I have never been a go-with-the-flow person. I love to have all of my days and actions planned out well in advance, especially when it comes to travel. However, my entire, organized world was shifted upside down when I moved to Rome this August. Each of my weekends here thus far has included a trip to a different place. Many of my destinations involved short train rides to places in Italy, but, given my proximity to the rest of Europe, many were much farther. Planning these trips around classes and homework, with people I just met, and to places I had never been proved extremely challenging. I struggled to narrow down where I wanted to travel, figure out how to stay in Hostels, and try to get the cheapest airline tickets. After traveling to London, Paris, Geneva, Bologna, Tivoli, Amalfi, Tuscany, and Nice (which I’m sitting on the plane back from now), I have learned so much about myself, about traveling, and about the incredible world I live in. I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 things I’ve learned and want to share with other study abroad students.
1. Always be prepared for grumpy TSA agents, long walks through the city with your luggage, getting charged extra for having too many carry-ons, or any other minor details that could go wrong. In the off chance that none of these things happen, rejoice.
2. Don’t be worried if you can’t speak the language of your destination! Learn some basic phrases and always try a little, but don’t expect to be fluent for your 3 day weekend trip (or even for your host country).
3. Be careful who you pick to travel with. Make sure your intentions for your experience line up. 4. Never pull money out of an ATM at the airport. They charge a crazy exchange rate.
5. Do research before you go about the city you are going to, especially dishes to try, places to visit, and the overall vibe (nightlife, beachy, etc).
6. DON’T OVERPACK! Learn to be okay with wearing the same pair of jeans for a week. This tip goes for your whole study abroad experience too, you really don’t need as much as you think.
7. Make sure you schedule in rest time between trips, it can get physically and mentally exhausting. (And don’t forget you are here for school too…)
8. Take a train if you can, in your host country and others. It provides a wonderful view of the countryside and you don’t have to go through security or get to the station hours in advance.
9. Keep a journal! You are going to want to remember each of the tiny details (good and bad) for the rest of your life.
10. Going with the flow is really so important. There are so many things that you just can’t plan for, and most of the best experiences come from this.
Overall, always keep an open mind, and don’t compare places you travel to where you’ve already been or to where you’re studying abroad. Have the best time of your life!