The Undergrads have finished their first month at the ADA! With the theatre students traveling in Ljubljana, Slovenia this week, the music students had the whole villa to themselves! This week’s AdaLife Bloggers are  music students Rose Shue, Elysia Hempel, and Jack Wagner!

Theatre students on their bus ride to Ljubljana!

Rose Shue, Furman University

As I write this, I am sitting on a wall overlooking the city of Arezzo, surrounded by
mountains and so much peace. I’ve been living in Italy for exactly a month now, and
during that time I’ve taken four trips to various landmarks around the country, visited
dozens of churches and museums, attended operas and concerts, and become a gelato
expert. Despite all of that, my favorite moments so far have been the quieter ones. There
is a certain sense here of having space and time to just exist, to listen to each part of
your being and fill yourself with air and sky and music. It is beautiful and breathtaking
every single day.
Last weekend, I went on a trip to Rome with eight other music students. Even though we
were only there for about 35 hours, we visited almost every tourist attraction there is:
the Sistine Chapel, the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and so on. We
even managed to find time to attend a Solemn High Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on
Sunday morning. I will never forget the way I felt as Isat and waited for the mass to
begin, a tiny being in the midst of such a grand space. In that moment, I could feel the
same faith and emotion that is interwoven with the beginnings of so much of our
Western art music. I am fascinated by the idea that someone else sat in that very space
long ago, that they witnessed the creation of sound and were touched by it just as I am
touched by the music I create today.
Needless to say, experiences like these give meaning and context to the music I study in
a way that nothing else can, and I’m so thankful to be here. I can’t wait for what the next
two months have in store!

Elysia Hempel, Goucher College
Here is a video of the music students who traveled to Rome for the weekend making a wish andtossing coins into the Trevi Fountain!

This past weekend, nine music students visited the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Roman Capital Building, the Vatican as well as modern art museums. The amount of culture and history that one can find in Rome is incredible. I high recommend visiting the Eternal City if you are in search of a unique, educational and breathtaking trip!

Theatre students arrive in Ljubljana!

Jack Wagner, Furman University
Things I’ve learned from living in Italy for a month…

Internet is a nonessential.

      WiFi here is anything but reliable, but after freaking out because
you can’t finish a SNL skit, you begin to realize that it’s infinitely more valuable to
invest your time into the people and places around you than stupid videos.

Tough times are not exclusive to States.

      While it may seem inconceivable, Italy is not
always paradise, and life is still life no matter where you may be. And sometimes life
sucks. But it’s during these times that it’s important to take a step back and
appreciate the beauty around you.

Adjust quickly.

     Things will not always go as planned or how you envisioned a certain
grandiose Italian experience to pan out. Tough. It’s more important to roll with the
punches and take experiences as they unfold in front of you. It’s often the unscripted
moments that are the most memorable.

Lose yourself sometimes.

     Some of the best restaurants I’ve tried in the past month have
been found only because a group of us wandered and walked into it by chance. The
side-streets are full of hidden gems, and sometimes it takes getting lost to have the
best panino of your life.

Y not?

   Study abroad is (for most people) a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the memories
made during our short stay here are ones that will remain with us the rest of our
lives. Now is the time to take chances and push yourself past your comfort zone,
because you never know what sort of adventure and experience lies ahead.