Rome via Brooklyn

Nearing the end of my second week studying abroad in Rome, Italy  I could definitely feel the homesickness starting to kick in. As much as I was enjoying this once in a lifetime experience, I was beginning to miss my family and my routine so for my last free weekend, I planned a trip to Villa Borghese. A simple thirty minute bus ride with a few transfers brought my friend and me to the park, and honestly, it was even more beautiful than I expected. One of my favorite parts was renting a rowboat at the Laghetto di Villa Borghese. It was so peaceful being out on the water especially after spending so much time walking through crowded tourist attractions during the past two weeks.

The park reminded me so much of Prospect Park back home in Brooklyn. It almost felt like I had escaped the city for a little while as throughout this trip, I realized something about myself. I actually prefer the quieter, more village like places over the major tourist attractions. While seeing famous monuments has been incredible, I’ve found that I enjoy wandering through neighborhoods, parks, and local cafés much more. Those places feel more authentic and allow me to experience what everyday life is like in Italy.

After spending the afternoon at the park, my friend and I headed to a Yemeni restaurant, one of the very few in all of Italy. Throughout my time abroad, I honestly haven’t come across many people from Yemen, so simply walking into the restaurant immediately felt comforting. It reminded me so much of home. My mom owns a Yemeni restaurant back in New York City, so being there felt especially meaningful. I immediately FaceTimed her to show her the restaurant, and together we pointed out all the similarities and little differences between their cooking and hers. It was a really special moment for me. I ordered a traditional Yemeni stew with shredded meat, and it was absolutely delicious. Sitting there made me realize how proud I am of my culture and made me so happy to see people from all different backgrounds enjoying Yemeni cuisine. Food really has a way of bringing people together regardless of language or where you’re from.

One thing that made me smile was communicating with the restaurant owners as they didn’t speak English, and I don’t speak Italian, so we naturally switched to Arabic. After spending weeks trying to learn bits of Italian, it felt comforting to have a conversation in a language that reminded me of home. It was one of those unexpected moments that made me enjoy traveling. 

To end the day we stopped at a very popular gelato shop nearby. The place was packed and had a ticket system before you could even order, it honestly reminded me of waiting in line at the school cafeteria because there were so many people. Despite the wait, it completely lived up to the hype. I ordered chocolate and banana, and I’ve officially decided that’s the best gelato combination ever. It was easily one of the best gelatos I had during my entire time in Rome. I would also never get over how they allow you to mix and match ice cream flavors, as an indecisiveness girl that was a dream come true. 

Looking back on my last free weekend, I realized it wasn’t the famous landmarks that made the day so memorable. It was a peaceful boat ride, finding a little piece of Yemen in the middle of Rome, hearing Arabic again, and sharing that experience with my mom over FaceTime. A very lovely day that I will never forget, Ciao!