Preparing for Departure: How I Got Ready to Study Abroad in Florence, Italy

As I write this, I have two days until I leave for Florence, Italy. While I am super excited to meet so many new people, try all the different foods, experience amazing shopping, and experience a new culture for 4.5 months, it is definitely nerve-racking. The thing I think I am most nervous about is adjusting to a new home and being away from family! Thankfully, I do have quite a few friends that I am studying abroad with, so I am sure being close to them will help get rid of the homesickness. However, if you are considering studying abroad and don’t know anyone going, don’t be worried! I know plenty of people who are going all by themselves and they are so excited to meet new people. Even though I know a handful of people, I am also super excited to make new friends from all over the country and the world! 

Excitement and Nerves!

The thing I think I am most excited for is traveling all around Europe! As most people say, “traveling in Europe is so much easier!” and I think that really is true. As of right now, I only have a couple of trips booked, which include Budapest, Vienna, and Salzburg, Croatia, and Switzerland, but I am definitely looking forward to going to more places. My goal while I am abroad is to collect a postcard for every place I go, so we’ll see if I stick to it! One of my goals for 2024 is to become better at cooking, so I am really excited to take Italian cooking classes and pasta making classes! Through my program, SAI, they host activities for students, which include those kinds of classes. I plan on signing up for those as soon as I get to Florence. I am also taking a food and culture class, so I am looking forward to everything I will learn in that course. 

Of course, with any new experience nerves are very normal. I think a lot of it is anticipation as well! Personally, I am nervous to be in a different country where I do not speak the language. I know a lot of people in Florence speak English, however, I do not know if they are super fluent. I am taking an Italian class, but I know I will not be fluent in it. So, I am nervous about the level of difficulty in communicating. Everyone that I know that has studied in Florence has told me Google Translate is super helpful, so I will definitely be downloading that. I don’t have too many big fears about studying abroad, just some overall nerves that I know are normal, and I am sure as soon as I get there I will feel a lot better.

Preparing: Logistically

The first step in preparing to study abroad is choosing a program and a destination! I knew I wanted to study abroad in Italy, but wasn’t sure where. I ended up choosing Florence because it is a bigger program and I would know more people, and they have a very large variety of classes.

Your program will help you figure out all the logistical passport, visa, and paperwork preparations, but I do have a few tips. Your visa allows you to stay in the country you are studying for longer than 90 days. It is important to obtain this well ahead of time so you don’t stress about getting it! If you can, try to mail your paperwork in to get a visa. It is a lot simpler and you don’t have to worry about traveling to a consulate to get it. Make sure you start your visa process early. I started my application and gathered all my documents in early October, and received my visa close to Thanksgiving. This gave me plenty of time to make sure I would get it in time. Also, make copies of everything you send to the consulate, because they may not return it! Make sure you check your specific requirements for your state and consulate because they are different!

After all my paperwork was gathered, I received my visa, and everything was set to go, there were a few more things I had to do logistically to be prepared to leave. I had to order euros to have in cash, which I did through my local bank, make sure I have all my documents together, and decide what I wanted to pack. Preparing all this stuff was a little stressful at times, but with two days left until I leave, I am glad I got it all done early.

Preparing: Packing

I have always been an over packer, so I knew this was going to be one of the hardest parts of preparing. I finally finished packing my suitcases today, so I will share some tips and tricks I learned along the way. Packing can be stressful because you are very limited in what you can bring. Personally, I have a large suitcase which I will check, a carry-on suitcase, and a duffel bag that I will smush as much as I can under the seat! I finally sat down today and put everything in, and thankfully I think I will have enough room. I might just have to get another bag to put my souvenirs and purchases in for my trip home in May, but that’s a problem for another month!

My biggest packing tip is packing cubes! On top of staying organized, which I strive to be most of the time, they really do save space. Fun fact, I used to be a packing cube hater, and thought they just took up space, but, get compression ones and they save so much room! Also, I know everyone says “just bring neutrals!” but I’m going to say it again. Bring neutral clothes! You can make so many more cute outfits if everything you have matches each other. I actually think I only brought 2 shirts that are colorful, and they’re still very pastel. I love color, but that is something I think I will be able to get there if I find myself missing it. Speaking of, shopping is so good in Florence, if you are thinking about going there, just know you will buy stuff, so try not to pack your suitcase to the absolute fullest! 

One thing I knew I wanted to pack when I started was a travel journal. My mom got me one a few weeks ago, and I am so excited to start using it. This will be so fun for me to write down my experience and look back on in a year, five years, or even a decade. I know I will never forget this amazing opportunity, but having it in writing will help me relive it for years to come. If you are studying abroad in the future, I definitely think you should get a journal, even if you don’t think you will use it! I am not a huge journal person myself, but I think it will be a fun activity for me to do on long train rides or even just in the evenings. 

Overall, I am so excited to leave and finally get to Florence, but It still doesn’t feel real that I am leaving in two days, and I don’t think I will fully believe it until I have been there for a few weeks. While this is my first time blogging, I am super excited to share this adventure with you all, and hope I inspire you to consider studying abroad! Stay tuned to find out about my living arrangements, future travel plans, and how my classes are going!