Rome Program 2023

My time in Rome truly was transformative—a very expected way to describe one’s study abroad experience, but it’s the truth. Partly this was because my creativity was sparked in a way that it hadn’t been before, which I attribute in half to the immersion into a new culture, but also to James Arthur’s incredible instruction. On Fridays we would take field trips to different important sites of Rome where we learned more about the history of the city and its writers. I also felt supported by the John Cabot University creative writing department, which held weekly events for us at their campus as well as hosted a final student reading for all poetry and fiction classes. JCU also offered a variety of weekend excursions—the one I went on took a group of students to the southern coast of Italy, where we took boating trips to island beaches and explored underwater caves. 

The housing accommodations we were afforded couldn’t have been more ideal; we were living in Trastevere, one of Rome’s historical neighborhoods, which is mainly inhabited by students. In the evenings there were always people about and things to do, and the food was not only delicious but affordable. Through JCU I was able to forge international connections—with the degree-seeking Italian students, as well as with other American students from all over the country. I’ve just come back from visiting my roommate from this summer at her university, USC, and she plans to come to Hopkins soon. 

Last but certainly not least, the dining hall food at JCU is incomparable to any other place—I would recommend this program just for the food!