It’s t-minus 19 days until I arrive in Italy. Here’s what I’ve experienced so far, what I think Italy will be like, and my goals for my time abroad.
Choosing a study abroad location
I’ve been obsessed with Italy for many many years. It’s been my dream to travel there ever since my mom and sister visited for two weeks and came back to tell me magical stories of delectable gelato, shining beaches, and beautiful people. It’s no surprise to anyone that I chose it to be the place I call home for the next few months.
But how did I choose study abroad? How did I choose Perugia? Well at my home university, students in my program are required to study abroad in the second semester of their sophomore year. While this may seem daunting, my university gives us as many tools as it can to make the study abroad process as painless as possible. The most helpful of these tools is their partnership with Arcadia Abroad, a college that gives undergraduates access to nearly 100 programs in over 15 different countries. Although Arcadia has several programs within Italy, my school recommended the one in Perugia, leading me to the quaint countryside-adjacent city.
Getting a visa
I’ll write a more in-depth guide on how to get a visa later, so for now I’ll just tell you how to know if you need a visa for Italy and how to stay calm during the process.
If you are going to Italy (or any other Schengen country) for more than 90 days, you need a visa. If you are visiting for 89 or fewer days, your US passport will suffice.
There is a lot of stuff that you need in order to get a visa. The application, the passport, the proof of financial means, etc can be overwhelming! Start working on your visa the second you know you need it. If you tackle it bit-by-bit over time rather than scrambling to get everything ready in a single weekend, you’re going to be way less stressed, more prepared, and happy you didn’t procrastinate.
For me, the visa application process was terrifying. I started to get it done early but lost momentum halfway through and ended up scrambling just a little bit in the last week before my due date. Don’t be like me! Stick to your incremental deadlines, even if you’re sick of seeing the word “visa.”
My expectations
Even though I’m pretty scared/nervous to move to a new country, more than anything, I am excited! I’ve been listening to the Umbra podcast (highly recommend btw) and each of the guests I’ve heard so far are nothing but overjoyed to be studying abroad. Even the episode about culture shock (something I was terrified of until listening to this episode) was full of laughter.
Travel. I expect that I will be traveling far more than I ever have before. My goal is to get out of the city almost every weekend to explore a new place. But as easy as it generally is to travel within/between European countries, I am confident that I will encounter difficulties. Whether that be late buses, train strikes, or flight cancellations, I know I am going to have to get really good at problem solving really quick. However, I am confident that despite all the challenges that I will almost certainly encounter, my travels during my time abroad will be some of the most life-changing and impactful experiences that I will have. I am determined to live each of them fully.
Academics. It’s hard to gauge how academically demanding my classes will be. From other student testimonials, it really depends. Hopefully I’ll find the right mix of easy (so I can get out and explore the city on weeknights) and engaging (so I feel motivated to go to class each day). I’ve read that the classes I will be taking have a strong emphasis on experiential learning and getting out of the classroom. This will be very new for me but I am excited to see how that teaching style affects my learning.
Culture. I have basically no experience with Italian culture. I’ve studied ancient Roman history, watched Bluey in Italian, and read a short story about one American’s experience visiting Rome. Okay maybe I’m selling myself a little bit short, but the point is that I have no idea how different the culture will actually be. I will be at a university with other American students in a city that knows there are a bunch of American students milling around, so who knows how authentic the experience will be. I am confident, though, that it will be more authentic than if I were to live in Rome or Florence. Both of those cities have such a high tourist population that nearly every Italian speaks nearly-fluent English and has a more global mindset than the people in smaller cities like Perugia.
Relationships. I’m nervous about this one. I have a few friends who are also coming to Perugia from my home university, but I really want to make friendships beyond my pre-existing bubble. I really value deep, lasting connections over superficial, spur-of-the-moment acquaintances, but I also want to meet as many people as I can. No matter what, I’m definitely going to have to go outside of my comfort zone when building relationships while abroad. But I can’t just focus on building new relationships! One of the ways I hope to connect with my loved ones back in the States is through this blog! Updating everyone I care about every time I do something fun can get overwhelming, so rather than starting a corny email chain I’ve decided to create this blog! If you are a loved one and you’re reading this, thank you. I miss you already.
Goals
First, I want to travel as much as humanly possible. Big cities, small cities, other countries, up and down the Italian coast, I want to go everywhere.
Second, I want to make at least four new good friends that I will keep up with after my time abroad.
Third, I want to talk to at least eight Italian strangers out in the wild. If you’re an Italian living in Perugia casually having dinner at a trattoria and some weird American starts stumbling through her best (not good) Italian in your direction, it’s me.
Fourth, I want to balance taking pictures and living in the moment. I want to get better at photography, but I don’t want to be so invested in capturing the perfect shot that I miss the experience itself.
Fifth, I want to eat so much good food that I pop. I want to explore local cuisines as much as I can, try some interesting cultural blends (You’ve heard of Italian American, but have you heard of Italian Chinese?), and figure out what region/shop makes the best gelato.
Sixth and finally, I want to have fun and enjoy myself. I want to leave my comfort zone and expand my mindset, and I also want to get a good night’s sleep as much as I can. I want to feel okay saying no if I’m too exhausted at the end of a long day. I want to wake up and read poetry for a few minutes before I get up. Vivere la dolce vita, vero?
That being said, I’m sure I’ll look back at this post in a few months and marvel at all the things I didn’t yet know. I can’t wait.