Coming across the world, 4,480 miles to be exact, is daunting. For any student leaving home to study and explore a new continent can be anxiety-inducing but exhilarating in the best way possible. While in the beginning of my time here I was trepidatious, I learned quickly to turn that anxiety into excitement. “Holy crap, I’m in another country,” can easily be turned into “Holy crap, I’m in another country!” It is all about perspective.
Throughout my time in Florence, I learned so many lessons. Here are the 5 most important lessons I learned while being abroad:
- Adventure is necessary, TRAVEL!
- Lean on the people and resources around you
- Any Food Here is Good Food
- Be open to New Experience
- Save, Save, Save
Adventure is Necessary, TRAVEL!
Prior to studying abroad, I didn’t think I was going to travel very much. I was so nervous to navigate planes, trains, and automobiles that I was willing to sacrifice so much adventure that was out there waiting for me. I quickly realized staying in Florence for 6 weeks was not the idea my roommates had for their study abroad experience. I had to adapt to the people around me and bend my imaginary boundaries of no travelling to bond with my roommates. This was the best decision I could have made abroad and I urge every other student to do the same.
Because I made the decision to step outside of my comfort zone and travel, I was able to visit 9 amazing places outside of my home-base of Florence.
Where I visited abroad:
- Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy
- Venice, Italy
- Paris, France
- Sliema, Malta
- Gozo, Malta
- Montalcino, Italy
- Milan, Italy
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Stein am Rhein, Switzerland
Throughout my travels, I quickly learned, trains are easy to navigate and enjoyable to ride on. My first trip from Florence was a day-trip to Manarola, Cinque Terre, about a two and a half hour train ride from Florence. Navigating train stations can seem overwhelming and intimidating, which they totally can be! But take a breath, look at your train number and find your platform. And while I have had my fair share of running through the train station to catch my train, I have made every train I’ve booked. If I can do it, you can too.
Lean on the people and resources around you
Studying abroad was my first time travelling alone but I didn’t feel alone.
I had some travel troubles on my way to Florence. The wind was so rough that we weren’t able to land in Florence and were diverted 50 miles outside the city to a small airport in Florli, Italy; This was a huge stressor. When the pilot came over the intercom and explained we wouldn’t be able to land, I was terrified on how I was going to get back to the city and if I was going to make it to orientation on time. I immediately made friends with the other study abroad girls around me so I didn’t feel so alone. And if my friend and I couldn’t get back to Florence ourselves, at least we could commiserate together. When we landed in the tiny Florli airport we were told we would get buses to take us back to the Florence airport. We then waited for four hours for buses to come pick us up and take us back to our original destination.
While I was stranded in Florli, I made sure to utilize the International Studies Institute (ISI) Florence emergency phone number to let them know my whereabouts and how I likely was not going to make my 2pm check in time slot. Every person I spoke to on the phone was helpful and understanding of my situation. Because I was able to lean on the people and resources around me, my unfortunate travel situation was a little less distressing.
Any Food Here is Good Food
Traveling abroad, for me at least, means doing my best to immerse myself in the culture I’m experiencing fully. Thus, I have eaten pasta and carbs almost every day since arriving in Florence. But I also learned so much about what food is actually Florentine. I’ve tried unsalted bread, cow stomach, and a Florentine steak. While a Florentine steak was my favorite, I enjoyed learning the history behind each meal I was eating. I learned that Florentine bread is unsalted because of a medieval feud with Pisa having to do with outrageous tariffs on salt. I learned that the cow stomach is a popular street food because all the rich nobles would be the ones enjoying a Florentine steak, and the people living in poverty in Florence wouldn’t waste an ounce of a cow. While I didn’t even like cow stomach, I believe it to be good food because it’s rich with history.
I’ve eaten at the places TikTok has made famous, I have also stumbled upon authentic restaurants that haven’t even breached the surface of the internet. Each meal has been rich not only with flavor, but with experience as well. My study abroad experience wouldn’t be complete without the Florentine steak I’ve had as well as the 4 a.m. McDonalds cheeseburger I’ve had.
As Anthony Bourdain, world renowned chef and traveler, said “don’t be afraid to eat a bad meal. If you don’t risk the bad meal, you’ll never get the magical one.”
Be Open to New Experience
If I hadn’t been open to new experiences, I would not have studied abroad. And if you are willing enough to study abroad and step outside of your comfort zone, specifically a new continent, you are already open minded. I find it hard to believe that anyone who studies abroad is close minded to new experiences, but I was. As I mentioned previously I was not planning on traveling outside of Florence much when I arrived. I learned fast that I needed to be open minded to new experiences like traveling by train and eating a steak medium or medium rare because that is the norm here. Two months ago I would have said that my steak was still moo-ing.
By being open to new experiences, I have learned so much about myself. By traveling by train I have learned I can run very fast if a missed flight is on the line. By trying local cuisines I have learned I actually do like sea food. By haggling with leather market vendors I learned I can be very persuasive when a leather souvenir for my dad is the reward.
If you don’t step outside of your comfort zone and be open to new experiences, you will not grow in your time abroad.
Save, Save, Save
Something that is sometimes overlooked in all the “study abroad tips” TikToks you see is how much you need to save and how essential it is to budget for your time abroad. Six weeks is not a short amount of time and you can easily spend your week’s budget in two days if you’re not careful. Create a budget before you go abroad. By doing this, you’ll be able to spend the amount of money you actually want to spend without exceeding your limit.
Some things you’re able to do to save a few euros are:
- Don’t impulsively buy the Gucci wallet.
- Cook at home, you have a kitchen for a reason.
- Drink the 2€ glass of wine at home instead of the 12€ drink at the club.
- Book your train tickets well in advance, they are cheaper the further away they are from the departure date.
- If you’re flying within Europe, RyanAir is the way to go (pack light, though).
While eating a baguette for dinner might not seem sufficient, sometimes it’s necessary to stay under your budget. Some of the most memorable meals I’ve had are the cheap, homemade sandwiches shared with my roommates on the terrace of our apartment.
What Haven’t I Learned?
Coming to the close of my six weeks here, it is hard to think of what I have learned, and easier to think of what I haven’t learned; which is practically nothing. I have learned so much throughout my time here in Florence that I could have written a ten page blog post about it if I didn’t limit myself to the 5 most important things I learned here.
If I can urge any student to study abroad, do it! You are exposed to so many cultures, and by being exposed to these people and places you inadvertently learn many things about yourself and the world around you. Studying abroad gave me a sese of self and a new home away from home.
See more of our content below!
Rating our Weekend Trips on Instagram
American Comfort Food Abroad on TikTok
Six Things I Learned Studying Abroad on Youtube
Blog by Eleanor Zazeckis