Madi Overlooking the Forum in Rome
Roaming Rome With Madi Schreyer
September 02, 2016 | Softball
This summer, Madi had the opportunity to study in Rome, Italy through the Department of English. Read about her experiences in her blog...
At the beginning of the summer, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to participate in one of the best experiences of my life through
UW's Department of English. With the support and amazing letters of recommendation from Coach Heather
Tarr, Coach Ashley Andrews, and Academic Advisor Liberty Bracken, I was accepted into the UW Creative Writing Abroad Program for Summer A-term in Rome, Italy. A few weeks after season ended, I was going to travel (for the first time) to the center of Italy to study culture, literature and history! I could not wait to be in Rome and surrounded by all its beauty. And better yet, my mom and younger sister had decided to take the trip for the whole month of the program with me!
In my opinion, all student-athletes and students alike should try to experience study abroad programs if they can. They are truly one the most life-changing and exciting ways to submerge yourself into a culture other than your own and come out with some credits to add to your diploma. Plus, you get the chance to eat some pretty incredible food (and that was honestly one of the best parts)! So I was off to Italy for a month. In late July, I met my 24 classmates and the three program directors, Johnny Horton, Rebecca Hoogs and Sierra Nelson. While I had never met any of my classmates before, we quickly became good friends and made memories that I will never forget. I am grateful that I was able to meet new people that I normally wouldn't have made relationships with if I hadn't participated in this experience abroad.
As a class, we met two times a day, six days a week with Sundays off. In order to fit the 15 credits worth of three classes into a month program, it was very intensive and our weekly schedule was jam-packed with museum and garden visits, trips to the markets and around the piazzas, and even a few excursions into the Tuscany region of Italy. We walked most days (sometimes up to 11 miles a day- I definitely got my cardio in!), took trains, buses and trams to some of the farther sites. I saw some of the most beautiful works of art: sculptures by Borrimini and Bernini, colorful frescos by Giotto, paintings by Michelangelo, and so many other unforgettable pieces. We went in at least 17 churches in Rome, Assisi and other Tuscan regions, which
allowed me to view the amazing architecture and painted ceilings. The church and museum ceilings were some of my favorites because of the intricate details and historic significance that went along with each individual site. One of my favorite places visited was Villa D'Este in Tivoli. Villa D'este is a 16th century villa near Rome which is famous for its hidden Renaissance gardens and profusion of fountains, and is now a museum.
In the middle of the program, we had a 5-day break and I was able to visit travel to Venice and Florence with my mom, Chantelle, and my younger sister, Zoe. Venice was my favorite city because of the water canals that flow through the city, and the quaint little homes overlooking the gazebos that pass below. My mom spoiled us a little bit and we stayed in a gorgeous hotel and went on tours of Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. Zoe also celebrated her 9th birthday in Venice, which was a fun addition to the weekend trip! Florence was also very unique city to visit because of the different cuisine and the street markets that are famous for selling real Italian leather.
The UW Creative Writing Study Abroad provided me with priceless experiences and memories that I am so grateful to have had this summer. As a creative writing major, I was able to write about fresh experiences surrounded by different culture than my own as well as learn about the literature and history of a country I never knew much about. I was able to eat the best pizza I've ever had at Ivo's in Trastevere. I ate gelato almost every day and learned about Italian wines. I made new friends that I normally wouldn't have met besides through large English lectures. I hiked up the Roman hills and strolled down city streets passing closed doors of apartments where busy and bustling Italians live their lives everyday. I purchased sweet apricots from the street markets that were 50x better than any apricots I've ever tasted. I was blessed to have spent so much time with my mom and sister over so many 9 p.m. dinners and cross-country train trips. I memorized Keats' Ode to a Grecian Urn and visited his grave in the Protestant Cemetery. I ate my weight in fresh pasta and even made my own spaghetti and ravioli on a rooftop terrace overlooking the city. I am so thankful I was able to participate in this program through UW's English Department for a month this summer because it allowed me to see the world through a different lens and adventure to new places while enjoying some extremely delicious food and drinks (especially the cappuccinos!).
-Madi Schreyer
At the beginning of the summer, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to participate in one of the best experiences of my life through UW's Department of English. With the support and amazing letters of recommendation from Coach HeatherTarr, Coach Ashley Andrews, and Academic Advisor Liberty Bracken, I was accepted into the UW Creative Writing Abroad Program for Summer A-term in Rome, Italy. A few weeks after season ended, I was going to travel (for the first time) to the center of Italy to study culture, literature and history! I could not wait to be in Rome and surrounded by all its beauty. And better yet, my mom and younger sister had decided to take the trip for the whole month of the program with me!
In my opinion, all student-athletes and students alike should try to experience study abroad programs if they can. They are truly one the most life-changing and exciting ways to submerge yourself into a culture other than your own and come out with some credits to add to your diploma. Plus, you get the chance to eat some pretty incredible food (and that was honestly one of the best parts)! So I was off to Italy for a month. In late July, I met my 24 classmates and the three program directors, Johnny Horton, Rebecca Hoogs and Sierra Nelson. While I had never met any of my classmates before, we quickly became good friends and made memories that I will never forget. I am grateful that I was able to meet new people that I normally wouldn't have made relationships with if I hadn't participated in this experience abroad.
As a class, we met two times a day, six days a week with Sundays off. In order to fit the 15 credits worth of three classes into a month program, it was very intensive and our weekly schedule was jam-packed with museum and garden visits, trips to the markets and around the piazzas, and even a few excursions into the Tuscany region of Italy. We walked most days (sometimes up to 11 miles a day- I definitely got my cardio in!), took trains, buses and trams to some of the farther sites. I saw some of the most beautiful works of art: sculptures by Borrimini and Bernini, colorful frescos by Giotto, paintings by Michelangelo, and so many other unforgettable pieces. We went in at least 17 churches in Rome, Assisi and other Tuscan regions, which allowed me to view the amazing architecture and painted ceilings. The church and museum ceilings were some of my favorites because of the intricate details and historic significance that went along with each individual site. One of my favorite places visited was Villa D'Este in Tivoli. Villa D'este is a 16th century villa near Rome which is famous for its hidden Renaissance gardens and profusion of fountains, and is now a museum.In the middle of the program, we had a 5-day break and I was able to visit travel to Venice and Florence with my mom, Chantelle, and my younger sister, Zoe. Venice was my favorite city because of the water canals that flow through the city, and the quaint little homes overlooking the gazebos that pass below. My mom spoiled us a little bit and we stayed in a gorgeous hotel and went on tours of Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. Zoe also celebrated her 9th birthday in Venice, which was a fun addition to the weekend trip! Florence was also very unique city to visit because of the different cuisine and the street markets that are famous for selling real Italian leather.
The UW Creative Writing Study Abroad provided me with priceless experiences and memories that I am so grateful to have had this summer. As a creative writing major, I was able to write about fresh experiences surrounded by different culture than my own as well as learn about the literature and history of a country I never knew much about. I was able to eat the best pizza I've ever had at Ivo's in Trastevere. I ate gelato almost every day and learned about Italian wines. I made new friends that I normally wouldn't have met besides through large English lectures. I hiked up the Roman hills and strolled down city streets passing closed doors of apartments where busy and bustling Italians live their lives everyday. I purchased sweet apricots from the street markets that were 50x better than any apricots I've ever tasted. I was blessed to have spent so much time with my mom and sister over so many 9 p.m. dinners and cross-country train trips. I memorized Keats' Ode to a Grecian Urn and visited his grave in the Protestant Cemetery. I ate my weight in fresh pasta and even made my own spaghetti and ravioli on a rooftop terrace overlooking the city. I am so thankful I was able to participate in this program through UW's English Department for a month this summer because it allowed me to see the world through a different lens and adventure to new places while enjoying some extremely delicious food and drinks (especially the cappuccinos!).-Madi Schreyer
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