Hello, once again I am back talking about my experiences here in Florence. It’s crazy to think that I spent more time in Europe than I have in the US this year so far. It’s also crazy to think that I’ll see my family soon.
At first it was definitely hard to adjust, as I am sure you all have heard me say countless times. I think that as I have adjusted there are definitely some skills that I have picked up. For starters I’d like to say that I felt extremely awkward here. Florence is a small city. It kind of feels like everyone already knows each other or at least everyone can tell if you’re a tourist. I felt awkward because some things didn’t seem as natural for me. For example, Italians are not one to participate in an “Irish goodbye.” If you are leaving an Italian event, make sure you say goodbye to EVERYONE unless you want to look rude or like an uncultured American. I am very lucky that I have been able to make an Italian friend here and from what I have noticed, when she leaves she takes around 10-15 minutes to say goodbye to everybody. It’s fine, it’s literally just how it is. This has a lot to do with the norms here and adapting. I think a soft skill that I have been very fortunate to pick up is just adapting with the culture around. I have been very fortunate to visit a lot of different countries and a big part of each country is just seeing how the people interact. Some people have a “warmer” aspect where they all seem very friendly and approachable, and other people in different countries like to keep to themselves. As long as you are able to keep an open mind it seems pretty doable. It’s always good to remember that YOU are the guest in the country. I don’t want to sound cheesy but I feel myself changing. I like how patient I have gotten here with adjusting and speaking to people. It won’t always be easy but the thing is studying abroad isn’t really supposed to be all easy and having fun. Trust me I am having a lot of fun but there are still some challenges that come along with being here. It would be kind of shallow to presume that it was all going to be easy sailing here.
