Lexi Hoernschmeyer: LeadAbroad – GORome Program in Rome, Italy Summer 2022
This past summer I studied abroad in Rome, Italy. When I was looking for a roommate, a girl in my sorority messaged me about rooming together while we studied abroad. We ended up being roommates, despite not knowing each other super well. we traveled the whole of Italy with one another, from one point to the other. We found a group of friends with other students on the program, all from different schools in the U.S. The group of us ended up becoming super close over our 5-week program, and experienced highs like seeing the sunset in Florence to lows like being trapped in an elevator in Milan. But the experiences were all worth it.
The two of us, along with some of our other friends decided to go to the top of St. Peter’s one day. We got up early to avoid waiting in the insane lines, and made our way to Vatican City. We opted to not pay the extra for the elevator portion of the climb, not realizing we were climbing over 600 stairs. Some wide and others very, very narrow. By the time we were almost at the top, we debated turning around after not being able to feel our legs anymore, being completely soaked with sweat, and winded. But we continued and reached the top, and I’ve never been so thankful for something. When you are at the top, you overlook all of Rome. I was able to see the neighborhood we were living in, the Piazza De Popolo, the Vatican gardens. It was one of the best experiences, and I got to experience it with people who just 5 days before were complete strangers but ended up becoming some of my closest friends.
