The decision to study abroad is definitely an exciting one. Exciting in an, “Oh my gosh I’m freaking out and living in a foreign country for four months” kind of way. The anticipation leading up to it is something that everyone feels internally. From the packing, to the goodbyes to your actual flight taking off from the runway…all of it can be a little, okay maybe a WHOLE LOT of overwhelming. My study abroad experience cannot be described in one word because I could easily give you a whole paragraph of what it was like to wake up in Florence, Italy and all of the other exciting European cities for four months straight. I have learned that all of it doesn’t seem real until you are back in your own personal “reality.” Coming to the realization that your “reality” no longer includes flying to Paris for the weekend or eating pasta for every meal is a tough pill to swallow. With that, here are ten adjustments and realizations that I have been dealing with since being back in the USA. Let me know in the comments if any of you former study-abroaders can relate!
Don’t worry you are not a zombie – it’s just the 7-hour time difference:
Although some days I felt like the newest character on The Walking Dead, I actually did a better job with this part of the ‘transition’ than I thought I originally would. I am a sleeeeeper. Anyone who knows me personally can attest to that. I was up and walking the day after changing time zones with not having slept in the 48 hours leading up to my departure; I would say that is a win in my book. However, I can’t say the same for the three days that followed when I would be in my pajamas and ready for bed by 5:00 p.m.
Just because you were in Italy does not mean you can eat pasta and Italian bread for every meal:
It’s a harsh reality, folks. Can you blame me though? When a box of noodles, a can of sauce and a loaf of fresh Italian bread costs you less than three euros…you get into the practice of it.
Grocery stores are no longer the size of my pinkie:
I seriously admire Europe for having the tiniest of the tiniest grocery stores I have ever been to. My basket and me took up the space of an entire aisle. I was so used to this concept until I went to Walmart with my mom over break and was reminded again how any human could possibly spend two hours shopping for groceries. The size of one Walmart could possibly be half the size of Florence, so there’s that.
No, you cannot travel from Bloomington-Normal to Switzerland for the weekend:
Wait, so you mean that I can’t hop on a bus at the bus station and have it take me to Switzerland for the weekend to stare at the magnificence that is the Swiss Alps? PASS.
You cannot go buy gelato randomly after class:
Ben and Jerry’s will have to suffice. *cries*
You are no longer in a place that has a 3-euro panini:
Three euro in Italy will get you a delicious handcrafted panini, made with only the freshest ingredients from the local market, sandwiched between two pieces of freshly baked out-of-the-oven ciabatta bread. Four or five dollars in America, equivalent to three euro, will get you a processed and artificially flavored freezer patty from McDonalds. WHY?
You do not have some of the world’s most valued works of art within 5 ft. of you:
I have gained so much appreciation for the art world and its creators since being in Italy. It is hard not to develop an admiration when some of the greatest artists known to man had made some of their most spectacular works in the same city that you lived in.
‘Bar’ and ‘Café’ are no longer interchangeable:
I can no longer use the phrase “I am going to stop at the bar before class” because in America, people will think I am going to go get a margarita before I head to Org COM. Yikes.
You will never pay $3.00 for wine in America:
I assume that by being in the place that produces the largest quantity of wine known-to-man you are going to be able to get it at a cheaper price due to its overwhelming abundance. Or people in Italy have established that everyone needs to be able to afford wine because wine is wine and possibly one of God’s greatest gifts to Earth.
People wear pajama pants out in public and deem it justifiable:
I am lead to believe that everyone in Italy quite possibly does not own a pair of pajama pants, or sweatpants for that matter because no. one. wears. them. out. in. public. ever.
For anyone who is considering studying abroad, I HIGHLY recommend it. Be prepared to learn more about yourself than you could have ever imagined and know that you yourself will have to go through an ‘adjustment phase’ both upon arrival and coming back to the homeland.