By the end of my seven-week study abroad program in Rome, I considered it my home. Every morning my roommates and I took the tram from our apartment to class. We passed the same vendors and spoke to the same citizens each morning. Before class we walked up to our favorite café and ordered espressos from Fabio, the barista. What made me feel so at home in Rome was not just its beauty and history embedded in every building and cobblestone path, it was the fact that although I experienced all of the beauty in the city, I also had the opportunity to serve refugees and get a glimpse of how intense the refugee crises that is affecting our entire world is so prevalent in Rome. I saw the beauty, and I saw the reality of life in Rome.

A thirty-minute tram ride from the apartment where I lived in Trastevere, a neighborhood in Rome, is the Roma Termini railway station. After walking out of the station, if you turn down the street and walk about a quarter mile, you come up to a big arch with a gate on one side. Walk past the arch, and you will see groups of homeless people and refugees waiting to be let in to eat. This is Caritas homeless shelter, where a group of my classmates and I volunteered every Monday night. At the shelter we served food, cleaned dishes, and checked people in. Sounds extremely glamourous, right? What we thought was going to be a boring few hours every Monday night turned into a time of self-reflection and actualization. It was sad to see all of the homeless citizens shuffle into the shelter; many of them slept on the streets every single night, yet they came in with smiles on their faces.

One man who will always hold a spot in my heart is Jordan, a refugee from Bulgaria. The first night I met Jordan he explained to me that five years ago he fled Bulgaria and came to Rome. After arriving, he had little guidance and slept on the streets. Five years later and he still does. Recently, Jordan saved enough money up to purchase a phone and can now communicate with his family via Facebook Messenger. Although he is not sure how to obtain his correct documentation to become an Italian citizen, and he is not sure he will ever see his family again, Jordan told me that he still smiles and has hope for a better future. I had never felt so touched in my life. If he could appreciate the few things he has in life, then I can appreciate all the good and bad that comes into my life. I could not imagine if I had decided to not go on this study abroad program because I was able to meet Jordan, someone who has changed my perspective on life forever. 

Name: Hailey Byers
Status: Junior
Major: Advertising Management
Hometown: Marlette, Michigan
Program: Made in Italy