Adjusting to Study Abroad and the Perks of Befriending Locals

Wow what a first week!  It seems that this first week was an initial sprint before the marathon.  Its hard to believe that I met my friends less than one week ago, but the dense schedule of the first week brought us together quickly.  Check-in day offered a chance to catch-up on jet lag for those who had just flown in (probably everyone besides me) and the only mandatory meeting was a welcome orientation that evening.  The rest of the week was a different story.  Beginning with breakfast served at 7:45am, the CIMBA staff had us moving from orientations to classes to meetings all day with the only break for lunch.  I quickly realized that this intense scheduling was necessary as it became apparent that CIMBA intends to fit a large amount of learning into a very small time period.  In the span of the first three weeks, we will have all completed Kepner-Tregoe analysis training, the 2.5 day LIFE program, various assessments for LEAP, and numerous orientations while simultaneously attending classes.  Although it is a demanding schedule, the first week was possibly one of the most enjoyable weeks I have had in college.

Although it was by no means the traditional easygoing syllabus week many college students are accustomed to, many fought through their jet-lag to stay up later and meet other classmates after dinner.  The sports complex side of campus was a popular hangout and became the means by which many friendships initiated.  The following day in classes or workshops I could walk into class and recognize familiar faces to sit next to and talk with before the instructors began class.  I also enjoyed the sports complex because many local Italians chose to hangout there as well which allowed me to test my Italian language skills and expand my limited knowledge.  As I said previously, the first week was more of a sprint in that it was jam-packed with activities which was helpful in not becoming homesick.  It was not until the fourth morning when I woke up, expecting to be in my bedroom at my house in New Jersey, but instead waking up in my dorm in Paderno del Grappa, that I realized I was abroad for almost 90 days and a small sensation of home sickness hit me.  That was quickly erased when my floor mates knocked on my door to assure that I was awake to grab breakfast with them before our classes and I realized that we are all in this together and going through similar experiences.

However, it is not the classroom experiences that make studying abroad special, but those challenges we have to overcome while being abroad.  I encountered my first challenge when I realized my hair had become too unkept and I needed a haircut.  Manuel, a CIMBA graduate student working on campus, mentioned that there was an Italian barbershop in Crespano, a small town that is a 20min walk from campus.  I arrived a 4:30pm hoping to make it back in time for dinner which ends at 7:15pm.  Four other customers had arrived before me, but I still thought it would not take more than an hour for my haircut….and I could not have been more wrong.  In my short time in Italy I have noticed that strict time schedules are not as  prevalent as they usually are in America.  Its much more laid back which is much less stressful, but takes some time getting used too.  After a solid two and a half hour wait, it was my turn.  I had forgot the haircut “cheat sheet” Manuel gave me at campus so it was difficult to overcome the language barrier.  After 5 minutes of confused, incorrect translations, I just pointed at my hair and said “Italiano” indicating an Italian haircut and he complied.  It turned out to be one of my better haircuts!

To stay on our academic  track, we had Saturday classes this week which meant we could not travel very far from campus.  A group of students were traveling to Venice, but I had already been there and am returning for Il Carnevale in February so I wanted to travel elsewhere.  Another large group of students were traveling to Bassano del Grappa for the night so I decided to go there as well.  Throughout the week, I had befriended some local Italians at the sports complex and they informed me of a popular night club in Bassano del Grappa.  My friends and I reserved two taxi vans to take us to Bassano as another 50 CIMBA students had already filled the bus traveling to Bassano.  We expected our taxis to follow the bus to the city center, but instead the drivers overheard our talk of attending Deco Disco, the nightclub I mentioned, and drove us there instead. We arrived at the club at 8:45pm which was extremely early and it was too far from the city center to walk back there.  The place was very high-end and many members of our group became uneasy as we had expected to go to the city center and worried about the cost.  Just as some of us were about to call taxis to head back to the city center, we found out that there was going to be a Miss Venice beauty pageant that evening, so we decided to stay!   Honestly the best decision we could have made.  We were surrounded by Italian models, witnessed an Italian beauty pageant for free, and after the pageant, at midnight, the club exploded into a powerhouse discoteca!  When I ran into my Italian friends later that night in the club, I could not thank them enough for telling us about it!  This experience helped me learn that it is possible to turn a mistake into a positive event if you keep an open mind and to always take a breath before you act as many circumstances are not as bad as they may seem initially.  Also, it proves that it is beneficial to take the time to speak to the locals.  Even if you are not fluent in Italian (which I am NOT), they appreciate your attempt and many are enthusiastic to practice their English speaking skills as well.

Stay tuned for next weekend as my group is going to Milan and will be attending an Inter Milan soccer game!   Arrivederci!