It’s December 2021, and after a semester in Italy, I’m heading back home to the States. Leaving Rome, my new home away from home, was bittersweet. I was sad to be leaving all of my new friends, the ease of traveling and exploring new places within Europe and Italian cuisine, especially my favorite: gelato. On the other hand, I was excited to see my friends and family. I missed traveling down to Connecticut and Cape Cod, places I’ve been going to my whole life, to see my family for the holidays. I could not wait for my dad’s homemade meals and my mom’s Christmas baking.
When I studied abroad in Italy, I entered the unknown. Returning to the States, I was entering the known. However, I was returning with a completely new outlook on life. I just had an extraordinarily transformative few months of meeting people from all over the world, traveling to countries I’d never been to before, and experiencing cultures different from my own. So, while I was coming home, home felt different because I was different.
Many things about the U.S. and my own culture, which I viewed as “normal” before, stood out to me and made me do a double take. Here are a few things I noticed right off the bat upon my return:
- Temperature: In the U.S., buildings blast AC in the summer and heat in the winter. In Italy, since the buildings are much older, AC and heating are luxuries. During the later months of my time abroad, I was wearing multiple layers to stay warm inside. Back home, I was much warmer with the heat inside overpowering the cold outside.
- Dinner: What time is dinner time? You’d get completely different answers if you ask an American or an Italian. My family, since I have a younger brother still in elementary school, tends to eat dinner around 6 p.m. When I got to Italy, most restaurants were still closed at 6 p.m., opening an hour later or more. A 9 p.m. dinner (or later) is completely normal in Italy. I had to adjust my eating schedule while abroad and then re-adjust it once I got back home. Without the influence of my little brother, I like to eat dinner around 8 p.m., I think the Italian way changed me forever.
- Cars: In the U.S., cars are huge. Trucks, minivans, and SUVs are ubiquitous. In Italy, cars are small. Fiats dominate. Some cars are so tiny, they’re made for only a driver. Walking down the street, I was taller than most cars parked. Once back home, I was taken aback by how large the cars were.
Caption: Tiny Italian cars line the streets of Rome.
Additionally, some things I had become accustomed to doing, hearing, or saying in Italy changed when I came home. These include:
- Phrases: “Ciao!” “Grazie!” While I (sadly) am not fluent in Italian, I did pick up a few words while abroad. Coming back home, I found myself still automatically saying “grazie” to waiters when they gave me food or to people when they held open the door for me. I greeted people with a chipper “ciao,” then, realizing my mistake, followed up with a “hello.” It took me a couple of weeks to shake off my Italian phrases.
- Understanding Public Conversations: In Italy, when I passed people on the streets or in grocery stores, I had no idea what they were saying. Sitting next to people on the bus or another couple at a restaurant, I was blissfully unaware of their conversations. For months, I was surrounded by a language I knew only a few words of. Being able to speak the language of the country you’re in fills you in on what others around you are talking about (whether you’re truly listening or not). The weather, the game last night, family drama, I had missed hearing random snippets of people’s conversations as they pass me on the street or an interesting debate taking place next to me at a restaurant.
- Pronunciation: In Italy, I discovered my love of pistachios. Pistachio croissants, pistachio gelato, pasta with pistachios on top, this nut had become a staple in my diet. While the word is spelled almost the same in both English and Italian (pistachio vs. pistacchio), its pronunciation is different. I started using the Italian pronunciation, which has a hard “k” sound for the “ch” instead of the soft “sh” sound we use in English. Coming home, I found it more natural to use the Italian pronunciation (much to the dismay of my sisters who made fun of me).
Caption: Pistachio tartufo di pizzo calabro, 10/10 recommend.
Since returning to the States, I’ve found certain things to connect me to my time in Italy and help me reflect upon my experience. These include:
- Scrapbooking: My most prized possession is my Italy photo album. During my time abroad, I kept plane tickets, museum passes, and postcards. When I came home, I spent a solid week of winter break getting photos printed, organizing them in chronological order, and labeling them in a scrapbook to keep a detailed account of my trip. I loved getting to share my scrapbook with my friends and family and still look at it whenever I’m missing Italy.
- Staying up-to-date: As a political science minor, many of my classes abroad were political science courses. I became invested in Italian politics and the political careers of certain politicians. I like to keep up-to-date with current events happening and political elections.
- Connecting with other people who’ve studied abroad: There are certain universal experiences for people who’ve studied abroad, no matter if it was a month in Lima, Peru or six months in Sydney, Australia. GEO has been a great way to connect with other students who have studied abroad. I love hearing everyone’s experiences and sharing my own. Additionally, my older sister studied abroad in Madrid for a year, and it’s been great to be able to connect and bond over our love of travel and our time abroad.
Going to a new country takes some adjusting and so does returning home after an extended time away. Studying abroad has brought me a new perspective and appreciation for not only different cultures but my own as well. It’s been over two years since I’ve been in Italy, and I’m looking forward to the day I get to go back and visit my home away from home.
Caption: My last day in Italy, exploring the Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli.
