I’ll be honest, when I first imagined what my experience would be like abroad, I didn’t factor in that I might be feeling uncomfortable. I imagined a life of cappuccinos, Roman boys on motorcycles, seeing magnificent sights, and exploring the side streets to find the best panini shop. I anticipated shopping on famous shopping streets and hailing taxis or glamorously running through a train station to catch the Metro. All of this has been more or less true (except for the Roman boy on a motorcycle… still waiting for my Lizzie McGuire moment) and I’ve been having the time of my life. Honestly, I already know I’ll never forget my semester abroad.
What I didn’t see coming was that I would be experiencing a fair amount of discomfort on top of all of the good things. At first, I refused to acknowledge that I was feeling awkward. If I didn’t talk about it, it wasn’t there! But soon enough, I had to face the very real facts: I was covered head to toe in mosquito bites, I was getting sick, and I was so hot and sticky that I had to shower twice a day. I was walking more than I ever walked in my life, and until my leg muscles caught up I was feeling pretty sore. I had to get used to a new bathroom set up with a shower that tended to flood, and my new bed had a spring sticking out of the side that I had to learn to avoid.
On top of these physical complaints, there were a fair amount of emotional discomforts. The language barrier was funny at first, but quickly began to frustrate me as I felt myself assimilating into my new city in every way but in communicative ability. The assimilation process wasn’t easy, either: I got lost a few times, and the uncertainty of not always being sure where I was going was stressful. Then there was the regular amount of homesickness, which got that much worse when I got sick and all I wanted was to be in my bed at home.
What I learned was that the physical discomforts will go away. The leg muscles will catch up, the heat will die down, and my Spartan room quickly became my sanctuary. Now I’m just waiting for the mosquito bites to go away. The emotional ones are a little harder to deal with, but keeping myself busy was the only thing that really worked. I’ve loved writing as a way to reflect, getting out into the city to remind myself what I really love about being here, and spending time with my new friends. Once you accept that feeling a little awkward is normal, and that everybody is feeling out of place, it gets better.
I’m about to embark on a 10-day Eurotrip. We’re hitting Interlaken, Switzerland, first, where I will be canyon jumping (Google it, it’s terrifying) and eating cheese fondue. Then we’re going to The Hague and Amsterdam, and last we’re going to London. My next blog will be a summation of my travels so far while abroad! If you want to read about more of my adventures, you can read my personal blog here. Until next time!
I felt particularly uncomfortable when I stumbled upon education reform protests being held in the Piazza Venezia
Photo Source: Madi Tsuji