As my departure for Rome is approaching quickly, I am beginning to think about what I need to expect and different things I need to be prepared for in order not to be shell shocked when I get there. Well, of course I am going to be shell shocked, everyone does when adjusting to a new culture, but what are some things that can put my mind at ease knowing I will expect some difficulties?
Beginning in February, I was sure I was going to learn a little Italian before I left for this trip. I mean, I had like four months to learn a little of the language. Well, today's May 12 and I probably have spent a couple hours looking through my language book and that's about it. However, I think once I get there and I will be forced to interact with locals and learn some lingo, I will hopefully be able to get some basic chores done in my daily routine. I do expect though I will be caught up in awkward conversations for the first couple weeks.
Since I am living in an apartment by myself, I wonder what that experience will be like. I wonder what my interactions with my Italian neighbors will be like or possibly what sort of cool little "local" hidden spots will I discover by living in my little place in Trastevere. Right next to my apartment, there is a historical piazza called Piazza Santa Maria. I am hoping there will be some cool events and shows that might happen there! Honestly, all I really care about is if my WiFi works in my apartment. If it doesn't, there will be a problem!
I am a total foodie, so I hope to discover some amazing Italian restaurants while I am there. I hope I can learn about some famous places around town and visit them after classes. I also wonder how similar the pizza there is to American pizza? I'm betting on it being much better than my Domino's around the corner. I also plan to work off all those food calories by walking long distances around town. I wonder what I will discover when I do this. I will be sure to take different routes everyday so I can discover something new every time I take a walk.
My plan during a couple of weekends is to travel to locations like Florence and Venice. I bet it will be a bit hectic trying to actually get to those places but once I am there, I wonder how different the culture is in those places compared to Rome. I am guessing the locals might have a different view on life and some of the cuisines might alter as well. I just can't wait to see those canals in Venice and the Duomo in Florence!
Many of the things I just covered have been on my mind for a while, but just sitting back and thinking about them is making me confident that I can successfully conquer them. Overall, I am ecstatic about leaving to dive deep into a new culture as scary as it sounds to me! All my life, I have wanted to travel here and its finally going to happen. I will definitely have some highs and some lows but I know I will come out of this grateful of all the lessons it will teach me! Signing off till I get there!
- Joe Stitt
Nice blog, Joe! I'm excited for you. Rome is a great city, and the food certainly won't disappoint. Stay away from the really touristy areas when looking for food. A hint someone gave me once: If the restaurant has one of those A-Frame sidewalk menus with color pictures of the food on it, keep walking! Regionalism in Italy is still going strong, so be sure to ask around for the local dishes. This will be a little easier in places like Florence and Venice, but get to know a few locals in Rome and they'll put you straight.
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