Photo of Me on the Amalfi Coast on a School led Trip

Author: Michael Schmidt | Major: Architecture | Semester: Spring 2023

Though the University of Arkansas: Rome Center Program was required for my major, since first year I had been looking forward to taking part in it. The ability to not just visit a whole country and continent new to me, experiencing a new culture and view on architecture, but to also study in Rome with its rich preserved history dating back thousands of years. These factors solidified the program as something I knew I would do one day, especially as it was a great help for my chosen minors of Architectural History and Urban Design. Historically Rome is one of the best examples of architecture ranging from Ancient Roman to Italian Renaissance to early 1900s Rationalism, and as a city it has preserved its history better than many others across Europe. This long history and preservation of antiquity is also part of why Rome is such a good city for my other minor in Urban Planning, the way the city has been built around its many monuments and the preservation of the historic urban form leads it to being an incredibly interesting city in numerous ways. To top it all off the professors were all incredibly versed on the city’s history, allowing me and fellow students to gain the most out of our time studying in Rome. The courses too were designed to amplify the experience with courses focused on the history of the urban form and architecture through the centuries in Rome. In comparison to the courses taught at the University of Arkansas’ main campus, being immersed in examples of the subjects being taught allows for a much more in depth learning experience. Classes could use the expansive metro system to meet at any point in the city where the surrounding area could act as the subject. Courses being taught in this way allowed for me to gain a much stronger grasp on the course contents, and have countless examples of the points being taught.

Outside of our courses was also a great opportunity to embrace a culture incredibly different from the one I was used to in the United States. Especially as through rail and public transit systems weekends were great opportunities to visit new parts of both Italy and Europe. Each location whether near or far from Rome had new foods to try, new architecture and arts to see, and new experiences exclusive to the city and regions. All conveniently along train lines at national and regional levels that I’m already missing back in the US. Italy itself is home to so many different cultures that I had the privilege of seeing, Venice to the north was different from areas of the Dolomites, Rome was different from Cinque Terre which were both different from Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Sicily too almost felt like a different country. Due to proximity travel to other countries was often simple too, Athens, Helsinki, Munich, Zurich, Amsterdam, Paris, and Brussels were all accessible to me and amazing experiences that I will carry on for my entire life.

For anyone else traveling to Europe and big cities like Rome, the best piece of advice I can give you is to learn and utilize the local public transit to the point of being comfortable with it and especially for traveling to become accustomed to train travel. Both were invaluable for getting the most out of my time abroad in the day to day and for the bigger trips. My other big advice is to be willing to try new things wherever you go, when seeing so many widely different cultures you’ll be met with numerous new experiences such as foods, cultural events, and arts, that can show you something interesting about how the cultures differ from your own. My time abroad through the University of Arkansas Rome Center: Architecture and Design Program was an invaluable experience that through the support of the University of Arkansas Honors College I was able to truly make the most of. I couldn’t recommend traveling abroad any more to anyone. It truly is a life changing opportunity.