Study Abroad: Impacting my Future

Studying in Italy has essentially guided me towards my goal of being successful in the future. This program helped me to learn not only the language, but the culture of the people as well and how Italy differs from the United States. In order to be successful in any occupation, you have to know how to attract and connect with all types of people. Knowing different languages and customs will contribute to my future success in my future job. I have learned so much just from daily day to day interactions and traveling throughout Europe that has made me learn and has shaped me into a well-rounded individual. Exposing myself to a culture that I was not familiar with really made me grow up and become more responsible and independent.

The past four months have really been an eye opener. It has changed me and has made me a much more open-minded individual. This is very beneficial in the working world because you need to be able to adapt to different co-workers and bosses personalities and working styles. I have become a much more critical thinker since being abroad and I think this will help me be able to analyze difficult situations in the future. All in all this experience has greatly impacted my personal, educational and professional future. I have come to realize that studying abroad is all about studying yourself and finding out so much about you. I am eternally grateful to all my friends and family members who encouraged me to study abroad because I would not be the person I am today if it was not for this experience.

Cultural Differences

As I wake up every morning I am constantly thinking abut the many differences between the host country that I am studying abroad in and myself. Accepting the differences, and becoming more culturally aware and acceptance seems to become more and more important to me each day.  I attempt to build competence of the culture at a fast rate in order to obtain the most out of my time here. There is an ongoing example that I am experiencing that relates to the phases of cultural awareness quite well.

My apartment just so happens to be strategically placed right above an amazing bakery in Trastevere. I have been a regular here getting my daily espresso and the occasion nutella biscotti since I first arrived back in January. The first time I ordered here I acted like a typical American, not trying to communicate in the language, and acting somewhat ignorant (now that I look back on it). However, as the weeks passed I knew that the generous family who runs the bakery could actually be a great deal of help to me, especially in regards to becoming more integrated into the Italian culture. In the first few weeks of my arrival I would have classified myself under the conscious incompetent stage. In actuality I was not competent; however, I did lack the necessary skills and knowledge about the host culture.

Our apartment!

Luckily though, my frustration transcended me into the next phase because my frustration was also accompanied with happiness. Whenever I was frustrated trying to communicate with the people at the bakery I thought about how far I have come from day one. This was a huge motivating factor for me to keep trying to become more culturally aware. With the help of my Italian class I have become gradually more confident with my newly acquired cross-culture skills and have actually practiced with the family that owns the bakery.  I now try to culturally shift my behavior so that it is appropriate for the right situations. They are also aware that I am trying to learn more Italian and they will correct me and help me when I use the wrong word or mispronounce something. I have also talked to them about Italian culture, such as their thoughts and opinions about their love for football and controversial issues in politics.

Although, I have built up my confidence and knowledge through my numerous interactions I would not consider myself part of the fourth stage known as unconscious competence. Even though I have strayed away from only thinking about the cultural differences that set me apart, I still experience stress when trying to communicate. When the owner Andrea notices me getting frustrated he does a good job of reassuring me that I am learning and that it the language comes with time and practice.

Furthermore, I think the term ethnorelativism relates perfectly to my relationship with the Italians in the family owned bakery. This term is used to characterize an individual who no longer uses their own culture as a center to which they judge others. Rather, they use their own culture as a state of mind in which cultures are respected, compared, and contrasted. I would definitely have to classify myself under this new term. I am constantly comparing and contrasting myself with the Italian workers downstairs, but in a respectful way and with much admiration to their culture. 

Fitting In

While living abroad in a foreign country I have come to understand that even the simplest tasks can become the greatest endeavors. I do not think I was prepared for all the experiences abroad; however, I truly enjoy the culture shocks I have been experiencing and I think the best way to deal with it is to laugh at yourself and to always keep on going. The physical adjustments did not come easy to me at first. It took me an entire week to figure out how to buy envelopes, stamps, and mail letters home. I have no idea why such a simple task took me so long, but after multiple attempts I finally succeed. I have noticed that happens a lot with me. Getting used to the obvious differences in Italian culture is trial and error. Patience is absolutely necessary for daily chores, such as grocery shopping, ordering a sandwich, or finding your way to a new place. There are times when I still end up paying more than I know I should of at the store because I am not familiar with brands and products. Furthermore, I still have a hard time understanding that you do not tip people here. Being a waitress for many years I find it almost rude to leave a restaurant without tipping. Though, this is where the social adjustment comes into play. I am gradually beginning to understand and acknowledge the host country’s values. I finally understand that Italians are waiters for a lifetime and it is a profession they hold with high regard.

On top of the Duomo in Florence

Barcelona!

Amazing dinners in Rome

Mozzarella and Prosciutto 

Typical Roman Cuisine: Fried artichokes and fried zucchini flowers

Bucatini Amatriciana (left) Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms (right)

Although I have made an attempt to integrate my culture and the Italian culture there are still times that I am confused and frustrated. I sometimes find that the things that come so easy to me in my host culture are so difficult to accomplish here. But, I have learned some remedies and solutions to help me ease this discomfort and stress. I pay attention to what the people around me are doing, I try to set all my assumptions and values aside, and I try to look for logical reasons why things happen.

I also want to go beyond adjusting on the surface level. Of course I want to appear to fit in to the culture from the eyes of an outsider, but I think what’s more important is to make an effort to adapt and make an internal adjustment. I am trying to avoid surrounding myself with familiar things that “re-create home.” It was very difficult for me to make the decision to go abroad in the first place and now that I am here I feel that I need to experience everything I can and take in new aspects of the culture. When I return home I hope to be more knowledgeable and culturally inspired in order to help me with all my future endeavors.

Realizations While Abroad

After reading some assigned readings it became clear to me that a common obstacle to overcome while abroad is to make new friends and to form relationships with the host culture. It is a tendency for international students to form tight knit groups with the people who they come abroad with or other students from the University of Maryland. Although, I find myself spending the majority of my time with my friends from school I have made an effort to meet new people in my classes. I have also asked my connecting across cultures teacher, Edgar, where are good places to get to meet locals. I think it is important to make an attempt to interact with the host culture in order to gain the most out of your time abroad.

            On another note and to touch base on another portion of the reading I have had a few friends who have been pick-pocketed on the streets and while using public transportation. Safety is an essential aspect of being a student abroad. If something tells me that the situation is not right, I try to listen to my gut feeling. Though, I have accustomed myself to the culture in regards to street calls being more common in Rome.  I have learned it is best to ignore the person rather than telling them to back off because I have learned that it will just make the situation worse.

  

View from the Spanish Steps

Girls on top of the Spanish Steps

            When thinking about the idea of culture shock I find myself wondering where exactly I fall on this spectrum. In my opinion, it is difficult to know whether or not you have been a victim of culture shock.  When learning the terms in the reading I tried to see where I fell. I believe that I definitely experienced culture surprise when I first arrived. I was aware of the startling differences between the culture in the United States and in Italy. I also was amazed at how I was living amongst ruins and monuments with so much history. However, as the second week approached I fell into the cultural stress category. I did in fact have a response to what is known as “stimulus overload.” At times I found myself getting annoyed at the Italians slow pace. I assumed that since I was going to be in a major city things would be fast paced, and although they are in some regard the culture in Italy is very relaxed and carefree. I think the majority of my stress stemmed from functioning in unfamiliar social settings. I felt at times that I didn’t have a clear understanding of the culture and I found myself modifying my behaviors to fit in. Trying to fit into the culture without actually understanding the “rules” definitely made me anxious. I found that for me the best way to cope was to take a step back and observe Italians and their way of life rather than jumping right in. Furthermore, I have been frustrated with the language barrier. I came to Rome thinking more people would speak English and when my preconceptions were incorrect this created stress as well.

            Although there are many obstacles to overcome while abroad I am making every effort to adapt to the culture and learn the language yet still stay true to my values and beliefs. Every obstacle I overcome and every new shock of the culture I experience I become more confident and independent. I have already made progress since I arrived three weeks ago and my ability to cope with cross cultural differences has improved immensely. I hope that this will continue throughout my abroad experience.

Inside the Pantheon

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Reflections of My Goals

After reflecting upon my abroad experience, I think I was successful in completing my goals that I had set out to achieve. One of my personal goals was to become more confident and self reliant. I believe that I have an increased sense of independence after traveling all over Europe and I have broadened my world perspective significantly by interacting with various cultures and people throughout my time abroad. Thanks to my bi-weekly Italian classes and practicing with friends and the owners of the bakery below my apartment I was also able to accomplish my goal of learning conversational Italian. With a lot of patience and practice I was able to order food, ask for directions, and talk about what I did over the weekend.

            In additional to my personal goals, my professional goals were also achieved. Upon arriving in Rome, I had a strong desire to become aware of how my intended profession in public relations may be viewed or practiced differently in other cultures and to develop cross-cultural communication skills. All of my professors were Italian and I also had Italian students in all of my classes. Communication with my professors and interacting with my classmates forced me to develop valuable skills that ultimately helped me communicate better with a foreign culture. There was two times throughout the semester that I was paired with an Italian resident student to complete a project. I was very fortunate to be matched up with a student who was not American because I gained a lot of insight on the Italian way of viewing things. My media and gender class helped me to see how public relations tactics are very different in Italy when compared to America.

            Furthermore, while being abroad I had many phone interviews for a summer internship. When I told the interviewer how I have developed many cross-cultural communication skills as well as how I have become more culturally aware they were very impressed and held what I said with high regard. I really do think that I grew intellectually as well because I was exposed to many new perspectives and viewpoints that I would have never had the opportunity to experience in my classes at the University of Maryland. Although I did not achieve a 4.0 I was extremely close and was proud of all of my hard work.

            Over the course of four months I really got to understand the Italian culture. My interactions with Italians, whether it was at the local fruit stand, a restaurant or bar, all helped me to better understand and appreciate the differences amongst the Italian people and I. I did in fact gain a new perspective of the way I view my own culture. I now realize how fast paced the American way of life is and how Americans don’t take their time and enjoy the small things in life. However, on the contrary there are many things that I gained a new appreciation for in the U.S that I did not appreciate before my departure. I truly hope that I can take all of the things I learned and apply them to my daily life at home and at school.