Planning and Tracking
Most of the summer students attending JCU are American, as this is an American University. However, permanent students of JCU who may be taking summer classes are likely to be more local. Interacting with permanent students (especially orientation leaders, as they are peers that are familiar with the area and knowledgeable on best local hangouts) is a good way to get to know the area and begin meeting some local Italians. I became friends with two Italians that attend the university full time, and visited one of them at their house in Tuscany. It was nice to be able to see how people live in the area, and not just visit the typical tourist sites. It helps to understand the country more when you see how residents spend their time. Aside from that, Rome is generally a friendly city. Speaking to people in local shops and eateries is always fun. Trastevere is a smaller community and you can become friendly with residents relatively quickly.
One interesting purchase you may need to make while abroad in Italy is paying to use the bathroom. Make sure that if you go out for the day you always have cash on you (credit cards are much less accepted here) and that you have change to use the restroom if you need to! Facilities are not free here and not present in all cafes, so sometimes paying is necessary. In Europe, currency below five is in the form of coins. Meaning you can have a two euro piece, instead of two dollars in America. Exact change is valued as well, so it is good to keep cash on you in low denominations. Based on my previous travel experiences, I am quite familiar with the euro and the adjustment did not come as much of a surprise to me. It is useful to become comfortable using the euro as it is used throughout the European Union and therefore in several surrounding countries you may visit. The conversion rate is similar to the US (currently at 1.09), so it is not as difficult to adjust to as some other currencies with greater gaps or higher inflation rates.
In terms of budgeting, I always write a plan before I leave to travel but make sure to have enough backup funds to expand my budget. Planning and tracking your spending is responsible, but I think that sometimes you have to be flexible and careful not to miss out on something because you didn’t originally plan for it. Sometimes unexpected trips or opportunities present themselves, and I’ve found I regret it more if I pass on the opportunity, than if I expand my budget. Obviously you must do this in reason, but I find taking advantage of opportunities while you abroad is crucial to having a positive experience and fully immersing yourself.
