Our first long weekend in Italy was finally here, and a group of 10 of us set off for Rome. We soon would be exploring new history, eating amazing food, and walking around in the Vatican for 3 ½ hours…. Little did we know that one of those memories would involve a malfunctioning elevator and a three-hour situation that we will probably never forget.
Rome itself was by far my favorite trip so far. Walking through the city, you can’t help but stop and stare at the sights and history surrounding you. One moment you’re passing a tiny café with the best cappuccino you’ve ever had, and then you turn a corner, and there’s the Colosseum with hundreds of people posing and pretending to hold it in their palm. The amount of history and culture here is honestly overwhelming, and no matter how many pictures you take, nothing truly captures the feeling of seeing it in person. We spent the day exploring, not to mention going to the Vatican and walking around for 3 hours.
Now don't be fooled, the day before this was much less relaxed. We finally arrived in Rome the day prior and thought it would be a good idea to go with another group of friends to get groceries for the next 4 days. Note that we had at least 11 bags, when we got back we thought it would be a good idea to squeeze 5 of us into probably the smallest elevator I have ever seen. The doors closed, the elevator started moving—and then it stopped. Just like that, we were trapped.
At first, we laughed joking about how there was no way we could've gotten stuck, thinking it was just a minor glitch and that we’d be out in a few minutes. But then the reality set in. We were stuck, and none of us spoke enough Italian to call for help. After several failed attempts at pressing every button possible and holding down the alarm obnoxiously, we had to resort to the only option left: yelling to our friends in the hallway for help.
The apartment owner, who spoke almost no English, came to our rescue. Our friends in the hallway tried explaining our situation through frantic hand gestures, a mix of broken Italian from Google Translate, and a whole lot of hopeful expressions. Somehow, he understood and managed to communicate how we could force open the elevator for us. We were finally free! Or so we thought.
After climbing 6 flights of stairs with all of our groceries, we finally reached our main door, only to find it safely bolted from the inside. Essentially there was no way for us to get in. So, there we stood, 10 exhausted frustrated travelers, surrounded by bags of food, completely locked out of our own place. With no other options, we went to hunt down the apartment owner again. We had to talk with neighbors who lived there and make many confusing phone calls before about 30 minutes later he showed up. The chocolate cake we got did eventually get opened and eaten during this time.
The owner told us he had to call maintenance and we would have to come back in 3 hours to be able to get back in but eventually, we got back into our room, and despite the chaos, we couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous the whole situation was. It may not have been the smoothest first long weekend, but it was definitely one for the books.
One of the highlights of the trip and recommendations I have for future CIMBA students would be to enjoy all of the museums and history. We somehow spent three hours walking around the Vatican. The sheer beauty of the architecture and the history behind every corner made it an unforgettable experience. For anyone planning a trip to Rome, I highly recommend finding local, less touristy spots to eat and explore. Some of the best meals and experiences come from stumbling into tiny restaurants where locals gather. And if you’re traveling with a big group, definitely call ahead and make reservations. We learned the hard way that finding a table for a large party at any restaurant can be quite challenging without one!
Rome showed us its beauty, its history, and a little bit of its unpredictability. If there’s anything I’ve learned from traveling is that you have to expect the unexpected and roll with it. And hey, at least we have a great story to tell!