There is no possible way to leave a study abroad experience as the same person you were when you began your study abroad. There is also no precise way to understand or measure how much this experience will truly change you. But for me, studying abroad in Florence, Italy was an experience that helped me grow, find myself, and realize so many beautiful things about the world we live in.
I studied abroad in the fall of 2016 as a junior and knew that studying abroad in Italy was something I wanted to do even before I committed to coming to Kent State University. I had never been out of the country really until my study abroad experience. I’ll never forget the feeling of excitement I felt when the taxi driver drove me from the Florence Airport to my apartment in the heart of Firenze. I’ll never forget my first couple of days in Italy, or how quickly I fell in love with that country and it’s culture.
My 4 months abroad included lots of exploring, traveling, learning, and growing. I traveled all over Italy, and also to England, France, and Croatia. I tried to soak in a little bit of the culture in every place that I went. I did my best to speak a little of the languages, eat the local food, and simply experience how they live. My biggest tip is to live in the moment while your abroad, and not for the Instagram pictures. It’s great to take pictures and record those memories, but don’t forget to realize how you feel in that moment. Write things down—keep a journal! Make your study abroad experience what you want it to be.
Trying to be a part of the culture is so important when you are studying abroad. Although you are a study abroad student, it doesn’t hurt to try to speak Italian or dine how the locals do. You will learn so much more about their culture and about yourself in the process. Florence is full of so much history, culture, architecture, fashion, and so much more. Take all of this in when you are there. You truly will be in one of the most amazing cities in the world.
Coming home will not be an easy thing to do, but it is inevitable. I experienced a lot of reverse culture shock when I came. I missed everything about Italy. I missed how they lived, their culture. I missed the people that I met—that is for sure. But I took home with me all the things I learned in Italy and make sure to keep those things alive on a daily basis. People tell me that I seem so much happier and so much more like myself than I was before I went to Italy. And it’s very true. I simply think of my time there and realize how lucky and blessed I was to even be there. I think of my experience, smile, and start to think about when I can go back to that beautiful place.
