5 Ways to Make the Most of Studying Abroad in Italy

Studying abroad in Italy is a classic experience packed full of breathtaking architecture, Italian food and wine, and numerous awe-inspiring historical sites. But, in the excitement of making friends with other international students and dashing round Europe every weekend, many students studying abroad in Italy miss out on some of the best parts of Italian culture, without even knowing what they are missing out on. Making the most of study abroad in Italy means breaking out of the English-speaking tourist bubble, and diving deep into all of the quirks and cultural elements that make Italy so unique. Here are five ways you can do just that!

 

1. Know (Some) Italian.

This seems pretty straight-forward. You’re going to live in a foreign country, where the first language is not English, so you should have some knowledge of the country’s language, right? Right! However, the majority of students who choose to study abroad in Italy arrive with minimal to absolutely no knowledge of the Italian language. If you want to truly immerse yourself during your time in studying abroad in Italy, commit to learning some Italian.

It will help you become fluent in the Italian lifestyle, not only the means of communication. You will know how to order the perfect panino, get around on public buses, or even get into that prohibited back room at your favorite museum. It’s somewhat true that you can get by in Italy speaking only English, but are you really coming all this way to Italy to just get by? Knowing at least some Italian will enhance your experience and allow you the opportunity to really live la dolce vita.

 

2. Know the Difference Between Good & Bad Gelato.

Now you’re thinking is there really such thing as bad gelato? Unfortunately, amici, there is. Bad gelato is like the really attractive, yet shady guy or girl who looks good on the outside, but you know is wrong for you on the inside. Maybe that comparison was sort of a leap, but you get the idea.

Bad gelato sits in decorative mounds behind glass in store windows where the pretty and unnatural colors taunt your eyes and entice your taste buds, screaming “I look so pretty, eat me!” However, if it was real gelato (aka good gelato), you wouldn’t be able to see it. Good gelato rests humbly beneath the counter and is often covered by a steel or glass cover.

You can tell good gelato is good because there is less of it; this is because the owners of the shop usually make only enough to sell for the following day. Bad gelato sits in mounds for who knows how long and is made out of powder and milk. Good gelato is made of fresh, natural ingredients and cream, and you’ll taste the difference immediatamente.

3. Be Willing to Go Beyond Comparisons.

Italy is going to be different than your home; you know this already, but it is still something you need to remember. When you first arrive in Italy, it will be easy to say things like, “Home is more organized than Italy” or “Food is better in Italy than at home.” However, challenge yourself to really evaluate the comparisons you make when you make them. Is your home country really more organized than Italy, or does each country have a different logic to its socioeconomic structure? Is food really better in Italy than at home or...ok, no, that one is probably true.

Pay attention to the things that you say and be sensitive to your host culture. You are studying abroad in Italy to learn about another place, another group of people, and a different set of customs, so there are bound to be surprises. Be open to the possibility that you may just leave with more questions than you came with, and if that is the case, you likely did something right!

 

4. Take a Breath Before You Take a Picture.

One of the most commonly used adjectives people use to describe Italy is, “picturesque.” It’s true, Italy is picturesque, but that doesn’t mean that your first instinct should be to take a picture. If you see something you want to take a picture of, hold the phone. If you want to take a picture of something, that must mean it is truly beautiful and significant. Therefore, take the moment you were going to use take to take a picture to just gaze in awe at the amazing sight in front of you. Then, you can take your picture.

 

5. Stay in Italy. 

One of the main reasons many people choose study abroad programs in Italy is because it is really convenient home base to use to travel around Europe. This reason is valid, because when else will you ever be so close to so many other amazing places? On the other hand, when else will you get the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in another culture so intimately?

Studying abroad is about going out of your comfort zone by involving yourself in a place that is not your home; it is hard to be part of a different place if you spend most of your free time traveling away from it on an overnight bus or on budget airplanes. This is not to say that you shouldn’t travel outside of Italy, but to make the most of studying abroad in Italy you should aim to spend most of your time in Italy itself. Many people say that it is not possible to see all of Italy no matter how long you stay there, so you will never run out of places to visit or things to see as an international student in Italy.