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The glowing sunset light streamed in through the patio screens, reflecting on our glasses as we touched them together in a toast: “to studying abroad!” One of my classmates cheered. My peers echoed the sentiment followed by the music of clinking glass. We were in a stunning Tuscan villa somewhere along the coast of Italy, having another delicious farm to table dinner for the seventh night of our program. I was grinning ear to ear, wondering if I was really living in this moment or if it was all just a beautiful dream.
Luckily for me, it was real life. Thanks to the University of Washington Wellness in the World Nursing program I had the opportunity to earn college credit while doing my favorite things: traveling, learning, making new friends, and eating some of the best food in the world.
This was not my first time visiting a new country, as I have been to other parts of Europe with my family, but nothing could replace the unique experience of traveling with a group of students who had similar interests and the same adventurous attitude I do. If you are thinking of studying abroad during your time in college I would highly recommend it. No matter what kind of program you decide to do, it looks great on your resume and lets you get the most out of your degree.
If you are planning on studying abroad sometime soon, here are some recommendations and tips I have learned from my time in Italy.
1. Laundry
I learned quickly that most accommodations in Europe do not have a washer and dryer. Some of my peers bought laundry bags on Amazon specifically designed for washing clothes. These bags were definitely a lot easier than the sink washing method I was using for most of my trip. While using the sink, I had to hand wash every individual item, whereas with the bag I could do the whole load at once. Because the bag allows your clothes to soak, my clothes always felt cleaner whenever I borrowed someone’s bag on my wash day. Even if you decide to tough it out and do sink laundry, or if you know the places you are staying at have a washer, bringing a pack of detergent sheets will definitely prove useful. You could buy detergent after you land, but then you have to lug around a big bottle of liquid which might get complicated if you have domestic travel plans. My overall recommendation is to prepare for this beforehand and not spend time worrying about it on your trip. The last laundry item you may find helpful is a portable clothesline. I brought this and found it to be essential when drying clothes in hotel rooms with no balcony or convenient spots to hang dry.
2. Staying charged
In America outlets are something we never have to think about because they are the same no matter which part of the country you are in. It is easy to forget that outlets vary in other countries, which is why I wanted to include a reminder. I bought a small European plug adapter that I could plug all of my types of cords into. I really liked that I was forced to bring this because I ended up being able to charge all of my devices in the same outlet at night. This proved useful for doing schoolwork the next day where I needed my computer, my phone, and often my portable charger to be fully charged. I really underestimated the power the Italian summer heat had in sucking the battery life out of my phone, which is something I learned the hard way. On one of our free days, my friend and I went to Florence and by 11 a.m., both of our phones were almost dead. Because both of us forgot to bring portable chargers, we found an Apple store and bought ones on the spot. To save yourself from the money and stress of a situation like this, I would recommend bringing a portable charger and trying to keep it charged and on hand the whole trip. This is the exact portable charger I bought in Italy and I ended up spending fifty more dollars there than I would have if I had bought it in the United States.
3. Packing light
The most basic warning I received before going abroad was to pack as light as possible. One reason is because there is a lot of walking and lifting of your luggage during transportation. My professor told us if we packed light we would thank ourselves later while dragging suitcases and backpacks to get to the train station in scorching hot heat. I know I was definitely thankful when I saw how tough of a time my friends were having with their oversized luggage. My family told me another reason to pack light was to leave extra room to bring things back, more specifically, gifts for them. I did not find it possible to leave any extra space in my small suitcase or backpack so I had to buy another suitcase for all of my souvenirs. This worked out for me but I definitely would have benefitted from some extra space. The third reason to pack light that I discovered on the trip was that if you bring too big of a bag it might not fit with the domestic travel luggage sizes. One time my whole group got on a train from Bologna to Milan and found that none of the big suitcases would fit in the overhead bins so we had to try and shove them under or on top of tables, which was awkward and cramped for the strangers we were sitting next to for the next couple of hours. Lesson learned: bringing less is better! Try to narrow it down to a small suitcase and backpack.
4. Transportation
Transportation was something that my group struggled with when it came to our independent adventures on free days. Since our professors were pros at this kind of thing, traveling as a class went smoothly and with their example, I learned how to adapt to a variety of situations. I had a great time on European public transportation. It was much cleaner and more developed than what I am used to at home in Seattle, Washington. However, I did encounter quite a few obstacles as I learned how to use it to its maximum potential. The first time this happened, my friends and I ended up getting stranded in Florence. I would say this was mainly due to us planning on taking the last bus of the night to get home. Because we missed the bus, we also missed the last train of the night. It might come as a surprise, since we are used to an abundance of Ubers and Taxis in the U.S., but there were almost no vehicles that could give us a two hour ride back to the farmstay we were supposed to be at for the night. In hindsight this makes sense because it was ridiculously expensive and very remote, but nevertheless, a lesson was learned that night. My suggestion after this experience is to always have a plan B to get back to your accommodations for the night and to leave a little earlier in the day when you don’t have to worry about running out of options.
5. Day Trips
If you are choosing a spot as your home base, it can be fun to plan day trips to cities or towns nearby. Whenever I am in the northern Italian region I try to make time for my favorite spot along the coast, the Cinque Terre. These are five very colorful towns nestled by the Mediterranean sea. There are so many cute shops, restaurants and Airbnbs. Fun fact, these towns are what the fictional town in Disney’s film “Luca” is based off of! I recommend waking up early for a peaceful sunrise float. I tried this one morning and got to enjoy the soft noises of people in our little town waking up, while the sun slowly peaked over the hills. This was by far one of my favorite memories from the excursion. This experience was all thanks to the fact that I was able to meet up with my classmates before the trip and plan out all the details for our days off. We were all trying to budget and it was much more affordable to make reservations months in advance rather than planning it on the go, especially with housing filling up during the tourist season.
6. Food
For picky eaters, it might be tempting to get American food while abroad. Despite this, I highly encourage getting out of your comfort zone and trying out regional foods. A valuable tip I learned during my studies was that while you may assume nationally associated foods (such as pasta or pizza) are good anywhere, this tends to differ with the locals’ perspectives. I found that Italians are proud of their food even from city to city across the country. One of our tour guides in Bologna scoffed at the idea of ordering a pizza there because it is a food that originated from Naples. Instead, he suggested we try something they are more known for such as tortellini or tagliatelle al ragù. My friends and I found that learning what foods were birthed in a particular municipality resulted in a more immersive and tasty dining experience.
7. Pickpocket Prevention
The most touristy cities were teeming with pickpocketers. Though I made sure to always be on guard and aware of my surroundings, one time someone tried to reach in my bag and take something. Luckily I was able to quickly yank it away and keep moving while holding on to all of my possessions. I recommend wearing a crossbody bag since you can keep your phone and wallet in front of you without having to worry about someone taking them from your back pocket or accidentally setting them down. My friends who used purses also succeeded in holding onto their valuables so that is a good option as well. Whatever bag you choose, it is important to be vigilant.
8. Camera Equipment
My favorite way to remember a trip is through photography. For this trip, I wanted the grainy vintage summer look that only a film camera can give. I did have to make sure to keep the film out of security X-rays which could damage it, but the results made it so worth it. I would also borrow my friend’s digital cameras for more immediate photos and they all turned out great. Even if you just use your phone, it’s hard to get even one bad picture in such beautiful places! A fun activity after the trip is scrapbooking or digitally creating photo books to give to the people you shared this experience with.
9. No WiFi entertainment
My free time during the trip was mostly spent sleeping, reading, or talking with my peers, rather than on a screen. This was because oftentimes we were staying in remote places without access to the internet. Studying abroad can be a great way to disconnect from the rest of the world and spend time enjoying the moment. I found that bringing a journal specifically for the trip was a great way to encapsulate my experience and was great to reminisce with later. When I wasn’t writing, I was reading. My personal favorite that really got me into the summer-in-Italy vibe is One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle.
10. Footwear
It can be difficult to pack appropriate shoes for all the activities you plan to do on your trip. I found the less shoes you bring, the better. I chose to buy a pair of nice shoes beforehand that would be for multipurpose everyday wear. They had a lot of cushion and also had good grip for hiking. These were a pair of Keen’s but I have also had a great experience with Hoka’s. A comfortable pair of shoes is really important because when we weren’t enjoying meals together, my friends and I were going on long walks and hikes through towns, cities, or the countryside. If you are planning on spending a lot of time swimming and at the beach, having a pair of slip on shoes is great too. Since this is such an easy thing to find abroad, I wouldn’t say this is a must have for packing. I wish I hadn’t brought my sandals because I ended up buying and using a pair of Havaianas the whole trip. If you plan on going out to clubs in Europe, you may want to take note that they tend to have strict dress codes. My friends and I didn’t make it out to very many clubs, but we did have nights where we were turned away because our shoes were too casual or open toed. Most girls there knew this and were wearing heels or tall boots. A side note is that men should expect to wear long or short sleeves as our friends were turned away for wearing tank tops.
Studying abroad opened doors in ways I never thought were possible. Learning about new perspectives has made me a more understanding, curious and independent person, which is why I think it is a valuable learning experience in everyone’s college pathway. I hope that my guide was able to improve someone else’s journey or that it was inspiring to those who are considering embarking on this themselves. My goal is that, by sharing what I have learned, it will allow you to feel more prepared before setting off on this exciting adventure. And most importantly, this is an amazing experience you will never forget!
