Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

When looking back on my time abroad, I've tried to answer the question that numerous people have asked me: "What is the greatest thing you've learned from this experience?" I could answer this question any number of ways, but the first thing I say to them is that I have learned to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, I'm attending Ohio State University, and before this experience, I had never stepped foot outside of the United States. Being that I am a fifth year student, I am extremely familiar with my school and my home state and was rarely in unfamiliar situations.

Four months ago, all of that changed. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared to study abroad. I was traveling to a completely new country, I didn't know the language, and I didn't know a single person who was going to be there with me. Looking at it now, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. It forced me to adapt to new situations and to get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to share some every-day situations where I didn't feel the most comfortable:

Trams

In Cleveland and Columbus, public transportation was never a huge part of my daily routine. I rarely, if ever, used the buses and usually walked to campus or drove my car anywhere else. Being abroad, I had to rely on public transportation every single day. I stayed in the exchange student residence, Arcobaleno. Now don't get me wrong, I don't regret living in this residence at all, because I met my closest friends there and I wouldn't change that for anything. But this residence was about a 25 minute tram ride from Bocconi and we had to make the trek every single day. If we missed one, sometimes we had to wait a while before the next one came, so we always had to make sure we left enough time so we weren't late to class. It is also important to note that transportation in Milan constantly goes on strike and there were times where we couldn't get a tram at all. It took a little while to get used to having to rely on transportation to get me places.

Personal Space, Time Orientation and More

The way Italians treat personal space is very different than the way America does. It is common in Italy for people to stand extremely close to you whether you're on a tram, in line at a store, or waiting at a cross walk. It is important to recognize that while you may find this rude and uncomfortable, it is completely normal for them and you have to understand that, and not become frustrated.

In terms of time orientation, America is constantly rushed. We care about getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible, and don't tend to take our time. Italy treats time very differently. They take their time, take in their surroundings and have the mindset that they will "get there when they get there". At times, you may find this very frustrating. People will be walking slowly in front of you, cashiers may take a very long time at checkout, and professors may not be extremely timely to class. I learned from this experience that sometimes I need to be a little more laid back, and realize that life isn't a race. I have tried to have this mindset since I have arrived back in America.

Another thing that you will have to get used to is that Italian store hours are extremely varied. You may find them closed at 1pm or 3pm which is very different from what we're used to in America. A few months ago, I had to take a trip to the Vodafone store, so I hopped on the number three tram and rode it 25 minutes to the store. It turned out that the store was closed even though it said open online. It's small situations like these that taught me to be a little more patient and have a "go with the flow" attitude.

Security and Personal Safety

Of all the things that made me uncomfortable, this would be the biggest. When you are in a different country where pick-pocketing is extremely prevalent and you don't understand what people are saying around you, you constantly have to be alert and aware of your surroundings. I was lucky enough to not be pick-pocketed while I was abroad (although I had a couple of close calls on the metro), but a lot of my friends were not so lucky. Phones, wallets, purses, and passports were stolen and I am hoping that this post will make you aware, so that this won't happen to you.

Never put yourself in a situation that you can't get out of, never walk anywhere by yourself, and make sure that you are always in control. Studying abroad is an amazing and life changing experience but you need to put your personal safety above everything else.