This semester I was chosen to study abroad in Tuscania, Italy. I had never traveled to another country before, so I was very excited and nervous. My flight took about 9 hours in total, and I had to make a stop in Copenhagen first. Unfortunately I couldn’t leave the airport and explore, so, to be continued, I guess. When I arrived in Rome I met up with the rest of my group and we boarded a bus for Tuscania. 

The city of Tuscania is quite a sight to behold – picture an Italian countryside town and then a thousand times more beautiful. Our host school, Lorenzo Di Medici, gave us walking tours around the city so we could become more familiar with our surroundings. The town felt like a maze with its twists and turns. A lot of the parks overlooked the rolling hills outside the city walls and the sight just puts you at ease. I am not ashamed to admit that I have sat and stared at the scenery for 2 hours straight, I lost track of time. It’s easily my favorite part of the town sometimes I will eat lunch here accompanied by the many cats that wander around during the day and the pigeons that live in the small cracks of 15th century buildings. I did some exploring by myself and I have discovered some amazing sites. My favorite is San Pietro’s Basilica on the outskirts of town. It’s an old basilica built in the 8th century and while abandoned is still breathtaking. Supposedly a lot of movies have been shot here like the 1960s Romeo and Juliet, where the church was used for the scene where they get married.  

Now let’s get to the part everyone is expecting, the food. Let me just get it out of the way. Yes, it is amazing in every sense. I have had quite a first week with food from pizza to even tiramisu. Every bite I take literally brings a tear to my eye; I have to savor every moment.

 Our friends at LDM made sure to show us some of the best spots in the city and they did not disappoint. My personal favorite was the first restaurant we all went to called Il Terziere Di Poggio. Let me tell you from the bottom of my heart, the carbonara I had there tasted so good I questioned if it was even real. I have had many amazing pasta dishes before, but this easily takes the #1 spot. 

Another culinary delight was a risotto dish I had the other night. Until then I don’t actually think I ever had risotto, so this was quite the first time. The risotto was served with little bits of salmon mixed in and, being from Rhode Island, that was something that definitely pleased me. It was quite the first week I experienced here in Tuscania. Of course, we have a lot planned for the coming 3 ½ months and I can’t wait to share it all with you guys.