Come my second weekend in Italy, I had planned two day trips: Saturday in Venice and Sunday in Rome. The only issue: I would be completely alone in Rome. For Venice, I had booked my trip through Smart Trips and had plans to get dinner with some friends, but Rome was booked independently. My plan was as follows: board the Smart Trips bus Saturday morning to Venice, spend my day in Venice, then take an overnight train to Rome, where I would spend my Sunday until my train back to Florence at 6. In the days leading up to the weekend, I was nervous and excited. It was going to be my first time traveling alone – there would be no friends to rely on, no roommates , no classmates. I didn’t even know who would be sitting next to me on the train. But I found myself looking forward to the chance of exploring Rome at my own pace, hitting the landmarks I wanted to hit. My mentality going into the weekend was to be open to new experiences and embrace the independence that comes with navigating alone.
The first road bump I hit was in Venice. My friends had left a little earlier to catch a 7 pm train back to Florence, but my train wasn’t until 10. I decided to fill the free time by wandering the city and visiting the Rialto Bridge, which I hadn’t seen yet. I found a nice place to watch the sunset and rest my feet, and by then it was about time to head to the station and catch my train. Upon arriving at the station, however, I realized my train had been delayed by nearly two hours. I didn’t know what to do. At that point, everything had closed, and I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t feel safe wandering the city after dark, especially alone. I was also growing anxious because this delay meant I would be arriving in Rome around 9. Since my original arrival time was just after 7, I had planned to visit Trevi Fountain as soon as I arrived to hopefully beat the crowd, but I knew this wouldn’t be possible if I arrived at 9. I also had tickets to visit the Colosseum at 1:15, and I wanted to spend the hours between Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum by wandering around the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the museums they had on site. However, with this two hour delay, I didn’t know if I would have the time to explore everything as thoroughly as I wanted to. Dejected, I sat on those train station steps with nothing else to do but wait for my train to arrive.
After a few additional delays, my train finally arrived. Eager to get some rest, I hurried onto the train and found my seat, but I unfortunately did not find the rest I sought. The train lights were bright and on the entire trip, and the cabin itself was freezing. I am usually good at sleeping sitting up (like on cars and planes) which I why I didn’t book a ticket that got me a bed, and present me was regretting that choice. I slept maybe two hours on that train ride, and when I arrived in Rome, I was cranky, stressed, and exhausted. I couldn’t help but feel like my day was ruined and it hadn’t even started yet, but I remembered how excited I had been on Friday for this weekend, so I pushed through.
Pushing through was probably the best decision I’d made during my study abroad so far. Because my train had arrived an hour before schedule, it was just past 8, and when I got to Trevi Fountain, I found it just empty enough to get some stunning pictures free of bystanders. I made friends with a girl sitting next to me, also admiring the fountain’s architecture, when she complimented my bag. In the Roman Forum, I marveled at the centuries-old architecture while eavesdropping on nearby tour guides to catch pieces of history I wouldn’t have known otherwise. Palatine Hill offered a wonderful panoramic view of the ruins, and even though I tripped up some stairs, a kind tourist helped me get up and even offered me a Band-Aid, which I fortunately didn’t need. The Colosseum was an absolute marvel, and I found a nice Japanese tour group who enthusiastically hyped me up as I posed for pictures. To refuel, I found a cute cafe where I ordered a latte that had a cute little heart, to which the barista said, “Yeah, my friend there is an artist.” After the quick break, I walked to Piazza Navona, where I took a picture of a family who was struggling to get the fountain in the picture. My last stop of the day was the Barracco Museum of Antique Sculpture, where I conversed with an employee about my study abroad experience.
My day in Rome was definitely filled with ups and downs, but I am nevertheless so grateful to have gone. Through this, I learned that even though things don’t always go to plan, they have a weird way of working out. Though I was nervous, I will never regret my decision to visit Rome alone. Traveling alone allowed me to grow comfortable in my independence, and I found myself spending more time in the moment. The kindness of everyone around me, the conversations I had with a few locals, and the beauty of the city around me are all things I will never forget.