Last Updated on June 28, 2023 by AIFS Abroad
AIFS in Rome (Spring 2015) alum, Stephanie, reached out to us in honor of Valentine’s Day to show some love to her study abroad squad! You know what they say — study abroad friends are the best kinds of friends.
Although I didn’t meet the love of my life abroad, I did meet the LOVES of my life.
Like any other girl studying in Rome, I secretly wanted to live out the Lizzie McGuire movie fantasy. Finding the Paolo to my Isabella in the sea of tourists at the Trevi Fountain would be an ultimate ROMEance. Even though I did not get to live out this fantasy, I did manage to form the greatest friendships that I will ever come to know.
We grew as close as can be, feeling like the modern day cast of F.R.I.E.N.D.S., complete with our very own version of Ross and Rachel — Michael and Kara — who actually did fall in love after meeting in the Eternal City. On the weekends we traveled to Ireland, Ibiza, Croatia, Greece, and Morocco, immersing ourselves in new cultures and growing deeper in the bonds we formed. On weekdays, we would meet up at gelato shops or cafes, host wine and cheese nights, and one time we even held a mac and cheese cook-off.
When it was time to journey back to the States, us “Rhomies” decided to never let distance get between us. We went from traveling all across Europe together to then traveling all over the United States together. From Rhode Island, to New Hampshire, to Chicago, to California, to New York and beyond, our friendships have gone the distance. So no, I never found ‘the one’ abroad, but I certainly did find the ones I could make lifelong friendships with.
Reunions in the United States:
Interested in studying abroad in Rome like Stephanie and her squad did? Check out our semester, academic year, summer, and January-term programs in the Eternal City.
