Postcard #3: Tips for Studying Abroad in Florence

Aloha mai kākou! 

Hi friends, hope you’re all doing well! This postcard is a little different from my usual ones. Instead of a story, I wanted to share some tips and things I wish I knew before coming to Florence. Hopefully they help you out as well.

Planning Before You Go:

• Make a list of things you want to see or do before you arrive

  Having a rough idea of places, museums, restaurants, and cities you want to visit helps you make the most of your time.

• Create a Pinterest board

  This might sound a little extra, but it’s actually really helpful and fun. You can save outfit ideas, photo spots, travel inspiration, and things to do in different cities. Overall, help you curate your vibe in a new country.

• Create a budget

  I will go into more detail about budgeting in a future post, but having a general idea of what you want to spend on travel, food, and shopping helps a lot.

• Make a list of meals and recipes you can cook

  If you are living in an apartment, you will probably cook more than you expect. So having a few meal ideas ready can save you a lot of stress.

• Bring a portable charger

  You don’t technically need one, but it will save you a lot of stress if your phone dies while you’re navigating a new city. Yes this happened to me, check out Postcard #2.

• Bring a reusable water bottle!

  I forgot mine at home and it took me a week to find another one. Don’t be like me. Bring your water bottle.

Restaurants, Groceries, and Shopping:

• Where to shop:

  • Groceries: Conad, Pam Local, and local markets

  • Personal care and beauty: Caddy’s

  • Household goods and miscellaneous items: Satur, Flying Tiger, and Caddy’s

• You bag your own items

  At most stores you will bag your own items, and the cashiers can move fast. So bring a reusable bag and be ready to pack quickly.

• Weighing produce

  If you buy produce that is not pre-labeled, you have to weigh it yourself. Put the produce in a bag, find the number that corresponds to the item (usually in the top left corner), go to the nearby machine, select that number, weigh it, and print the sticker. Then place the sticker on the bag. That sticker is what they scan at checkout.

• Meats labels at grocery stores

  Suino = Pork

  Bovino = Beef

  Pollo = Chicken

  Pesce = Fish

• Coperto (Table Charge)

  Many restaurants charge a small “coperto” or table fee just for sitting down. It’s normal in Italy and is usually a couple euros.

• Water

  Naturale = Still 

  Frizzante = Sparkling

• I Gigli Mall

  If you ever get tired of the stores in the city center, take a train or bus (I recommend train) out to I Gigli Mall. It’s pretty big, has a good variety of stores, and you can find stores you won’t see in the city center.

Health & Taking Care of Yourself:

• Bring medicine from home

  Trust me. Even if you think you won’t get sick, you will, and it could take FOREVER to go away. Pack things like DayQuil, NyQuil, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, allergy medicine, Tums, Pepto-Bismol, Liquid IV, Dramamine, and anything else you usually take.

• Have comfort things that help you relax or feel at home

  This could be a favorite show, playlist, book, hobby, or anything that helps you when you need to unwind.

• Reach out to family and friends back home

  Being abroad is amazing, but it can also feel overwhelming sometimes; so, staying connected helps more than you might expect.

Money Tips:

• Be honest with yourself when budgeting

  Don’t try to mentally “undo” money you already spent just to make your budget look better. Once it’s spent, it’s spent, so adjust as you go so you don’t end up going broke.

• Get a student credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. 

  TRUST ME. It will save you money over time.

• Always pay the Euro price

  When given the option to pay in euros or USD, choose euros and let your bank handle the conversion (especially if you have no foreign transaction fees). 99% of the time it’s cheaper.

Random Stuff:

• You will most likely line dry your clothes 

  Many apartments don’t have dryers, so clothes lines and racks are pretty common.

• You will need to separate your trash

  Most apartments in Florence require you to separate trash into categories like plastic, paper, glass, and organic waste. You usually take the trash to the street bins. It can feel confusing at first, but you get used to it pretty quickly.

• Use Google Maps and save places you want to visit 

  I personally enjoy Google Maps over Apple Maps. You can save places and organize them into categories like classes, restaurants, cafés, shops, etc. This makes exploring and learning the city so much easier.

• Don’t be afraid to look like a tourist

  You are one. Take the pictures, visit the tourist attractions, and enjoy it.

Most Importantly:

Remember you have free will.

If you see something interesting while walking around, go check it out. You don’t have to follow your itinerary or map perfectly. You never know what you my find if you just wander. Also, studying abroad is a chance to grow into the person you want to be. So dress how you want, try new things, and allow yourself to step outside of your comfort zone. The truth is, most people are too busy living their own lives to judge yours. And if they do, who cares. This is your time and your experience, so take advantage of it and become the best version of yourself possible.

At the end of the day, studying abroad is about learning as you go. No matter how much you prepare, there will always be things you figure out along the way. Hopefully some of these tips help you feel more prepared. Just remember to explore, try new things, and enjoy the experience while you have it, because time goes by fast. Until then, stay tuned for my next postcard from Alisha Abroad.

A hui hou.