This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Fairfield chapter.
I sat down with one of HCFU’s Campus Correspondents, Eileen Flaherty, and asked her all about her experience studying abroad last fall in Florence, Italy. We also chatted about HCFU and Eileen shared some of her hopes for this upcoming semester!
Where did you study abroad?
- Florence, Italy.
Who did you go with?
- I went with one of my close friends but I also was friendly/knew of a good amount of other Fairfield people going.
What was your favorite part of your time abroad?
- The independence of it. I loved that I could leave my apartment to go on a long walk, visit a museum, go get dinner with my friends. All that fun stuff. The traveling was also incredible, and I loved seeing all of the unique artwork in the countries/places I visited.
Anything you didn’t like?
- I loved it all, but walking up five flights of stairs to get to my apartment with my 70 pound luggage when I arrived is what I didn’t like.
Culture Shock?
- I think overall the lifestyle was very different compared to the US. Especially the social life and going out for dinner/drinks. The grocery stores were SO stressful though. You bag your groceries by yourself, which is fine, BUT they scan it all so fast and you have hardly any time to bag it all up. It was honestly kind of funny going to the grocery store because you always had a story to tell after you left. Overall, it was all good culture shock.
Go-to meal or snack
- A panino from Pino’s. Unbeatable. OR a margarita pizza from pizza Napoli. Lots of snacks – fruit (SOOOO fresh and cheap there), cannolis, cheese, bread, all that good stuff. And of course, lots of gelato (my favorite place is Perché No!)
Describe a regular day in your life abroad
- I had class Mon-Thurs. My favorite schedule was Monday’s because I only had one class. Before class, I would normally leave my apartment around 9:30 and get breakfast – a cappuccino and a croissant. Then I would go back, do some laundry, have a snack and then leave for class. After class I would either pick up food or make something at home. I normally would walk around a little bit after class too and do some window-shopping or visit a museum. Then, a few hours later me and my roommates would get ready to go out to our favorite bar and the club.
Is there anything you picked up (a hobby, habit, or mannerism) while studying abroad?
- I got into the routine of doing the same thing every morning which was getting breakfast and then walking around. I think I also got so used to saying “ciao!” everywhere I went.
Is there anything you would do differently?
- I wish I had planned a couple more trips ahead of time to see some things I wasn’t able to do, but everything happens for a reason.
What will you miss the most from studying abroad?
- I will miss the amazing food, culture, independence, artwork, and the incredible friends I studied with and people in Florence who became like family.
Any advice for underclassmen for study abroad?
- Make sure to go with a good amount of $$. There is so much shopping to do and traveling adds up. I would also recommend packing lightly and having lots of space in your suitcase for all the things you bought to bring back to the states. Another piece of advice that I have is to practice and appreciate the independence you have studying abroad. Explore often and try to do as much as you can!
How does it feel being back in the states?
- It is definitely nice to be home with my family and friends. I miss Italy dearly, though, and would love to go back. Go stags and go Fairfield, but it’s pretty hard to beat living and studying in Italy.
How long have you been involved with Her Campus?
- I have been involved with Her Campus since my freshman year. I was a writer, and then my sophomore year I became the editor for the Celebrities & Pop Culture section. I still write articles occasionally, but now that I am one of the CC’s, I really enjoy overseeing the magazine and guiding the editors and social media team. It has been such an incredible experience!
What are your hopes for Her Campus this spring?
- I hope to have more events on campus as well as events with local businesses or boutiques! I also want to have more writers and content on social media platforms. I am so excited to see where this year takes us!
XO, Catherine