Re-becoming a Freshman

Ciao from Firenze! (That's Italian for Florence, so before you wonder whether I actually made it to school, don't worry about it. I did.)

(See??)

Well, I've successfully been abroad for an entire week. Technically tomorrow marks the one week date for being in Florence, but I began my travels on a Tuesday so let me have it. If I went into detail about everything I've done/felt/worried about/experienced over the last seven days it would likely take you another seven to read through this. This will already be a pretty long post since the first week has been incredibly overwhelming and a lot has happened. I'm still processing this whole week, so this post will likely be one of the longest throughout my entire stay. I'll just lay out the highlights for you while being as detailed as possible so you, my friends and family back home, can start to understand just how challenging it has been for me to adjust.

Yes, I said challenging. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was woefully underprepared (mentally and emotionally) for coming abroad. Packing-wise, I did great -- a real traveling pro. I mentioned in my last blog post that I was the most worried about the whole traveling aspect and actually arriving in Florence. At the time I believed that would be the most stressful part for me, and my arrival would immediately alleviate 90% of my anxiety. To a point, I was right. I mentioned being nervous about customs because I have never gone through it before, but I actually NEVER HAD TO GO THROUGH IT WHEN I ARRIVED. I grabbed my baggage once I landed in Florence and just walked right to the exit of the airport. I was shocked, and before you think I somehow managed to just evade customs and sneak out, all the other students I met at the exit were also astounded. I'm no smuggler. Now, I know that's not going to be the case on my return trip, but I feel much more comfortable going through customs on my home territory. But my traveling for now is done, and upon my arrival a whole new type of stress hit almost immediately: culture shock.

They tell us in all of our orientations that we are going to experience culture shock, and I was expecting to at some point. However, most of those orientations claimed it hits after the first "honeymoon" phase which is filled with excitement and endorphins and happy feelings. Somehow I skipped that phase, and went right into shock. Looking back, I don't think the cultural habits of people and their behavior was so much a shock as learning how I was supposed to act and navigating my way around. The transition to living and studying abroad was about 58320528 times more challenging than my transition from high school to college 3 years ago, which is the reason for the title of this post. I may even go so far as to say that it was more difficult than going from middle school into high school, and everyone knows that one's a rough one. As a senior in college, I felt lower than a Freshman.

When I made my choice to attend Marian University back in 2012, one of the biggest factors that lead to my decision was the size of the campus. When I took a tour of the university, I immediately knew that I would never get lost on Marian's campus. I mean, I don't even have to cross a street to access any of the main buildings/offices/classrooms. Now, the entire city of Florence is my campus. There is no designated area for the University buildings; depending on what class you're enrolled in, you could be in any of the 7 building locations all over the city. On Wednesdays, I have 30 minutes to make it from one class to the next, but my walking commute between buildings is 26 minutes. 26! I could walk through every floor of every class building at Marian, and still have time to stop at Common Grounds for a coffee. Now I have to hope I don't get stuck behind a tourist group on my way to class.

Besides the size of the campus, or lack of one, there's a lot of other new experiences that make me feel like a total noob. I'll list below the major categories of them to give you a rough idea of just how much of a Freshman I've become during my Senior year of college.

People

For one, I knew absolutely no one going on this abroad experience with me when I got here. I did talk to my housemates briefly through Facebook so that I at least could figure out who my direct roommate would be. Other than that, I had not met or talked with anyone else going on this trip. I wasn't bothered by this though because I'm good with people and can typically make friends fairly easily. The only time I had actually wished I was going with someone I knew was during the whole traveling extravaganza. It just would have been nice to do that with a buddy so I could have been a little calmer. I have made some friends here already! I've got a pretty great roommate, and I get along with the rest of my housemates. I haven't had a change in roommates for three years. Freshman year, Anna and I were randomly selected to be together and it was the best thing that happened to us. We've been living together for 3 years now, and I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it is to be able to live with your best friend. It's comfortable and familiar; you know each other's schedules and behavior patterns, likes and dislikes. Living together is easy. Obviously, it wasn't as easy during our first semester together because we were still learning about one another. After three years, however, it's SO MUCH harder to just leave and live with a complete stranger, half way around the world. I'd like to give a shout out now to my new roommate, Emily, who has been fantastic. Getting along with your roommate can either make or break your experience at any university, no matter where you're studying or what country you're living in, so I'm glad we have a great personality match.

(Hey, Em!)

Getting used to other people in Florence is also a challenge. For one, whenever you're walking around the city you always have to be on high alert. I can't even tell you how many times I've been warned about pickpockets from people back home, but also from those here in the city. It's still tourist season here so there are constantly people everywhere, huge crowds of tourists blocking the roads and taking up all the room on the sidewalks. I know I'm also new to the area, but I'm already annoyed by tourists. Like I said, I typically have a long commute from one place to the next and a limited time to do it. I don't have time to be blocked by a group of people trying to figure out their new selfie stick. By the way, I have never seen so many selfie sticks in my entire life. They are sold (illegally, I might add) by street vendors, and you can't go more than 50 feet in any direction without being approached by one of them as they shove the selfie stick in your face asking you to buy it. Instead of a selfie stick, I fully endorse this product:

TIP: For those of you who are interested in ever traveling abroad, don't buy anything from a vendor that has their product spread out and displayed on the floor. Even if it's a really good deal, don't buy it. Those are illegal vendors, selling fake/counterfeit product. No real vendor is actually going to lay out Gucci and Prada merchandise on the floor of a plaza. If the police see you buying these products, you can get a very large fine. Just your friendly traveler tip. You're welcome.

Language

Obviously, I knew I was coming to a country where I did not know the native tongue. I'm surprised at how well some people speak English here, but that does depend on the area you're at. If you stay in central Florence, most Italians are used to the extreme amount of tourism that comes through so they speak a fair amount of English. Definitely enough to communicate your needs and ask basic questions. If you wander into the more local areas, however, then it becomes much more challenging. I went to a very popular market today, and by popular I mean among the local Italians. It was a 45 minute walk, so you know that most tourists aren't going to know about a weekly market. This also meant that almost no one spoke any English. I didn't travel there with any of my friends, they all had class. It also didn't matter that I went with other people from my abroad program, because as soon as you hit the market you lose everyone. Everything was so much cheaper; I found leather bags ranging from 3-20 Euros. They also sold food, clothing, animals, books, you name it. I didn't buy anything today because I was too intimidated by communicating with the people in the market, especially since I was on my own. It dawned on me that while I know how to inquire about the cost of something, but I still don't know how to translate the answer. Obviously, this does not help me at all. So I used today as a reconnaissance mission, and when I learn a little more Italian I'll go back and haggle for an even better price, hopefully with some friends as well.

Note to self: start making flash cards for the numbers 1-100.

Food

Now obviously the food here is different than food back home in the good ol' U S of A. Gelato and pasta and pizza, oh my! But what I didn't expect was for every restaurant I've seen to have the exact same menu. Pasta and pizza is served everywhere. They also have some meat selection, but choose wisely because that will double your bill at least. I am fortunate enough to live right around the corner from one of the only supermarkets in all of Florence. There's maybe 4, tops. Luckily, I don't have to walk far to get my groceries. Still, this is no typical grocery store like what I was used to at home. The products are different, the prices are different, and the taste of everything is different. Also, everything is obviously written in Italian, so good luck finding a new food and being able to decipher what's in it. I've basically stuck to the basics since I've been here: apples, mortedella sandwiches (thank you Nonni for introducing me to this Italian meat as a child so I knew something here I would like,) cereal, and crackers. Yes, I'm branching out a little more every time I go to the store and try something new. But I knew I couldn't overwhelm my tastebuds and stomach as much as my other senses have been overwhelmed over the last week. I needed some kind of familiarity in order to keep some sanity. I only buy enough groceries to last a few days each time I go. We have limited space in our apartment, and it's recommended that you only purchase food in smaller quantities. Since I'm located near Conad, the supermarket, I'm totally cool with it. The cashiers will probably know me by name by the time the semester is over. Either by name, or just "hey there's that dumb American again."

The water was a big adjustment for me as well. For one, water fountains (sorry, "bubblers" for all you Wisconsinites) are nonexistent. Also, if you walk into a restaurant and ask for water, they won't give you tap water. You have to pay for a bottle. A glass bottle. Of water. So there goes the cheap way of staying hydrated while going out. Luckily, I brought a reusable water bottle that I can just refill at my apartment using the sink. It may not taste the best, but it works. If I want it to be chilled, though, I have to prepare ahead and put it in the freezer for a few hours before I know I'm going out.

To answer your question, yes. The gelato is as amazing as everyone tells you it is. Yes, I have had it just about every other day. I get it in small quantities, though, so that there is no possible way I get tired of it in the three months I'm here.

It's been one week, and I have still not had a glass of wine. So that's a fail on my part. I did have a glass of champagne on my first night here when my roommates and I went out to dinner. We were enticed into the restaurant we went to by the promise of a free glass of wine or champagne. So, win.

Noise

This was by far the hardest adjustment for me. It is never quiet here, ever. As an introvert, my quiet time is crucial to my sanity. I'm used to living in a suburban area, and at school I live in more of a rural area. The most we hear at night is the drunk college student stumbling back from a party, or a random car go by. All things that can be quieted by just closing the window. However, I live right across the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge in Florence that attracts every tourist that ever visits. There are three restaurants in the plaza right outside my window, and shops all along the street. Our apartment is located right next to a busy intersection where cars and Vespas are constantly zooming in and out of all hours of the night, as well as people who are fully participating in all aspects of night life that Florence has to offer. And by night life, I mean until about 4am.

Last night, a random parade began right outside my apartment. Like, a legitimate lantern parade. I know this because I was sitting in my room reading before heading to bed when a marching band started playing right below my balcony. I had no idea what was going on, and a sea of people were literally blocking the street. Cars and vespas couldn't even get though, and there was a police car guiding the traffic. We're talking full-out celebratory parade, beginning at 8:30pm.

The day gets started again around 7am as people begin waking up and business start getting ready for the day. It really is never quiet. I have to wear ear plugs during the night, but even those don't block all the noise. I remember on the first morning after I slept in my apartment, I went into the bathroom and just sat on the lidded toilet while hearing all the commotion of people, cars, children, music, and animals, completely overwhelmed with the realization that I was never going to experience silence again until the middle of December. The city was literally going to be the soundtrack of my life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even with closed windows, you can still hear it all, just slightly muffled. A full week in and I'm still not used to it, but every day gets a little easier. That's true for the rest of the newness, but the noise was/is my biggest concern.

Scenery

(Original Photography)

Now, this is something that I hope I never get used to. Every day the architecture and the beauty of this city takes my breath away. I am stunned by the artistry of the buildings and the monuments. I live right by the river, on the far side of the city across the Ponte Vecchio. So any time I need to head to class or go into the heart of the city, I get to cross bridges and walk by the river. The architecture is mind-blowing, and no matter what time of day it is the sun always casts a glow along the walls of the buildings, especially along the river. I have not yet had the opportunity to go around and use my DSLR camera, but I have plenty of time to allow the photographer in me to explore. I'm glad, during opportunities like this, that I have an artistic eye that can see just a little more beauty than most people might. I can look at even the smallest thing, like a door frame or the symmetry of the windows on the buildings, and just be completely awestruck by the simplicity. I love the cobblestone streets and the wooden window shutters, the rounded archways and the large heavy doors. Everything is so simple, yet incredibly complex.

(Original Photography)

One of my favorite views, though, is the one I have the most access to. My balcony (see first or last photo in this blog post for a picture). I'm located on the 6th floor, but floors aren't quite the same here. Put it this way, I have to climb 126 stairs to get to my apartment. We do have an elevator, but sometimes (like today) it's out of order. I will say that with all of the walking I do on a daily basis (usually between 1-3 hours a day) and stair climbing, if I don't come home in December at least 15 pounds lighter, I've done something wrong. #Goals.

The only thing I do miss, however, is grass. Today was the first time I saw any grass since arriving, and I had to walk 45 minutes to see it. It's the little things you realize you start to miss, right?

I think I've taken up enough of your time. I've spent about 5 hours writing this (I didn't have class today so I needed to do something productive) and I need to prepare for my 8 hour day of classes tomorrow. As you can see, I've had to make a lot of adjustments over the last week, and I will have to make many more throughout the next several months. At first, I wasn't sure I could actually go through with an entire semester. As someone who struggles with anxiety, part of me wanted to just give up and turn around and go home. Back to the silence, back to familiarity, back to comfortable beds and family and friends. But a larger part of me knew that this was going to be the experience of a lifetime and that I would always regret it if I quit. Every day gets a little easier, truly. The pit in my stomach that's there when I get up in the morning gets smaller and smaller each day. I get more familiar with the city a little more every time I go exploring, and with familiarity comes comfort and peace of mind.

It took me several days to get from this:

to this:

So was the past week one of the most challenging ones of my life? Yes. Am I glad I stuck it through? Of course. And am I looking forward to the rest of the semester? You bet!

Arrivederci!