Why Rome Was the Best City in the World to Study Abroad at Oxford

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I entered an essay contest in my final year of college to study history at Oxford—and I won. Yet, I was and wasn’t surprised. I entered the year before, and my professor told me I would have saved time by just telling them I wanted a free European vacation. I did. Initially, I thought having a study abroad at Oxford on my resume would open doors for me after graduation. While I’m sure it didn’t hurt. The doors it opened were not necessarily career-oriented. That solo trip to Europe ignited a fire in my belly—a passion for travel that still burns today. It all began with a week of studying history in Rome.

Table of Contents

1. What can studying in Rome teach you about Studying Abroad?
2. How did I apply for the Study Abroad Program at Oxford University?
3. How a Week in Rome Made Me Ready for My Study Abroad at Oxford.
4. Bumped Off My Flight
5. Robbed on the Bus
6. Traveling Cheap
7. A Hostel Too Far from the Action
8. Searching for a Hotel Room with a Phone
9. My New Hotel Overlooking the Forum
10. An Education on Roman ATMs
11. Like it? Pin it!

How did I apply for the Study Abroad Program at Oxford University?

When I was a junior at Columbus State University in Georgia, I applied for a Spencer Scholarship to study history and architecture. Soon after, my husband Steven was reassigned to Colorado Springs, so I applied to the University of Colorado and was awarded the scholarship there. The Spencer family and the University of California, Berkeley, sponsored the scholarship. I wrote about how the United Kingdom uses video surveillance software much more extensively than the United States. I also pointed out that this technology doesn’t guarantee our safety and isn’t as popular here. However, I argued that it’s likely to become more common in the US because our Constitution doesn’t guarantee privacy as a fundamental right. I guess it was good enough for that European vacation afterall.

I am a contributor to KoreabyMe, an online magazine for expats living abroad in South Korea. Check it out here.

How a Week in Rome Made Me Ready for My Study Abroad at Oxford.

Discovering a Passion for Travel

Before the semester began, I spent a couple of weeks in Rome. For an architecture student, it was the chance of a lifetime. The city felt like a living museum, with layers of history in every building. Walking those streets made it easier to see how architecture evolved and what shaped those changes. It also trained me to notice the smallest details. To this day, I’ll never confuse an Ionic column with a Corinthian one.

That time in Rome sparked something in me. I discovered a passion for travel and a real urge to step outside my comfort zone. The scholarship covered my tuition, flights, lodging, and meals while I studied history at Oxford, but it also gave me more than that. I never imagined I’d study History and Architecture in Rome—neither did anyone else.

It took my whole family to make it possible. My husband couldn’t watch the kids, so my mom moved in to help. And my husband pieced together a plan so I could have my own modest Grand Tour of Europe, and it all began in Rome.

Bumped Off My Flight

When I left Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport, it was 93˚. By the time I landed at London’s Heathrow, the temperature had dropped to a chilly 59˚. But London wasn’t my final stop. My study abroad at Oxford wouldn’t begin for a few weeks, so I decided to head straight to the city at the top of my bucket list—Rome.

Studying at Oxford was already a dream come true, and adding Rome to the journey felt like the icing on the cake. As luck would have it, my connecting flight to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport was overbooked. Since no one was waiting for me in Rome, I gave up my seat for 250£—about $400—and caught a later flight. That extra cash allowed me to splurge on a small hotel room with a view.

Robbed on the Bus

I had never been to England, but I’d heard the weather could swing wildly. So I packed everything I thought I might need. My mom helped, so I’ll blame her for the serious overpacking. I arrived with two large suitcases, a backpack, and a rolling weekender. I met the local color right away—on a crowded bus, no less.

About fifteen minutes into the ride to my hotel, I thought an older man was scolding me. Dressed in khaki shorts, black socks, and sandals, he suddenly shouted across the bus. I had no idea what he was saying until he shoved three teenagers off at the next stop.

Then he touched my shoulder gently, smiled, and pointed to the floor. At my feet were at least two dollars’ worth of American coins. The girls had unzipped my purse. Oh my God. I hadn’t even started my trip to Rome yet, and I was already being robbed. Nothing screams tourist like losing money within 30 minutes of arrival.

Traveling Cheap

I’m Not the Hostel Kinda Gal

It took two transfers and a long walk uphill to reach what I thought was a budget hotel. I was shocked to see the small sign over the arched doorway that read the hostel in bright red letters. The lobby was tiny, more like a large foyer, but I was happy to see it was staffed. The woman at the desk turned the radio down and smiled; Stacey Peters, she said in such a thick, almost indistinguishable Italian accent. She said her name was Daria. She hugged me, kissing me lightly on each cheek.

A Hostel Too Far from the Action

She handed me a padlock and key and directed me to #5, a closet-like room with shared access to a bathroom. I’ve never seen a room locked with a padlock on the outside and a deadbolt on the inside. However, the room was clean. And that’s about all I can say about that room. Except there was a pretty little vase on the side table. It had tiny rosebuds and delicate lattice-like etching that formed the base.

I heaved my bags into the only empty corner and sat on the edge of the bed for a closer look. Surprise, surprise, it was glued to the tabletop. I scanned the room for a phone. No phone. After a quick bathroom tour and meeting some of my fellow hostel mates, who were also on their study abroad journey to Oxford, I had seen enough. I decided to use the 250£ I got from British Airways to upgrade my hotel.

Searching for a Hotel Room with a Phone

After sending a quick email to my husband, I spent most of the night on the computer in the lobby. I was searching for a hotel closer to the city center—one with air conditioning, my own bathroom, and a phone. Up until that point, I assumed those things were a given. It was only my first day, and I was already realizing how much I still had to learn.

That was my only experience with a hostel—until Switzerland. I didn’t sleep well that night because I was far outside my comfort zone. I made it through, but if I had known how many similar experiences were ahead of me, I might have felt differently. Maybe it would have been easier if I had been a traditional college student in my early 20s. But I wasn’t. I was a married woman in my 40s, with two kids back home. I needed more comfort—and definitely my own bathroom.

First thing in the morning, I called a taxi.

My New Hotel Overlooking the Forum

My new hotel near the Piazza Venezia was a considerable step up on the European scale. It was an actual hotel with a real lobby. It’s a room I could walk around on three sides of the bed: working air conditioning, a bathroom, and a phone. In addition, there was a business center with several computers and a rooftop terrace with a spectacular view of the Coliseum, the Victor Emmanuel monument, and bits and pieces of the Roman Forum.

Where I Stayed: Hotel Forum, Rome
Tucked beside the ancient Roman Forum, Hotel Forum blends old-world charm with one of the best rooftop views in the city. From its panoramic terrace, guests can gaze at the Colosseum, Trajan’s Market, and the Victor Emmanuel II Monument while enjoying breakfast or a glass of wine.

📍 Address: Via Tor de’ Conti, 25-30, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
📌 Google Pin

An Education on Roman ATMs

The first thing I did was try to call my husband back in Colorado, only to find out I needed a phone card. My ATM card didn’t work. I forgot to pack washcloths. And I had way too many suitcases—stories for another day. I grabbed my city guide, dropped off the five-pound key at the front desk, and stepped through the double glass doors into history to buy one.

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