Vacationing to a different country is one thing, but living in a different country, in a different city, on a different continent, and experiencing an entirely new culture is a once-in-a-lifetime experience (unless you are lucky enough to do it twice).
Many American students, ourselves included, board the plane with certain expectations of the host cities and the many places to travel to along the way. Many of these notions and expectations are the products of glamorous, highly-filtered Instagram photos and Pinterest landscapes we have obsessed over for so long.
When we arrived in Europe and began traveling on our own and experiencing these things and places first hand, we soon realized they were nothing like we had imagined. Not ‘worse’  – but very different! To an open-minded individual these realities are so much more rewarding than the wildest expectations!

living a life free from stress and problems. Most students envision every moment being magical, and create larger-than-life expectations. Having friends and family constantly remind you how much fun it will be and how lucky you are to embark on this experience only inflates these already large expectations. Although I fell in love with Florence immediately upon arriving, I felt lost and overwhelmed the first night I left the house to get dinner. Which street did I just pass? Do I make a right or a left to get to the Duomo? Did anyone count how many blocks from the house we’ve walked? I wondered how I would ever get my bearings and be able to make my way around and fend for myself. The reality is, life abroad is like life at home – it’s not perfect. You can still get lost, still get sick, and still have a bad day. Within a few days, I got to know the area around my apartment like the back of my hand, and make it a point to explore new streets and shops every day.

 

Written by: Kayla Frauenheim (Rutgers University) and Sarah Giegerich (Penn State)