As I am nearing the end of my study abroad experience, I have been thinking and reflecting about a few things. Firstly, aspects of life in Italy that are different from the United States. The first thing that really struck me when I arrived here is something called “siesta”. Almost all businesses close up shop midday to go home and rest, have lunch with their family, etc. At home I am so used to running my errands in the middle of the day so this was definitely a shock at first. But, the more I thought about it, I think it is really cool that they get a nice break from work and are able to spend time with family or friends. It seems their mentality here is not “living to work” but it is “working to live”. It is honestly very refreshing; it just took me some time to remember that shops are closed during those times. Other than the siesta time, Italians live a much slower placed life than in America. The waiter at a restaurant will not give you the bill unless you ask – you could sit there for hours. The streets are basically empty until 9 or 10 in the morning. Just looking around, no one seems to be in a rush (except for tourists). At first, this slow paced lifestyle was tough for me because I enjoy having a schedule and I was very used to the ”go go go” mindset in the US. Adapting to this pace was good for me; I am easily stressed out and it has been nice to chill out a bit. A few other aspects that are different from US: they don’t eat dinner until at least 8pm, you have to ask someone to bag your produce for you at the grocery store, and everyone dresses nice all the time. The fashion was a big thing for me – at home I can leave the house in pajamas, sweatpants, hair a mess, etc. I left the dorm once here in my comfy shorts and a tank top and was getting some interesting looks. I have enjoyed this aspect – it is nice to feel and look presentable when you leave the house. It makes me feel good about myself. I have enjoyed adapting to these aspects because I feel like I am experiencing things more fully when I am “living like a European”. It has been refreshing to see different perspectives, different culture, and different routines.
One aspect I have a hard time coming to terms with is the “no eye contact” thing and catcalling. I am very used to smiling at people in the street and looking around to people watch. Here, making eye contact with a man can give him the wrong idea. Almost every group of men you pass will say something to you, even if you are a sweaty mess. I was getting a little bothered by it, but I learned that these boys say this more to impress their friends than to actually talk to you. It is definitely an interesting part of this experience and I have accepted it. But, I do miss smiling at people while walking by.
As for going outside of my comfort zone – public transportation is a big one for me. I went to Switzerland with my Grandma in May and we had a melt down trying to get on a train when we first got there. I was extremely nervous to have to figure it out all on my own in Italy. It was stressful at first, but now I feel more confident in my public transportation skills! Another thing that has put me outside of my comfort zone is booking weekend trips with people I have known for only 1-4 weeks. Just making new friends in general was a bit outside of my comfort zone too – I have been friends with the same people for a while and was a little nervous coming here. It has been nice putting myself out there and I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone. And booking those trips with them ended up being such fun times and we created so many memories together.
On a scale of 1-10, I think my willingness to be outside my comfort zone so far would be an 8. I believe that I have tried to make the most of my experience, which has definitely included going outside my comfort zone. I am happy with this rating, but I do plan on improving it. After doing the walking tour with our class, I realized that there are still places that I haven’t seen and want to see. I feel as if I found the places I liked to go then stuck with those places. For the last week, I want to try new places and see new things. I am most proud of myself for figuring out public transportation and making new friends. I think I could do a better job of trying new places and doing more things in a day.
There definitely has been a bit of a culture shock in certain aspects, but because Sorrento is a tourist destination, I haven’t had too much trouble with language barriers. I still have enjoyed meeting locals and trying to learn a little Italian. I have very much enjoyed this trip so far and I think pushing myself to go out of my comfort zone has made the experience that much better. Ciao!
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