Studying abroad is all about new experiences. Here's a guide on how to embrace the challenges of living in a new city.
One of my favorite afternoons I spent abroad was one I spent exploring the Montmarte neighborhood in Paris. I broke off from my friends after a tour of the downtown sights and spent a few hours strolling the back streets on my own. Walking around a foreign city by myself was a pretty big accomplishment for me considering in high school, going into the grocery store by myself was enough to give me anxiety. After attending a leadership seminar my sophomore year of high school, I learned that doing things that were uncomfortable was actually a great way to challenge yourself and grow as a person. Since then, it's been my goal to push myself out of my comfort zone and experience new things. Study abroad is a great time to practice this. Here's some ways that I challenged myself while abroad.
Do something by yourself
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to do some personal reflection and learn something new about yourself. Experiencing new things with friends is great, but doing things on your own is also important. There's something special about taking a day to walk through a museum by yourself and spending as much time as you want quietly reflecting on the art you see. Or you could go to a cafe and spend an hour sipping on a coffee and people watching. Doing things alone helps you to slow down and reflect on your experience.
Talk to someone in the local language
One of most unique opportunities about studying abroad is the chance to immerse yourself in another language. Even though I didn't take an Italian class and never learned to speak it, I still picked up some phrases just from being around it all the time.
“Due salsicce per favore!”
Every week I would order two sausages from the butcher at the Mercato Centrale. I think he knew I didn’t really speak Italian, but he always seemed amused by my effort. The market is a great place to try the language because the vendors usually don’t speak much English and the vocab to convey your order is pretty simple. Trying out the language is important because it helps to build connections with the locals. Most of the time, they are just happy that you are trying, even if you make mistakes.
Learn to get around the city without a map
I only truly started feeling like a local once I could navigate Florence by memory. Maps are great when you are first getting started with moving around the city, but try to push yourself to learn the layout without relying on your phone. One thing I would do when I first got to Florence would be to look at the route in my apartment before I left, making note of stores or landmarks where I would have to turn. Then I would try to navigate without checking my map once I left. Doing this helps speed up the process of remembering routes and memorizing the layout of the city. Plus, it's a fun challenge, especially when you're out and about with your new friends.
Eat something new
One of the weirdest things I ate while abroad was a tripe sandwich from a stand near the Mercato Sant’Ambrogio. If you don’t know, tripe is cow stomach. It might sound strange, but I had heard it was actually very tasty. I wanted to try it while I was abroad and after a recommendation from my professor, I decided to go for it. It was actually pretty good, and for only a couple euros, you can’t really go wrong! Eating new food is a great way to experience the culture and live like a local. You never know, you might end up craving the food you tried while abroad once you get home.
The great thing about getting out of your comfort zone is that, even though it can be scary at first, you end up feeling at home with the things that originally seemed impossible. If you spend study abroad living in a bubble, you'll never truly acclimate to the cultural quirks. By pushing yourself in the beginning, you can leave from your abroad experience truly feeling like your city is your home.
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