What I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Italy

One day, I decided that I was going to study abroad. I didn’t think about the practical, the where, the how. I only thought about the why. I knew there was too much waiting for me that I hadn’t seen yet. I landed in Florence, Italy. Charming, right? The quaint Tuscan villas and small villages. That’s all Florence would be too, right? Wrong. Though I thought I had done my research before I left, there are many more things I wish I knew before moving to Italy. No matter how long you’re living somewhere for, there are some things you should know.

Weather in Italy

Yes, weather. As simple as it seems, the broad overview that you can find online is only the beginning. Florence being a city, and not a quaint Tuscan village, has its own weather patterns, especially depending on the season. I had seen Instagram accounts of those I knew studying there in the winter or summer semesters, but I decided to go in the summer. Most websites said it was comparable to summer on the East Coast. Great! That’s where I’m from. However, if you look a little more closely, you’ll see that Florence is a landlocked city (other than the Arno river which is not swimmable), and with limited transportation options, it’s easy to get trapped in the city heat. I wish this was something I knew. So make sure to pay attention to the country’s weather, but also the individual city or town’s climate so you can plan accordingly.

Moving to Italy: Accommodations 

Especially, if you are studying abroad, make sure you know as much as you can about where you will be staying. I knew I would be in an apartment somewhere in the city, living with other people. That’s it. And for me, that was enough. Getting out of the U.S. and going somewhere else was exciting, and the details didn’t seem to matter too much. But they do. In the summertime, Florence hovers around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) with very little rain. In the six weeks I was there, it sprinkled two times. That’s it. Pay attention to the location of where you are staying, and if they have certain amenities like air conditioning or even fans.

 

Moving to Italy: Live Like the Locals 

What I quickly learned with no access to air conditioning and minimal fans, was to live like the locals. I was happy to learn this as I went because it made me feel like I belonged there…or at least could adapt. I lived on the second floor in the historic downtown of Florence on a very busy street called Via dei Neri. To keep cool, the locals opened their windows at night (as well as having mosquito vaporizers to keep the bugs away since there are no screens in the windows) and closed their windows during the day to keep out the blazing hot sun.

Moving from accommodations to lifestyle, I wish I was able to learn more about the style, language, and cultural differences. Italian women do not wear shorts. This was not something I knew. If you wear shorts, you are viewed very objectively by men of all ages in the streets. Additionally, most people in Florence spoke English. I knew this, but trying to learn Italian was extremely challenging. Local Florentines could tell I was American and would tell me they spoke English before giving me the chance to try speaking in Italian. The summertime is the peak tourism season in Florence, so the locals were very aware of the multicultural population living in Florence at that time.

Lastly, just looking up slight cultural differences is extremely important. How much to tip at restaurants, the way to drink coffee, the length of meals, the importance of food and drink were things I wish I knew. I was happy to learn these through experience, but just the basics would have been helpful in a quick adjustment. Of course, the things I listed at specific to Florence, but every country is different, so learn as much as you can before you go.

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Living in Italy: What People Think of You 

This might not be true everywhere, but being from the United States during this political climate, I wish I paid more attention to other countries’ views on the United States or of who Americans are. I had limited access to this knowledge, but once I got to Florence, they could pick us out like a sore thumb. All opinions are different, and they can be constantly changing, but if you can get ahead of it before you land in your new home, you will be happier and feel safer.

Do you have any more tips or thoughts to add about living in Italy as an expat? Drop your comments below and share this post on social media, too!

This is a guest post by Caroline Lussier: an American who spent a semester abroad in Italy and fell in love with it. She loves travel, and spending time with her friends and family. Connect with her on Instagram @caroline_lussier