Studying Abroad Alone: My Fears, Making Friends, and Why You Should Do It
written by Margaret Hann for SPEL: Public Relations
I’ll admit, I was scared. Studying abroad in Florence would be my first time leaving the United States, and I would be traveling completely alone. However, studying abroad has always been a dream of mine since I was young. My mom studied abroad in London for a semester during her college years, and ever since she shared her experiences, I have dreamed of doing the same. I knew I wanted to make my dream a reality, but the prospect of doing it without any of my friends joining me, on the other side of the world, was daunting.
Regardless, I signed up for the six week summer program at Florence University of the Arts – The American University of Florence. I wanted to experience the world and fulfill my dreams. Although I was nervous, I knew it was something I had to do. To make the most of my experience abroad, and to meet new people before settling in Florence, I also enrolled in the pre-week travel course, Cultural Introduction to Italy. I scheduled my flight – Detroit to Philadelphia to Rome – and began my preparations. Despite my best efforts, I never felt fully ready; it was simply a leap of faith.
Airport Trouble
I hit my first challenge at the airport. Navigating an airport can be daunting, especially when you’re alone and it’s your first time out of the country. Even before I arrived, my flight had been delayed, and my connecting flight had to be rescheduled. Once I went inside, I checked in my large suitcase and asked the attendant about my new flight information. I was now rescheduled to go from Detroit to Philadelphia to London and would end in Rome. I inquired further about my options in case of additional delays. The woman mentioned there were flights with more transfers, but in the worst case, I might have to stay overnight in a hotel and wait for flights the next day if international flights were unavailable. I waited at the gate for departure and made sure to keep an eye on all of my stuff. When traveling alone, it’s scary. It’s nerve wracking. I tried to remind myself that I know more than I think I do, to trust my instincts, but still not be afraid to ask for help.
When I arrived in Philadelphia after my first flight, I had already missed my new connection due to continued delays of my flight. Myself and two others I had met on the plane were in the same predicament – we were all supposed to be on the London flight that we had now missed because of maintenance. We stuck together to talk to guest services to try and get our flights rescheduled. When we talked to them however, they said there were no more international flights that night for them to put us on, meaning that the worst case scenario had happened. Thankfully, the airport supplied me with a hotel and money for food until my flight the next day at 6:40 pm.
I arrived at the airport early since the hotel checkout was at 2:00 pm. I made sure to keep in contact with the FUA-AUF support team in order to update them on my flight and when I would be arriving so I could meet up with the class. Finally, it was time for my flight and the beginning of my study abroad journey.
The Beginning: Travel Week
After landing in Rome at Fiumicino Airport, I collected my checked luggage. Thankfully, my professor for the Travel Week class had sent me all the necessary information regarding which train to take, the hotel address, and the restaurant I could meet the rest of the class at for group lunch. Navigating the train system was difficult, being from a place without public transportation, but the airport had workers throughout that I could ask for directions or assistance. The machines which sell the tickets are able to be translated to English in order for easier navigation.
Luckily, our hotel was a few minutes walk from the Roma Centrale train station. I was able to check in, drop off my luggage, and change before going to meet the rest of the group for lunch. When I arrived, the group was already seated at the restaurant. I was filled with nervous energy from all the chaos from the flight, navigating the train, and walking to find the group all on my own. Despite this, I pushed myself to introduce myself to my professor, his assistant, and the rest of the students at the table I had joined. Everyone was very friendly and open to meeting new people. This theme was carried throughout the rest of the week, as the group of people I met in the class had become increasingly close and bonded over our adventure together. We all exchanged numbers and shared where we were from, what university we attend back home, and compared what classes we were taking in Florence. After our meal, we continued on to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Imperial Forum. Our class had a guided tour through the three landmarks, and we were able to listen to our guide with headphones. The history behind the sites was extremely interesting; we learned the myths behind some of the architecture, and were able to discuss as a group and ask the guide questions.
During the week-long course, we visited many Italian cities throughout the central region of Italy. We were given the opportunity to travel to different landmarks and unique Italian sites. We traveled north from Rome to explore multiple Italian Renaissance gardens such as Villa Farnese, Villa Lante, and Sacro Bosco. We learned of the historical meanings behind the structure of the gardens and the different statues. As a group, we continued north along the coast to visit Viareggio: the city of Carnevale, and two of the cities in Cinque Terre, Vernazza and Monterosso. Each day, we were allotted free time to explore on our own or with others in the group. All of us grew extremely close and would often eat dinner together, even if it wasn’t an official group meal. Throughout the entire week-long trip, we had visited 15 different cities in total and had arrived in Florence with long-lasting friendships.
My Classes at FUA-AUF
When selecting my classes for study abroad, I knew I wanted to immerse myself in the Italian culture and community in Florence. Luckily, FUA-AUF offers a range of classes that enable their students to connect to the culture, the food, and the local community. For FUA-AUF, it is extremely important for students in all of their classes to be interconnected with the Florentine community. One of the classes offered is the Food, Wine, and Culture in Italy course. Through this course, we learn about the history of Italy, regional differences, and of course, the food and wines of Italy.
The class takes on a very interactive approach, as it is considered an experiential learning course. This means we learn in a hands-on learning environment, allowing us to cook historical dishes, taste local wines, visit restaurants in Florence, as well as work a shift at FUA-AUF’s student-run restaurant, Ganzo.
The class typically consisted of a lecture followed with an interactive experience. The class encourages the students to explore and interact with the city. We visited local restaurants, markets, and were able to sample classic Italian foods such as arancini and cannoli. Another part of the class we enjoyed were the cooking labs: we were able to both cook and taste dishes from different Italian eras. Two of the Renaissance Era dishes we made were Pollo alle Prugne and Schiacciata Bianca Cappello.
I also decided to sign up for the Special Project: Experiential Learning in Public Relations (SPEL PR) course which resembles an internship. For this course, I was put on a team with other students in the PR course where we would work together to manage the image of FUA-AUF. We would attend events hosted by FUA-AUF in collaboration with the local Palazzi Community Center. As a group or individually, we would write press releases advertising the events to the public as well as write articles about the topic. Some of these included a story from a woman who had survived WWII, and a discussion on society and artificial intelligence. As a team, we also managed FUA-AUF’s alumni Instagram account. We planned the posts, researched our audience, and determined a posting schedule.
Making Friends While Abroad
I have to admit that my biggest fear about coming alone to study abroad was that I would remain that way. I was nervous that everyone else in attendance would have come with their friends from their universities and would not be interested in meeting new people. However, once landing in Rome for my pre-week travel course I was delightfully surprised. Many others that I met had also had the courage to travel across the world alone to study abroad. Regardless if others came alone or with others that they knew previously, everyone was very open to meeting new people and making new friends. The travel week prior to the beginning of the session was where I personally made most of my friends as that week helped us to form bonds and friendships. I also made friends with people in my classes and friends of friends I made while studying abroad.
Exploring Europe
Everyone knows that one of the main reasons people come to study abroad is to travel on the weekends. With the different friends I made while in class, during the pre-week, or through other people, we would get together to schedule weekend trips. Throughout my time abroad, I traveled to Amsterdam, Lake Como, Milan, Switzerland, the Amalfi Coast, and Barcelona. Each of these trips I went on was with the friends I made at FUA-AUF. I found that I liked best to travel with other people, however other people that I met had no issue traveling alone. It all depends on your personal preferences.
Regardless, one of the main things to do before traveling is set your expectations, budget, and boundaries. If you aren’t comfortable with leaving Italy, then don’t feel pressured to. Due to Florence’s centralized location, there are many popular Italian cities nearby where students will often participate in day trips and weekend trips to. Using the high-speed trains makes it easy to travel to landmarks such as Pisa, Venice, Milan, Lake Como, and Cinque Terre. You can often find people that you may not be close with who are traveling to places that you want to go, even if your friends are going somewhere else. Part of the experience is that traveling with someone you may not know as well is that it can bring you closer. Before setting your expectations, it is important to research the different countries and cultures of the places you plan
to visit: the currency, the food, the landmarks, and the cost. Cost is very important, and it’s necessary to understand that everyone has different financial situations. Do what works best for you and consider others’ needs as well. An important few things to note is that plans often can change, and it is smart to have a backup plan and be willing to be flexible and schedule loosely. You may not get the chance to travel to every place on your bucket list, and that’s okay!
Studying Abroad Alone: It’s okay
Despite all of my personal fears and the different obstacles I faced, I would not change my experience abroad for the world. The challenges and opportunities are what made it my own. During my time abroad, I experienced personal growth, cultural immersion, life skills, and above all, empowerment. I learned so much more from studying abroad than just what was in my class lectures – living in Florence provided me with so many opportunities to immerse myself in both the city itself and the culture while still having the safety net of the help from FUA-AUF and their staff. They provided me with so many resources and were beyond helpful with navigating the city, traveling, and day-to-day life. In summary, in my time of studying abroad alone, I learned that it is not only okay, but is an experience that I would not change. It has offered me so many unique opportunities for personal, academic, and professional growth which have helped me to become more confident, adaptable, and independent as an individual.
