Colleen Knudsen Abroad in Italy!
When you think of Rome, what comes to mind? Gladiators battling in the Colosseum? Chariot races in the Circus Maximus? A bunch of ancient ruins around every corner? Although all of these elements are a part of the Roman cultural identity, I have experienced a different side of Rome: modern, everyday life. Living outside of the city center in a purely Italian neighborhood challenged me to embrace the way of life here and to not be afraid of change and cultural differences.
For the past two months, I have been living in Garbatella, a neighborhood in Rome that is known for its charm and authentic Italian lifestyle. The first few weeks were a struggle, seeing as I didn’t know any Italian and my neighbors didn’t know any English. So, the desire to learn Italian soon become a necessity. After taking classes and pushing myself to speak Italian wherever and whenever I could, I can now confidently order a glass of wine and a margherita pizza... after rehearsing a few times before the waiter comes over. Even though I am nowhere near fluent, and will not be when I leave in May, I’m proud that I can walk through the streets and not be terrified if someone speaks to me in Italian. I may not know what they are saying all the time, but at least I can try!
Being an intern at Vatican Radio has been an experience like no other. On my first day of work, my boss showed me the studio where Pope St. John Pope II would broadcast out to the world, and he told me the story of how he convinced Pope Benedict XVI to do a single radio broadcast through the blessing and dedication of said studio. It’s surreal I can casually walk past St. Peter’s Basilica when I go to work, and that’s just part of the excitement I experience in Rome every day.
With Easter right around the corner, I am practically jumping for joy at the fact that I’ll be at the Vatican for the Holy Week festivities. That is one of the factors that convinced me to
study and work in Rome in the Spring. With a Pope like Francis, I am excited to see what he does during the rest of Lent, and I know he will continue to preach about mercy, hope, and love. While my life in Rome is quite different from that at Villanova, I know I will come back a more well-rounded individual.
