After living in Florence Italy for two months now, I have gotten used to living without my grande pumpkin spice latte, Lincoln Park after dark nail polish, and curling iron. But trust me, it was NOT easy. Don’t get me wrong- life abroad is amazing, but the transition process was a bit bumpy. Here are some survival tips for future study abroad people:
1. No Starbucks
Every girl loves her Starbucks, whether you get a skinny vanilla latte, caramel macchiato, or the infamous pumpkin spice latte. Starbucks does not exist in Italy, and it is very hard to find these addicting concoctions anywhere. And heads up: do NOT attempt to ask for a drink similar to your typical Starbuck’s order. It will end in a huge language barrier with sweat and tears. (Yes, I’ve experienced this first hand). Instead, I recommend sticking with the classic Cappuccino or if you’re looking for something cooler ask for a “Cappuccino Freddo” or as us American’s call it, an Iced Coffee.
2. No Chipotle
Chipotle is my one love, and is extremely hard to find abroad. Life without your chicken burrito with extra guac and side of chips may seem like the end of the world, but trust me once you have a slice of real pizza (and not Big Tony’s) you will forget about Chipotle. At least temporarily you will. Take a short break from your relationship with Chipotle and try a margharita or pesto pizza.
3. No AC
Summers in Italy are extremely hot and humid, and it stays that way until the end of October. (Insert sweating emoji here). Since the apartments are ancient, there is no AC. At first, it might seem like you are going to melt to death and need to sleep on the tile floor to stay cool. But trust me, if you survived freshman year in Ray or McViney, you will survive this. If you are studying abroad in the fall, I suggest you pack light clothing for the first couple of months to prepare for the heat. Also buy a fan for your room and crack open your windows to let a breeze in!
4. No Peanut Butter
For those of you that have a peanut butter addiction like I do, pay close attention here! They do not eat peanut butter abroad, and when you find it in the grocery store it is very expensive and small. I know what you are thinking- “How can they not eat peanut butter?!” and “How the $@*%& am I supposed to go 4 months without peanut butter?!” Well listen up. They’ve got their own version, Nutella. Its like peanut butter 2.0. This hazelnut and chocolate combination will leave you eating a whole jar subconsciously. It is a deadly combo, that will change your life forever.
5. No Gyms
For those of you who work out religiously or just work out sometimes, you might find it hard to continue this while in Italy. The gyms you do find have machines that shake and feel like they are about to collapse while using them. And no they are not like that because you ate that pizza pie for lunch. They just do not invest in good machines because working out is not really a thing here. But do NOT panic- this does not mean you are going to get fat. When you go abroad, no one tells you how much walking you do. You are constantly on your feet going from class to class or from site to site. If you are looking for a little something more to do, I suggest going for a walk or jog around a park or if you are in Florence along the river. It might be hard at times to run because it gets touristy, but if you go at the right time the view is amazing. But most importantly, remember calories don’t exist when you’re abroad!