Jillian Salerno is a student at Salsbury University and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Rome, Italy.
Henry Miller once said “One’s destination is never a place but a new way of seeing things.” I kept this quote in the back of my mind when boarding the plane to enter my semester in a new world in Rome, Italy. With butterflies in my stomach, I was ready to tackle all the experiences that were in my near future. My butterflies soon turned into goosebumps when seeing the Eternal City for the very first time.

My first few days in Rome were spent touring around and seeing all the breathtaking monuments. The thing about this city is that there is history on every corner whether it is worldwide known monument ruins, the hundreds of churches, or even just everyday buildings you never would of known about just from looking them up on the internet.


A couple of the friends I made here and I went to go get gelato and a famous gelateria (ice cream shop!) we heard about in a neighborhood near Piazza Venezia. After wandering for awhile with no direction in mind, we miraculously stumbled upon Vatican City, considered to be the smallest country in the world.



Like any other tourist, I was amazed by the difference in cultures from what I am use to in America. I was full of excitement that was close to impossible to contain. From all the hustle and bustle of such a big city, I was pleased to know how comforting Rome felt to me. In an ironic way, the city gave me the impression that a small town full of charm and culture would immerse onto any visitor. The best way to describe this feeling to me is “stepping back in time”.


My first few days were full of wandering eyes and tired feet, but the days of touring like a tourist were over. It was time for me to start roaming like a true Roman.

Of course those butterflies come back every now and then, which is perfectly normal, and I expect them to never go away fully. In the first short couple of days here though I was more than ready to accept what life was going to offer me while in Roma. So far, I would say this city and I are going to get along just fine.

The world awaits…discover it.
nice pic