Take Me With You Podcast

(Ep. 110) Studying Abroad in Rome with Christine Munson

December 07, 2020 Ryan & Cheryl Season 3 Episode 6
Take Me With You Podcast
(Ep. 110) Studying Abroad in Rome with Christine Munson
Show Notes

Christine joins us to share about a unique study abroad experience she had in Rome...right before COVID! Hear about her experience in Italy, and what it was like seeing COVID hit there. 


  • How does a study abroad work? 
    • Part of the international human rights capstone project 
    • Decided to go to Rome 4 weeks before departure 
  • UW has a center/campus in Rome! 
    • Campo di Fiorre 
  • Capstone Project: Specific Military defenses for EU by 2030 
  • Class trips to Naples & Florence 
  • The food 
    • Carbonara 
      • It’s like the italian equivalent of mac n cheese (comfort food) 
    • Favorite restaurant 
      • Little mom & pop place where the waiter ate whatever you ordered, so he would tell her what to order...and it was always good 
  • Of the major touristy things she saw, what does she recommend to see and what isn’t worth the time 
    • Skip the Colosseum 
      • The history is just depressing 
      • The inside isn’t as interesting 
      • You can walk around the outside for free 
    • Go to the Forum 
      • Spend the whole day there 
      • Pay the extra few dollars to get a pass to see the extra things 
        • Projectors display what it used to look like 
      • Eat food before you go 
    • Go to Vatican City 
      • Papal address - special audience with the pope 
      • Tickets, but doesn’t cost a lot 
      • She got there at 6am and it started at 8am 
      • The address was 2 hours long, but she was in the front row! 
      • She got to shake hands with Pope Francis! 
  • COVID in Italy 
    • The government was downplaying things while she was there saying it wasn’t that bad 
      • She wasn’t aware how freaked out people were about Italy until she came home 
    • Was home by March 4th 
    • Went to Trevi fountain and there was no one there (it’s usually packed) 
      • No one at the Pantheon 
    • Everyone who was walking around had suitcases 
  • Had planned a whole trip in N Italy with parents after the end of her study abroad 
    • Parents knew things before she did (people in Italy weren’t talking about it) 
  • Applied to Peace Corps while in Italy 
    • Was going to teach English in the Caribbean in June 
  • Was going to be teaching English in Spain 
  • Had applied for year long internship in Rome 


Wish You Were Here 

Cheryl: Evangeline, New Orleans, LA 

Christine: Joe's Shanghai, Manhattan, NY 

Ryan: Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Slovenia 


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Leave us a voicemail (or text message): (406)763-8699 

Email: tmwypodcast@gmail.com 

Follow Christine’s dogs: @beaufordandpeaches