What I Hope to Gain From the Rome Experience

I first hope that I will know a good amount of Italian by the time I return to the States. I love languages and I want to be able to communicate in as many as possible. Besides, I'm learning that knowing nothing at all can be very frustrating.
I also hope that I will gain a better knowledge of my Catholic heritage. I'm not a practicing Catholic but I would like to better understand the culture and religion that connects both sides of my family.
I also hope that I will gain an understanding of Italian culture and lifestyle, it's something I know very little about.
I am not quite sure how this trip will change me. I know it will, everything always does. It's just never in exactly the way you think it will.