience was accessible, and studying through the University erased
nearly all of the headaches of studying abroad, enabling me to best enjoy every moment of my
trip. I have returned with more confidence, more favorite foods, more curiosity, and a need to go
back soon!