Italy | Visit to The Vatican

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By Jessica Helfond

During our second week of the program, we took a field trip to Vatican City. This was the field trip I was looking forward to the most because I had heard so much about the beautiful art and history the Vatican held. Plus, it has important religious significance, which made it even more special to visit. I was not disappointed by what we saw. In my opinion, it was the most incredible place we visited during our month in Rome.

While here, we had a guided tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican Museum has some of the most beautiful art in the entire world. It holds masterpieces, from work by Michelangelo to work by Raphael, and even more. 

In the Vatican Museum, there are four rooms painted by Raphael, fittingly named the Raphael Rooms. The walls of the rooms are covered in various paintings, from scenes of papal ceremonies to scenes with the most famous philosophers. For example, “School of Athens” shows Plato and Aristotle walking down stairs in the center of the painting. They’re surrounded by nearly every significant ancient Greek philosopher or scientist. The painting is incredible, with colors that are still as vibrant today as they were when originally painted. The painting also has such incredible details, it’s almost as if it’s a picture. 

After the Vatican Museum, we visited the Sistine Chapel. No photography is allowed in the chapel because of its religious significance, but the chapel is magnificent. The entire chapel—walls and ceiling—are covered in Michelangelo’s frescoes. He painted the entire chapel completely on his own in twenty months. There are various religious scenes all along the ceiling and walls, with incredible colors, shadows, and details. It’s incredible that one person was able to paint such an immaculate work of art. 

After exiting the Sistine Chapel, we went into St. Peter’s Basilica. Walking into the building is breathtaking. You’re greeted with an immense room, complete with pillars that reach high into the air and ceilings that curve even higher. The basilica is so large, the floor is engraved with a list of other basilicas that can all fit inside of St. Peter’s basilica. The ceilings have the most incredible detailing on them, and much of the room has shining gold accents. To the right and left, there are separate rooms that are filled with spectacular paintings, sculptures, and artwork.

At the end of the main aisle, there is a massive bronze masterpiece, known as the baldachin, which was sculpted by Bernini—an incredibly famous sculptor from the 17th century. The basilica is full of beautiful artwork, and you can spend hours looking around and still find new things to see. It’s incredible to think that such incredible artwork was created with such little technology, and still remains standing as beautiful as ever. 

Vatican City, complete with the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica holds some of the most beautiful sights in the world. It’s a must see in Rome, and an incredible experience. It’s my favorite thing I saw in all of Italy, and I hope one day to go back to see its beauty again.

Jessica Helfond studied abroad in Rome in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/italian-rome/ 

Italy | 24 Hours in Florence

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By Jessica Helfond

After our third week in Rome, our entire program took a trip to Florence. This trip was my favorite weekend in the program because we were able to explore an entirely new city. On Friday morning, we all took a charter bus to Florence, which was about a 4 hour ride. Once we got there, we had some free time in which we got pasta and gelato for lunch.

After lunch, we had to meet by the Duomo. We were walking in a small alleyway, and all the sudden the road opened up to a giant piazza and we were able to see Florence’s famous Duomo for the first time. The architecture is so detailed, and the building has such intricate designs with red and green coloring. It was the most beautiful exterior of a building I saw throughout the entire program. Once we finished admiring the building, we all climbed the watchtower, located right next to the Duomo. There were over 400 stairs, and it was a trek to say the least. However, the view made it more than worth it. We could stop as we made our way up and were able to look out over the rust colored rooftops of Florence. 

Finally, we reached the top, and the best view was revealed: the famous domed rooftop of the Duomo. Domed buildings were very rare in Italian architecture when this was built, and it was amazing that they could get (and keep) such a large dome structure standing. We were at the highest point of the city, and could see all of the surrounding areas. It was an absolutely breathtaking view, and made the climb more than worth it.

After we made our way back down, we had free time for the afternoon until dinner later in the evening. With our free time, we decided to explore Florence, and of course did a little bit of shopping. After wandering around the city for a while, we decided to go to Piazzale Michelangelo, which was a viewpoint across the river that overlooked the main city center of Florence.

The view was absolutely beautiful, and we were able to see the famous Arno River, Ponte Vecchio, and Duomo from afar. We then walked back down along the river, all the way to the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. This is one of the most iconic spots in Florence, and has a TON of shops (especially for jewelry) all along it. We were able to admire yet another one of Florence’s beautiful views as we walked along the bridge, and eventually made our way to the restaurant where we ate dinner.

We had a great dinner with a variety of bruschetta, meats, and cheeses for appetizers, and then meat and potatoes for dinner. They were classic Florentine dishes, as opposed to the pasta Rome is so well known for. Dinner was so fun because we were able to talk for hours while enjoying a great meal. In Italy, that’s what food is all about: being able to share it with your company as you chat the evening away. It was a great end to an incredible day. Our trip to Florence was one of my favorite parts of my entire study abroad experience, and I completely recommend visiting this charming city.

Jessica Helfond studied abroad in Rome in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/italian-rome/ 

Italy | Gelato, Gelato, and…More Gelato

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By Jessica Helfond

I know I already posted about food, but I feel as though dessert is deserving of its own post. Because let’s be honest, we all know dessert in Italy is incredible. Rome is known for its specific desserts, and they are each done to absolute perfection.

Let’s get started with the big one: gelato. The gelato in Rome is unlike any sort of ice cream dessert I have ever tasted before. Gelato in Rome was so soft and creamy, and had the most incredible flavor. A quick tip on how to know if the gelato is good: it should be very soft and smooth, and should NOT be firm. Say goodbye to the scoops we know in America, and hello to smooth, creamy goodness. 

Most gelato shops in Rome had a wide variety of fruity flavors, considering southern Italy (near Rome) is known for growing incredible citrus fruits, and the tuscany region is known for growing other delicious fruits. The fruity flavors ranged from lemon to strawberry, and even all the way to peach and melon. 

While the fruity flavors are all delicious, I’m going to be honest and say I’m way more of a chocolate or nut flavored gelato person. And let me tell you, these flavors did not disappoint. As simple as it may seem, dark chocolate gelato was one of my favorite flavors, despite having tried far more exciting ones. It’s simple, yet so good. Plus, it goes great with so many other flavors. Some other flavors I liked were tiramisu (I’ll discuss the actual dessert later) and coffee (although be warned: coffee in Italy is STRONG). Another one of my favorite combinations was hazelnut and pistachio gelato. 

I have to throw in my personal favorite gelato shop: Frigidarium. Located about 10 minutes southwest of the Pantheon, spending 2 euros on a huge, delicious gelato was a no brainer most days. Plus, it was right by our study center, so how could we resist going? They had a special flavor named after their shop: Frigidarium. It was chocolate and cookie flavored, and the best gelato I had my entire month in Rome. I also loved this shop because you had the option of getting either whipped cream, dark chocolate, or white chocolate on top, plus a cookie. Needless to say, gelato in Rome is an absolute MUST HAVE. It makes for a great after dinner dessert, or even a mid-afternoon snack to try to beat the heat.

Although gelato reigns supreme, I do have to mention a few other sweet treats. Rome was full of shops that had Sicilian cannolis. They had cream flavored, pistachio flavored (my personal favorite), orange flavored, and even nutella filled cannolis. They’re a perfect little dessert to have with an espresso in the afternoon, or just because they’re delicious.

And last, but by no means least: homemade tiramisu. Most restaurants will have this for dessert after dinner or lunch, and I could not recommend it more. Plus, many restaurants like to put their own twist on it, so it’s great to try it at a variety of places. 

Needless to say, desserts in Rome are absolutely divine. The ingredients are so fresh, which creates desserts with incredible flavor. So go forth, and try all of the gelato. You will not be disappointed.

Jessica Helfond studied abroad in Rome in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/italian-rome/ 

Italy | Decisions, Decisions…

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By Jessica Helfond

In this blogpost, I thought it was only fitting to tell you how I ended up studying abroad in Rome in the first place. So, that’s exactly what I’m here to do.

My decision to study abroad in Rome was a pretty easy one. For as long as I can remember, Italy has been my #1 travel location. Over the years, I spent hours and hours looking up pictures and tips from other people’s trips to Italy (and yes, I do have a corresponding pinterest board to prove it). From the incredible food, to the beautiful art and architecture, and even to the rich history, I was deeply interested in and excited by Italy.

When I was in high school, I learned about studying abroad in college. I always thought that would be so cool. Taking classes in a foreign country? What’s not to love about that? So, I knew I had to eventually study abroad in college. Combine my desire to study abroad with my interest for Italian culture, and that’s when I knew I was going to somehow find a way to study abroad in Italy.

And now we fast forward to fall 2018: my first quarter at UCLA. I had been talking to some friends who were a year older than me and were planning on studying abroad the following summer. This sparked my interest. I ended up going back to my dorm, and googling studying abroad during the summer at UCLA. And that’s how I ended up on the UCLA International Education Office webpage. I ended up clicking the summer travel study option and searching by country, and saw that there were two programs in Italy. 

After looking at the classes offered by each program, it was clear that the Italian Renaissance and Modernity program was the one for me. Somehow, the classes offered perfectly aligned with the classes I still needed to take at my time at UCLA. I needed a historical analysis GE and to fulfill my language requirement, which were two of the three classes available to take during the program (don’t worry, a full blog post on academics is coming soon).

So, I scheduled an appointment with the Italian program coordinator, Jenn. That meeting told me everything I needed to know, from housing accommodations, to tips for traveling abroad, and even to scholarship options. And I’ll be honest, as someone who had never even been out of the country before, I needed all the help I could get. After a few more meetings and several phone calls to my parents, I had registered to study abroad during Summer 2019 in Rome, Italy. 

My decision to study abroad in the Italian Renaissance and Modernity program in Rome was easy. It was the perfect location with the perfect classes. I know it isn’t that easy for everyone, but there are plenty of resources to help you figure out where and how to study abroad, starting with UCLA’s advisors. They helped me figure out how to go on an adventure of a lifetime, and I would not have ended up studying abroad without them.

So, even if you have only the slightest interest in studying abroad, do some research. Talk to people. Inquire. It doesn’t hurt to ask around. And who knows, if you do end up studying abroad, it just might end up being one of the best choices you’ve ever made. I know mine was.

Jessica Helfond studied abroad in Rome in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/italian-rome/ 

Italy | Religion in Rome

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By Jessica Helfond

Rome is known for being a religious epicenter, given its rich history with the Catholic church over the centuries. Although Rome is widely known for being right near Vatican City, it’s home to more than just the famous St. Peter’s Basilica. Scattered all throughout Rome are numerous other churches, which are full of beautiful artwork and architecture. The churches throughout Rome are often housed in very plain, discreet buildings; however, you walk in and they are anything but simple.

I’ll start with one church our professor took us to: the Santa Maria Sopra Minerva Basilica. It was a plain white building, but when we entered the building, there were immaculately painted walls and ceilings. This church is actually where (most of) Saint Catherine’s body is buried. I say “most of” because her head and one of her pointer fingers are still in Siena, where she lived most of her life. This is because they’re kept as religious relics, which is what allows someone to call a church a basilica. For those of you that don’t know, St. Catherine of Siena had religious visions starting at a very young age. She dictated them to a scribe because she never learned how to write. She also wrote letters to the pope himself, telling him to bring the papacy back to Rome. At this time, the papacy had moved to Avignon, France. It was remarkable that at this time a young girl was telling the pope—one of the most powerful men in the world—what to do. 

Back to talking about the church—it was absolutely beautiful. There were a bunch of smaller chapels inside with gorgeous paintings. Even if you’re not religious, this church is absolutely beautiful to see. There is incredible artwork, architecture, and stained glass windows. Everywhere you look, there’s something interesting to see.

Another church I would recommend going into is the Pantheon. The Pantheon is another one of Rome’s iconic buildings given its rich history. Although it’s famous, I didn’t know the Pantheon was a church until I went inside and saw the altar. The building itself is incredible—it’s one of Rome’s only domed buildings. Not only is the building a dome, but it’s built of concrete, which is so difficult to make structurally sound in a dome shape. Yet another incredible feature of the roof is the hole in the middle of it. In the past, the ancient Romans were able to tell what time it was based on where the sun fell inside the building.

The Pantheon is one of the most architecturally impressive buildings in all of Rome, and is a must see while in the eternal city. As a quick sidenote, there’s a DELICIOUS gelato shop right near the Pantheon. It’s a sicilian gelato shop, which means it’s known for its citrus flavors—the citrus symphony flavor was incredible. I would also recommend their dark chocolate and walnut, ricotta, and honey flavors.

Now, back to churches in Rome (I couldn’t resist mentioning gelato briefly). Going into random churches led me to see beautiful sights that I would have no idea were there otherwise. It’s always a good idea to go explore and see what you can find—you never know what treasures you’ll stumble upon.

Jessica Helfond studied abroad in Rome in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/italian-rome/ 

Italy | Advice for Your Time Abroad

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By Jessica Helfond

My month in Rome was full of unexpected twists and turns. While it all ended up okay, there are a few things I wish I knew before leaving. Here’s some general advice for studying abroad, mixed with some specific tips for studying abroad in Rome.

1. Try new things.

I know what you’re thinking. No kidding, Jessica. Of course you’re going to be trying new things while in a foreign country. Yes, I know it sounds self explanatory! But I do think it’s important to keep in mind. While in a foreign country, you’re constantly surrounded by new, unfamiliar things. Literally everything is different. Because of this unfamiliarity, it can be easy to want to fall back into old habits to find something that feels familiar. Like getting spaghetti every night. Or not going on a spontaneous walk around the city, and instead staying in bed and watching your favorite feel-good show on Netflix. But trust me, keep putting yourself out there and try new things and you won’t regret it. The whole point of going abroad is to have new experiences, and it’s important to keep that in mind throughout your entire trip.

2. Don’t be afraid to be more assertive than normal.

I know, this sounds weird. But this tip is specifically for Rome. Italians are known to be more aggressive. Not in a scary, I’m going to fight you way, but more in a general sense. You have to ask for what you want, especially in a setting like a coffee shop. Waiters aren’t going to be super polite like they are in America (probably because in Italy there are no tips, so they don’t really care), and people aren’t going to wait around for you to make a choice. So you have to know what you want and ask for it, and if you do, you’ll end up getting it.

3. You don’t always need a plan.

Some of my favorite days were spent just wandering around Rome. It’s so fun to explore a new city, and you never know just exactly what you’re going to find. So don’t be afraid to go out for the day and see where it takes you–odds are it’ll be better than you could have imagined.

4. Bring good walking shoes.

I can’t stress this enough. I was told this before I went, but I didn’t realize that Italians walk literally everywhere. I walked over 175 miles in 4 weeks in Rome, so PLEASE bring good walking shoes.

5. Bring extra euros. And then bring a few more.

I made the mistake of not bringing enough euros. I didn’t realize that so many small transactions are based on cash (especially all those two euro gelato purchases). If you run out of euros, you have to find an ATM that most likely has terrible exchange rates and usage fees, so you’ll end up spending way more money than you want. Using cash is ESSENTIAL, so bring more euros than you think you’ll need. Odds are, you’ll use them.

6. Public transportation will be ridiculously crowded. It’s okay.

I can’t even describe how crowded public transit in Rome is. Imagine a bus or metro with so many bodies in it, you are pressed up against people all around you (if you can’t imagine that, think about sardines in a can). It might seem like I’m exaggerating, but I’m really not. There are times when it’s so crowded, the vehicle cannot physically hold another body. As unpleasant as that sounds, it’s not that bad. There’s always air conditioning, and you aren’t really on transit for that long, so it goes by quick. 

7. You will make it through.

This is more of a general study abroad trip. Being in an unfamiliar country can seem overwhelming. Now put the stress of taking classes (that do, in fact, count for your GPA) on top of that, and it can seem like way too much. However, it’s doable. And despite how crazy the classes may seem, there’s plenty of time to have fun, make new friends, and go on new adventures while studying abroad. Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime chance, and it’s something that I truly think everyone should experience.

Jessica Helfond studied abroad in Rome in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/italian-rome/