Occidental College
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Hello from Rome!
Blogger: Madi Tsuji
Hi prospective students and parents!
I’m Madi Tsuji, a junior psychology major and sister of Alpha Lambda Phi Alpha. I’ve blogged in years past, but this semester is special because I am currently abroad in Rome, Italy!
Here’s a little bit about my program:
Oxy has a longstanding relationship with Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., and Oxy regularly sends students studying abroad to Trinity College’s Rome Campus. This semester there are six Oxy students in Rome. Students are housed in a hotel that Trinity rents out rooms from, or they are housed in the convent where they live among the nuns. Meals and classes are in the convent, and we also have a library facility with additional classroom space. I’m living in the hotel, and though my single room is small, it’s far from spartan. I have my own bathroom and A/C, which is more than I could have asked for. Trinity is one of the few Oxy programs that doesn’t have a language requirement, and I am doing just fine in Rome with my limited Italian. I do hope to get better as the semester goes on.
My preparation for Rome wasn’t too difficult. You have to be accepted by both Trinity and Oxy to be able to go. Once you are accepted, the visa application process starts. To apply you have to prove that you have money and means to leave the country—plus a place to stay during your time in Italy. My advice is to start this earlier rather than later. I didn’t need any vaccinations (if you come to Italy to study bats, you need a rabies vaccine, but thankfully, I have no academic interest in bats). Ultimately, the hardest part was packing. Playing favorites with my clothes and shoes was the worst, and it’s hard to know how much to bring for four months!
I’ve been here a week so far, and I’m in love with Italy. You should come to Italy if you want to eat the best food of your entire life, talk to really nice and friendly Italians, travel all over Europe and Africa, enjoy some pretty intense nightlife, and if you are obsessed with art, history, culture, and politics. Trinity has a good program, and the location is perfect. The city center of Rome (containing the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Il Vittoriano monument building, the seat of the Italian government, and so much more) is a 15-minute walk from Trinity. Ten minutes in the other direction is the Trastevere neighborhood, which is filled with restaurants, cafes, bars, and clubs. I also really love my classes so far. Each class takes trips all over Italy and Europe, which is amazing.
I hope to share more with you about my travels, but I’m so busy that it’s been hard to even stay in touch with my parents. (Sorry, mom, I know you’re reading this). Here is the link to my personal travel blog if you’re interested in reading more about my trip as it happens:
Good luck to all prospective students and parents this year! Work hard, stay in school, and I hope to see you at Oxy in a year’s time! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at tsuji@oxy.edu.
Madi