Rome is the capital city of Italy that is known for its historical architecture such as the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Colosseum. The city is also a favorite destination for students and workers from all around the world. It coupled with the warm openness of Italian citizens to newcomers, making this city comfortable to be called a second home after beloved Indonesia. A few days after arriving in Rome, I and my friends had the chance to cook soto ayam and spicy tempe goreng for our new neighbors as a culinary exchange and appreciation to their help in teaching us important things to know to live here. We received homemade Italian food like spaghetti with Italian mozzarella cheese and BBQ meats cooked with savory seasoning.
The new semester has come and we are invited by the International Office of the Sapienza University to receive welcoming gifts such as books, tote bags, and ballpoints with the university’s name on them. IISMA Students Team had also prepared an Indonesian gift for the Sapienza University, which is the Wayang Arjuna placard and on it is written “Terima Kasih dari Delegasi Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) 2021”. As the largest university in Italy, the courses offered are plenty, ranging from undergraduate and master’s level, and are taught by various faculties. There are also many extracurricular activities offered like swimming, rugby, basketball, beach volleyball, archery, to the opportunity to be part of the Ancient Greek Theatre team, music concerts, and orchestra. As a law student at the Universitas Tanjungpura, I wouldn’t miss the chance to study law at Sapienza University, so I picked European Union Law course. This class has just started today, September 27th, 2021, and the professor has prepared some learning activities such as projects, presentations, analysis, and a conference entitled “Conference on The Future of Europe”, which can be attended by all students. In addition, I will also participate in archery extracurricular activities that will be starting on October 1st, 2021.
There is a myth that Sapienza University students believe about this Minerva Statue behind me. It is said that students who look into the eyes of the Minerva Statue will have a difficult time studying in the university, so it will be difficult for them to graduate. When taking pictures, I and the other IISMA friends accidentally looked into the eyes of the Minerva statue. Hopefully, we can have a smooth studying time. Here is a collection of photos of our activities in Rome.
By: Sophia Clara Anastasia
