Article and Graphic by Nimet Betul Karatas
Going on an adventure abroad can be one of the best times of your college life, and studying abroad is the perfect opportunity to get out there. As exciting as it is, however, it is natural for the idea of studying abroad to come with some uncertainties. I studied abroad in the summer of 2023 in Florence and it was the best part of my college experience, so here are some tips that have helped me and the friends I made along the way while living in Italy for a month and a half.
Florence — a gorgeous ancient metropolis divided into two halves by the Arno river — is the city that gave birth to the Renaissance. Florentenians value preserving their arts more than anyone, so walking around town has the ability to take you back in time. I was surprised to find out there are no tall buildings or modern skyscrapers, and walking through the bridges during sunset past people of all ages dancing to live music was lovely scenery that I miss everyday. An Italian summer is hot, so enjoy your 2-3 euro gelato on your walk to class everyday. Most people you will encounter speak English and are friendly towards tourists, so you can relax and enjoy your time abroad.
#1 Applying to Accademia Italiana: Fill out the scholarship application for study abroad for any potential travel awards. Upon acceptance into the program, I was given an itinerary. If I had any questions, emailing my given study abroad advisor was incredibly easy and helpful. However, the number one thing to make sure you take action in would be getting a passport (and a visa if you need one); go to the International Travel site on travel.gov for more detailed requirements for your destination. You will also register for a health insurance plan that was $67 for the whole summer — information on it will be provided to you in your study abroad portal. Watch out for any info sessions and study abroad fairs happening. PackAbroad Ambassadors also host events you might benefit from.
#2 Housing: I had just switched into my new major and therefore did not know anyone else who was going to Italy. You may choose your roommates if you have a preference, but I had random roommates that became great friends. I was rooming with two other NC State students in an apartment with a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. You can pay the landlord through various ways, but I had no issues using a Wise transfer.
#3 Communication: Download WhatsApp. It might seem unconventional, but even professional conversations are done here rather than email. As for SIM cards, I bought a tourist SIM card from a provider called TIM. This was actually the first thing I did upon arrival, because I needed to contact my landlord. You can simply walk into a TIM or Vodafone store and tell them you want a tourist SIM card. You can get a package with low message and call minutes, because you will use WhatsApp anyway. Just make sure you renew it a little bit before one month ends to ensure avoiding unnecessary charges.
#4 Transportation: Get ready for train adventures taking off from Santa Maria Novella! Take every opportunity to hop on a train and go somewhere else in Italy. Pisa and Bologna are great destinations for daily trips from Florence — tickets are cheap and the rides are short. Check out Trenitalia for tickets, so you do not need to feel the stress of planning ahead too much. There are two types of trains: regional and speed trains. Speed trains are more expensive and the tickets are monitored more strictly. However, this brings me to my next point: safety.
#5 Safety: Florence is a walkable city; it almost feels like a campus. However, unlike a campus, you are around civilians that include those who can identify tourists effortlessly. So take these important notes:
-Avoid train stations early in the morning and late at night. It might be better to buy that expensive speed train ticket and arrive at a safe time rather than risk your safety. Upon arrival, I would advise acting inconspicuous and avoiding showing off anything that might be worth stealing: jewelry, bags, technology, etc.
-Apply common campus safety rules: walk in groups in well-lit areas, share your location with your friends that are in Florence with you, mind your belongings and trust your instincts.
-Don’t carry around your passport. Have a more easily replaceable form of ID on you unless you are checking into a hotel while on a trip.
#6 Student privileges: – Get your free entry to the Uffizi! By enrolling in Accademia Italiana, you are an art student in Florence. You can get free tickets to the Accademia Gallery of Florence where Michelangelo’s famous “David” is as well as the Uffizi Gallery — home to “Venus” by Botticelli — and honestly any other galleries or exhibits that offer free tickets to students. “Buy” your free ticket online and stand your ground when you are picking it up at the booth. They might hesitate or even say no, suggesting that it does not count because Accademia Italiana is a private institution, but nothing on their requirements for free tickets list the type of institution. This is one place I encourage not taking the first no as a no. Many of my friends got in for free by providing proof of enrollment, so don’t lose your chance. Just WhatsApp or tell someone from student services you are in contact with to send over a letter of enrollment.
#7 Italian cities and travel tips: Traveling European cities can be very straightforward once you know that they all tend to have a similar structure.
-Go see the main duomo/cathedral in each city. They invested a lot into making these beautiful, as these were the city’s status of power and wealth.
-Usually around the cathedral will be the lively main square. Overall, these piazzas are full of people chatting and relaxing.
-Real gelatos are cheap, around 2-3 euros, and are kept in metal tins under the counter rather than being piled up in mounds in the display case.
-Cinque Terre: hit at least two of the coastal towns. Manarola is beautiful to swim in and the hike from there to Riomaggiore was worth the beautiful view.
-Rome: take the subway and buses within the city. It is a bigger city than Florence, and you will save yourself lots of energy that way. Public transport can be intimidating, but you can either tap your card on the bus or get a one way ticket from ticket booths at the train stations. -Finally my biggest recommendation ever is keeping up with the Draba Orkestar around town. They would play Monday evenings/nights at Piazza Santo Spirito for amazing summer nights when everyone would dance and enjoy the simplicity of life together. If you see a violinist with a cigarette, chances are you’ve found them.