As an ISI study abroad student I was privileged with the opportunity of spending 42 days in Florence, Italy. I was able to make the trip to 7 different countries across 2 different continents and countless Italian towns and cities. Here’s a summary of the most important things I learned while I was away as well as some helpful tips.
Embrace the Culture!
No matter where you are in the World, try to embrace the culture. Try to talk to locals and get their take on where you are. In Italy it may be standing at an espresso bar trying a shot of espresso for the first time. In Morocco it may be bargaining over 40 cents at a shop. In Denmark it might be having a beer and having a conversation with a local. Regardless of where you are there are ways to embrace the culture around you. Don’t just stop at the Duomo and touristy sites, truly give yourself time to explore the local areas of the places you visit. That is how you will grow as a person not by just seeing the tourist sites.
Rip a Solo Trip!
While it may be a bit frightening at first and definitely isn’t for everyone a solo trip can truly be one of the most beneficial experiences you can have as a youth traveler. I traveled to Copenhagen alone during one of my weekends here. A city I didn’t know very much at all before my trip and somewhere new to me. I spent 4 days in Copenhagen and traveled to Malmo, Sweden for dinner one night as well. Traveling to Copenhagen only I found it allowed me to truly be present in every moment. It also forced me to talk to people that I may have never spoken to. On my first night I meet a Danish man at a bar whom I talked about Danish and American politics. I was able to learn more about how Denmark works as a whole and what a locals view is on certain aspects of their government. On my second night I meet a group of English Travelers and hustled them in a game of pool. Despite me winning 50 pounds from them they welcomed me to join them an evening out and to spend time with them while I was in Copenhagen. Solo travel can definitely be scary at first and something very different. I recommend starting with a solo day trip. Take a train somewhere an hour away and explore by yourself and see how that feels. And then when your ready visit, a new country, maybe somewhere you don’t know much about, and embrace it. You’ll thank me later.
Last Tip: Travel as Much as Possible But Make Sure To Have a Good Balance
While your here, it is truly important to travel as much as possible and walk away with a life-changing experience. That is why we made this journey. See as much of Italy as possible. I spent 4 of my weekends in Italy and can truly say that I have explored almost every corner. As well as just Italy go to different countries. I recommend the 72 hour rule. Try to stay in a city for a minimum of 72 hours, this way you don’t feel like your just passing by. 72 hours will give you the perfect amount of time to be able to see not only the tourist attractions, but the local areas of a city as well. As traveling and experiencing new cultures is important its important to keep a good balance between travel and class. Make sure to arrive to class each day on time and prepared. I recommend having at least one dedicated day a week to work. Having an afternoon and an evening available each week is the perfect amount of time to make sure all your work is up to date. Lastly make sure to live in every moment. It’s going to go by fast so try to truly enjoy every second here. Good luck to you and enjoy. I hope you enjoy your experience as much as I did.