The last two months in Italy have been a very unique experience. I have had a wonderful time traveling to other parts of Italy such as Pisa and Lucca. The most challenging aspect of living in Italy so far is the language differences. This is especially true in areas or stores where speaking English is not as common. One place was when I was at the doctor’s office for an eye appointment.
During this encounter, I was instructed mainly in Italian on what to do. To converse with one another, we used Google Translate and searched all over the building for the one provider who spoke English. During my labs, I used the limited Italian language I had learned to learn my eye doctor’s name, where she was from, and some simple information. She appreciated that I tried to talk to her in her native language.
I also have learned within the last two months how to order completely in Italian at cafes. It is to the point that the waiters will speak to me afterward in Italian. Unfortunately, then I end up smiling and reveal that I do not know what else they are saying. In general, however, I have noticed that the local Italians appreciate it when we try to communicate with them in Italian as much as possible. It has truly been an incredible experience to adapt their culture into my daily life.
My education abroad experience has been different compared to my education at Pitt. The main difference I have become aware of is the exam style. For two of my classes, midterms will be solely in a timed essay format. In my Cross-Cultural Psychology class, we are not given homework very often so it is hard to assess if I am truly comprehending the material and if my style of writing is on pare of what she would like for the exam. In my International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior, every week we are given an article to annotate and then make a presentation on in 40 minutes. The article usually contains 10-15 pages of reading material.
To help navigate these challenges, I have learned to quickly read and highlight the main parts of readings and create good quality work in a limited amount of time. I also ask the teacher immediately if I have any questions or concerns about the work so I am not wasting any extra time.
Outside of the classroom, I have definitely adjusted to being truly on my own. I came to this program without any friends from home. My main goal this semester was to become more comfortable doing activities alone and finding new hobbies or ones I have forgotten about. In this case, I have really enjoyed my oil painting class. I spend extra time outside of the classroom on my drawings and improving my painting skills for class. I also have decided to train for the Pittsburgh half marathon after this semester is over. Lastly, I have truly enjoyed just sitting at cafes and enjoying living in the moment. Sometimes I go with my new friends I have made this semester, other times I just enjoy sitting there alone.
Navigating through Florence has been quite easy when I have service. Google maps has brought me to tons of markets, cafes, and parks. Most of the time I can travel to my main locations without maps too as I can recognize streets or use the Duomo as a navigation point. Florence has a lot to offer and the views can be breathtaking at times.
I look forward to this coming spring break. I can’t wait to share everything I do then. Until the next blog, ciao!
