Ciao Roma! 10 Lessons in 10 Weeks

Yesterday I left Rome. I cannot believe how quickly these past 10 weeks went by! Over the last two and a half months, I have learned a lot about art history, architecture and myself. I have faced challenges, experienced success and made many close, new friends.

There is so much I could say about my experience, but I've distilled my time abroad into 10 important things I learned. Here they are:

Let Go

I watched many people on my trip (and at times myself) struggle with letting go of the need to plan everything. In the US, I know where everything is and how everything works. In other countries, there is an adjustment period to figuring out basic things such as when things open and close to the public transportation schedule to how to ask for directions. It was only when I started going out, exploring and occasionally messing up (once I searched for over an hour for a restaurant open for lunch on a Sunday) that I got the hang of things.

Research

In that same vein, however, it pays to research even when it seems unnecessary— this always made me feel confident and capable of taking care of myself. I also always had lists of back us, from restaurants I knew wouldn't be crowded to alternate bus routes I could take home if there was a tram strike (which is basically always). If I was trying out a new restaurant, I would look it up on Zagat and then cross-reference with Trip Advisor and Yelp. The more information I had while I was abroad, the more at ease I felt.

Time is Money

The expression "buying time" was so true during my study abroad. Mostly in terms of transportation, I found that the more you pay, the faster you get places. There are times- like when I am running late or it is pouring rain- where you have to get to your final destination faster. Knowing the location of many taxi stands, bus stops and tram stations helped me navigate efficiently (as well as always having an up to date metro card on hand). 

Do as the Romans do

There is a big difference between being a foreigner living in Italy and being a tourist. Let me tell you, you do not want to be the latter. While it was obvious that I did not speak good Italian, I did my best to act and dress the part, especially when I was alone. The few times I wore shorter skirts or shorts, I attracted a lot of unwanted attention as I really stuck out among the locals. By the end of the trip, I had narrowed my wardrobe to blacks and neutrals and found my Italian passable.

Get Lost

The only places I knew how to get to in Rome were places I had stumbled upon while getting lost. Somehow, when you physically walk through a city you get a much better lay of the land than when you take public transportation or a taxi. Get lost often and get lost early!

Always Make Reservations

I found a lot of peace in having a few things "guaranteed." Knowing that I wouldn't have to wait for a table at a restaurant or that I had guaranteed entry at a museum since I bought my tickets in advance prevented me from wasting time or missing out. Bad restaurants and long lines exist (and are plentiful in tourist-y cities!), so making reservations ensures that you avoid them.

Write Home, Write Often

I wrote so many post cards to friends, family and my boyfriend while I was abroad. In fact, I wrote a whole post about how I stayed in touch with them. But postcards weren't the only writing I had going on. I kept a travel journal while I was away chronicling the highs and lows of traveling. I could really tell during the times where I wasn't writing as much because I was much grumpier. Releasing my frustrations and recognizing what I loved helped me find some balance.

Maintain a Schedule

As much as I tried to go-with-the-flow during my term in Rome, I realized that I was much happier when I had some kind of normalcy. Whether it was going to my favorite cafe before class every morning, working out in the afternoons, running errands the same day every week or cooking in my apartment regularly, I felt less culture shock when I had some kind of a schedule.

Quiet Time is Important

I am a very introverted person (despite that I am very outgoing). I really derive my energy, my motivation and my mood from inside myself. I noticed that when I didn't set aside some quiet time for me, I started going a little bit crazy. Some days I went for a walk or run, other days I just laid on my bed with headphones in and read a book— indulging in some healthy alone time allowed me to recharge for when I was spending time with the group.

Try Everything (or as the Romans say— Carpe Diem!)

I don't regret a single late night I spent with friends or a single scoop of gelato I ate over the trip. While sometimes I was exhausted (or actually got pretty sick), there is no worse feeling than "missing out." I am happy that I immersed myself in every Roman experience I wanted, which helped me grow a lot.

xoxo