Now that I have completed a full semester abroad, I have lots to reflect on. I definitely had to adjust to a lot of aspects of my host culture. The first aspect was all the walking you had to do. The easiest way to get around in Rome is honestly to walk. I had to cut out extra travel time for walking to and from class. I think this is very refreshing and people from my host country would enjoy this change. Walking is so good for you physical and mental health. It also gives you the opportunity to really see Rome. The next adjustment I had to make was that my apartment had no air conditioning. When I first got there, it was in the 90’s in Rome. You walk around all day drenched in sweat and then come home to a heat box. My roommates and I learned to take cold showers at night, keep the blinds down to keep out the sun, keep windows open, and get lots of fans. This was a very big adjustment for me at first because it is very hard to ignore. The winter was a lot easier to adjust too because you can bundle up in warm clothes and blankets. If someone from my host culture had to experience no air conditioning in the summer, I am sure they would be angry and miserable at first, but they would learn to adjust and figure out life hacks to make it more enjoyable. Another adjustment that I had to make was eating a smaller breakfast. At home I always start my day with a big breakfast to fuel me through the day, but in Italy I found it to be opposite. I had big dinners that gave me energy for the next day. For breakfast I would have a pastry and a coffee. I found a croissant that I enjoyed that had meat on the inside which made me feel more satisfied. I learned to really love a cappuccino in the morning, but I did go back to eating big breakfasts now that I am home. I believe that most Americans were taught that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” so this is defiantly something that others in my host country will relate too. After a few weeks your body adjusts naturally to the switch in big meals. I think that someone from my host culture would view my experience as nothing less then amazing. I got to experience so much and visit so many places in just a short period of time. What’s not to love? My experience has prepared me for future cultural misunderstandings or conflicts by giving me a better understanding of our differences and how normal differences are in other cultures. I will really use my experience to be open minded and adventurous because I now know how great it is to learn and be a part of someone else’s culture. I have never been one to judge so I will keep that quality that I have and be very welcoming to different cultures because I know how hard it can be to adjust to a new one.
