1. Remember whom you represent
Your actions reflect not only on you but your school back home, your country of origin, and AUR. Just because you think no one is watching, someone probably is.

2. Go Out
Explore the city off the beaten path. The best spots in Rome are the ones that people don’t know about. If you feel like a tourist, then you are probably in the wrong place.

3. Try new things
Just because something looks funny or you can’t pronounce the name doesn’t mean it is bad. Actually, it will probably be delicious. Try not to go to the same place twice. If you think that it is not possible to do that, it most certainly is. Plus, an awesome little restaurant you went to is a great place to take friends or family who visit.

4. Know your surroundings
The faster you can acclimate yourself to your environment the better. Go around during the day when it is light and find the ways home. There is nothing scarier than getting lost at night alone… although you can always call a cab to take to you home (remember your address!).

5. Speak
Even if you think your Italian sounds more like gibberish than words, do it. Italian is a beautiful language and as long as you try, people will appreciate the effort. The only way you can learn it is to practice it.

6. Think
Use your head. If it seems like a bad idea, it probably is. Don’t ride a scooter without a helmet. Basically common sense prevails.

7. Have a buddy
Try not to travel alone when you go out but especially at night. A group of people is a much harder target for people looking to harm you than an individual.

8. Italy/Europe is not the U.S./your country
Just because you can do it at home doesn’t mean you can do it here. Laws differ from country to country and conversations with authority figures are never fun.

9. Be prepared
Anything that can happen will happen. If you think someone is pulling your chain about something they saw, most likely it actually did happen.

10. Travel
Europe is one of the most historically rich and culturally diverse places on earth. Airfare is generally very cheap within the continent and studying abroad is an opportunity not only to see the country in which you are studying, but many other parts of the world.

- Giles Smith, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, AUR Study Abroad Student September ’04 - June ‘05