Now that I’ve lived in Florence for over 2 months, I am starting to see some of the skills and lessons that I’ve been able to pick up along the way. Living in a different country has many challenges, however, this has given me the opportunity to get exposure to new scenarios that I haven’t experienced before. Whether it’s trying to plan a trip to a new country, working in the classroom, or getting food at the grocery store, I’ve noticed that I am gaining some new skills that are quite useful.
The first thing that I learned is most important while studying abroad is to be flexible. This is incredibly important for all parts of your life, especially when traveling. During the first week of living in Florence, I had to get used to smaller side walks, busy roads, and not understanding the Italian language. These were inconveniences at first, but over time I realized that in order to have an enjoyable experience, you need to be able to adapt to your situation and understand that sometimes things will be different from what I’m used to. A large part of my time has been traveling outside of Florence with my roommates. While traveling, it is common to have issues. In Europe, rail strikes are very common, which can delay or cancel any travel you had planned. Another issue we faced was with our Airbnb not having heat during the winter. Being flexible has allowed me to look at the positives during times when things do not go as planned.
Another important skill I’ve been using is adaptability. Since living in Florence, I have tried my best to incorporate speaking Italian to local business owners and workers. It is very easy to use Google Translate or Duolingo to learn basic phrases for the language of the place you are studying in or traveling to. This goes a long way and makes the local people feel like you are trying to learn about their culture.
Lastly, I have noticed that I have got a lot better at financial management. Studying abroad can be expensive, depending on what your goals are. I knew before this semester I wanted to travel frequently, which can become very expensive. It was important for me to set a budget for the semester to not exceed what I am financial able to spend. I used Excel to set up a tracker for each week, which also serves as a list of what I have done throughout the semester. I highly recommend putting the time and effort into budgeting and tracking your costs.
My time abroad has allowed me to reflect on my own identity. As someone who is American and never traveled to Europe growing up, I realized that there is so much more in the world than just the United States. I am having the best time learning about new cultures, traveling to new places, and getting exposure to different ways of life. There are so many opportunities around the world and this experience has opened my eyes to life outside the United States.