I went to study abroad in Italy and I’ve made a list (albeit severely condensed!) of my top ten favourite things about travelling in this wonderful country.
Andiamo!
1. Getting There
Before my trip, I hadn’t been on a plane in a while, and the flights were never longer than 2 1/2 hours at most. So once I had the chance to travel again, I couldn’t wait to go.
Despite getting motion sickness on the plane and jetlag after landing, I was happy for the entirety of my flight because I was seated next to an old man from Egypt, who didn’t look a day over 65. At some point during our conversation, age was brought up and I found out that he was actually 96 years old!
I don’t remember his name, but I do remember how great of a travel companion he was. We swapped stories with one another, shared laughs when silly accidents happened on the flight, and he even told me about his children that he had just visited in America. He was such an inspirational man, and he definitely made my first solo flight worthwhile!
The best part? Our flight was 9 hours long, and he still had another 6 hour flight to Cairo right after we landed in Rome. Such a trooper! Sitting next to him helped me realize that half the fun of traveling is simply getting there.
2. (Attempting to) Speak the Language
After taking French in high school, I’ve become enamored with foreign cultures and dialects. I didn’t speak a lick of Italian when I left Philadelphia, but by the time I got home, I was able to talk about the weather, how I was feeling, and to ask how much something costs. (It’s quanto costa, by the way.)
I thankfully had an amazing set of staff and faculty at my host institution who helped me get over my discomfort about not speaking the local language. Each day, I made an effort to say hello to the locals, and to order food in my best Italian.
At first, it was scary and awkward, but with practice– and courage!– it became much easier. I actually looked forward to going out, because I knew that I could finally communicate with those around me. Such a rush!
3. Experiencing Local Customs
This one is a given, but there were so many regional traditions and customs that I was not aware of until I got to Italy.
For instance, did you know that every day, restaurants (besides those in touristy areas), museums, shops, and small businesses shut down between 1-4 pm? And on Sundays, you might as well not even leave the house because everything is closed. (I’m kidding– that’s the perfect time to go exploring!)
In Spain, you’d call it a siesta. In Italian, it’s riposo. Essentially, it’s the point of the day where everyone takes a break from work, enjoys a nice home cooked lunch or a quick bite from the corner café. It’s frustrating at first, but ultimately one of the best reasons to travel in Italy. The natives make a life out of taking time out to enjoy food, family, and relaxation. La Dolce Vita, indeed.
4. Making Myself at Home
There comes a certain point during your stay in another country, when you start to get into a comfortable routine and you finally feel at ease. For me, this came about a week and a half into my journey. What helped to ease the stress was when I made dinner for myself and my roommates the first night.
Everyday after that, we would have breakfast together, walk to the train station called Garbatella, and meetup with our professoressa at different locations in the city. Then we’d grab a bite to eat in town– usually a sandwich or pizza– and mill about the city before we commuted back home.
Nearly everyday we’d all stop by the gelato place around the corner and sample all of the delicious flavors they had to offer. It was great developing a system that worked for all of us, which ultimately brought us closer together.
5. Getting to Know the Local Hangouts
The few times that I set foot on campus really helped me get to know the local students who worked with the university that I was a part of. There was a fella my age named Alessandro, who picked my roommates and I up from the airport. We kept seeing him around campus,so one day we finally asked him out to dinner. He showed us some of the best places to hangout that weren’t surrounded by tourists.
We went to a local bar in Campo dei Fiori (a known tourist destination) that was somehow off the beaten track. We met his childhood friend Nina earlier that evening, who was really sweet, and who we all bonded with quite easily. It was also great getting to see how the locals do it; we got to the bar, ordered our drinks (mine was Peroni– a delicious beer that I highly suggest!) and walked outside into one of the large piazzas that abound in Italy.
There were literally dozens of people mingling about and relaxing in the moonlight. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip because I got a taste for the authentic culture without breaking the bank, or feeling like an outsider.
6. Trying New Food
I have to say it. I love meat. However, I was in for a real surprise the first time I tried prosciutto. If you’ve never had it, it tastes like yummy salted bacon, but much thinner and barely cooked, if at all. I was turned off to it at first, but it goes well when paired with a nice glass of wine and fresh bread and cheese.
One night, we were all jonesing for some good ol’ fashioned American cuisine, so I bought (what I thought) was bacon. A minute after being in the skillet, the unsuspecting little piece of prosciutto burnt to a crisp. Next time, I’ll stick to the traditional way to eat it– fresh and on a pizza or two.
7. Visiting Nearby Cities
I love Rome, and I miss it everyday. But I also love Venice, Florence and Siena just as much. Had I not visited these other cities, I don’t think my stay in Italy would have been the same.
Getting out and about in other cities taught me a few things about Italy:
1.) Not every city is the same and 2.) Arrive early, leave late. I’d say that “advantageous” is the best way to describe my experience getting to and from each city. With the drama regarding wrong ticket times, to transient and dodgy train cars, getting around in Italy is quite a hustle. But I loved every minute of it.
8. Getting Lost
Call me crazy, but I love getting lost in foreign cities. Wait, what? It’s true. I’ve found that when I wander through the back alleyways (within reason of course, safety first!) I find the best parts of the city.
Take Venice, for example. I arrived there at 5:30 am, and there were absolutely no tourists to be found. It was enchanting to watch the city wake up and to see the architecture up close, with only a few souls to be found.
I saw birds flock together over the boats docked at the water’s edge, and I heard bells chime in the distance as early morning masses rang in the day. It was amazing. To put it simply, getting lost is one of the easiest ways to find yourself, and to see what a city really has to offer.
9. Saying Goodbye
I hate goodbyes, I always have, and I’m sure I always will. But there’s a special kind of goodbye that lingers long after you leave your host country. It’s the type of goodbye that rings more like ciao in Italian; it is both a hello and a goodbye to those we are close with. It’s the end of one journey, but the beginning of countless others.
10. Coming Home
The first weeks that I was home from studying abroad were rough. I thought American cars were just too big, the people too loud, and the culture overwhelming. I’ll never forget the crisp sound of angry Americans bickering at JFK; the letter ”A” has never sounded so harsh. But, as with anything, we get over it.
Coming home taught me to appreciate what I have here– family, friends, local traditions– things that I won’t find anywhere else. Knowing that I have this solid support system has helped me to be more adventurous in my future travel plans, because I know that at the end of the day, I can always come home– wherever that may be.
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