As a journalism and international-relations major at New York University, I was required to study abroad for a semester. While NYU is famed for its foreign offerings in places like Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Berlin, Paris, and Shanghai, I opted for Florence, Italy, in the fall.
Before arriving in the Italian city, I learned I'd be living on the central Via dei Tosinghi street, which is a two-minute walk from a beautiful cathedral. I would be living with seven other girls, a welcome change after living in a cramped studio apartment in New York last year.
I imagined fun potluck dinners with my roommates, summer flings with people who called me "bella," gelato that dripped down my fingers in the heat, and natural wine that paired effortlessly with good conversation and better prosciutto.
But when my semester in Florence came to an end, I grew to despise the sights, hated the people, and couldn't wait to get back home to my campus in New York.
For starters, living with 7 people was not easy
The people who shared the space with me had asynchronous schedules, meaning they'd be out and about at various times of the day and night. Some would be taking the bus to our campus on the periphery of the city, while others walked to the All'Antico Vinaio panini shop after school, hopping back home to do occasional homework. Many would go out until the wee hours to take advantage of Italy's young drinking age.
My routine looked drastically different from that of my roommates. I had a GPA to upkeep and an online internship. I wasn't out partying; I was home working most of the time, and it became difficult to concentrate on my assignments.
The pressure to travel on weekends became too much for me
Since three-day weekends are the standard for NYU's study-abroad programs, almost everyone chose to take $20 Ryanair flights to places like Croatia and Munich for Oktoberfest. To me, this seemed like an exhausting form of escapism. I was convinced my peers were doing it only to freshen up their social-media profiles and make their friends back home jealous.
I, on the other hand, wanted to travel to learn more about myself and explore ways to shape my life after graduation. Since most of my classmates were looking to go to sex shows in Amsterdam and getting wasted in Ibiza, I traveled alone. I went to Nice, France; Lugano, Switzerland; London; Malta; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
But most weekends, I stayed at home in Florence, while my classmates burned themselves out with travel. During those lonely weekends, I ran along the Arno river, popped into free gallery exhibits, and cooked with ingredients I found at local vegetable markets. I was left in the apartment completely alone. This lack of human interaction didn't help me feel optimistic.
I was disillusioned by the fact that no one in my study-abroad program seemed to have my values. Throughout my semester in Florence, Italian people were hostile toward me
I'm not quite sure whom I resented more during my stay in Italy: my American classmates or the locals. The latter is often described as soulful, charming, and overflowing with hospitality, but I could provide concrete examples of them being hostile, inconsiderate, and preposterous. For example, one time, two women were talking about me on the bus, looking at me up and down and scoffing. There were a couple of incidents of verbal confrontations.
I started to protest by presenting myself to the public in a way I knew they'd hate. I started wearing American-brand athleisure, Nike Air Max 97s, and oversize hoodies. The Italians rolled their eyes as I passed them on the street.
About 5,000 American college students flock to Florence every semester, so why are the Florentines still angry about the way we look and act — as long as we don't infringe on their rights, safety, and comforts? My life back in New York went on without me, and it felt like I was wasting a semester
I was consistently frustrated by the fact that my life back in New York was not put on hold. Fellow NYU students who stayed in New York were actively pursuing in-person internships, networking with zeal, and making moves to advance their futures. I felt like I was wasting precious time in Florence.
I watched as my study-abroad classmates acted as if they could escape real-life obligations forever. I wanted to confront my obligations head-on.
All of this shouldn't dissuade students from heading to Florence. My feelings aren't every college student's experience — yet I also can't be the only one who thought studying abroad was a nightmare.
Oh, and the cherry on top.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacia-datskovska-86a54b178
Langley High School
Northern Virginia Community College
Not just a hungry ghost, but a CIA demon.
Yeah that's the crazy thing to me, did she somehow not know? I personally hate partying, but that's also why I never would have studied abroad lmao.
Ideally some profesor who works on a topic you are interested in, would do a sumuning ritual and then you make some arcane pact with him or her and end up doing menial tasks in exange for secret knoledge or a degree or a pound of blood or something.
But i have never done it. And it now seems to mostly be a miningles status signaling ritual.
I was required to study abroad for a semester
for some reason, i have no idea why this would be obligatory but i don't go to a school for ghoul pupae
Bro what the fuck did you go to Italy for it sounds like you could’ve just done this at home
A semester abroad was required for her degree. Note that she could have done it anywhere, though. This is a common failing of immigrants: having some romantic idea of the place you want to go based mostly on media. Only to find once you get there it's just another place, with people everywhere and expensive apartments and smelly cooking from the downstairs neighbors and public transportation that stops at 9pm. Paris Syndrome.
I imagined fun potluck dinners with my roommates, summer flings with people who called me “bella,” gelato that dripped down my fingers in the heat, and natural wine that paired effortlessly with good conversation and better prosciutto.
My routine looked drastically different from that of my roommates. I had a GPA to upkeep and an online internship.
Well, which is it? Do you want an overly-romanticized tourist visit or do you want a no-nonsense business trip?
I also enjoy how she spends several paragraphs bitching about her roommates but then was sad when none of them were around.
She wanted to be the center of their attention and them constantly begging her to participate in their ingroup, which she would scornfully decline as she's not that kind of person. She's going to be a journalist!
For example, one time, two women were talking about me on the bus, looking at me up and down and scoffing. There were a couple of incidents of verbal confrontations.
interesting that she gives zero details on these confrontations... maybe she was just yelling at them
I started to protest by presenting myself to the public in a way I knew they’d hate. I started wearing American-brand athleisure, Nike Air Max 97s, and oversize hoodies.
perfectly normal reaction
Yes I study international relations, yes my response to seeing another culture is dressing up like an Americana clown and shitting my butt in protest of Italy.
dressing up like an Americana clown and shitting my butt in protest of Italy
sides detected in orbit holy shit
If you're going to be in Italy for the best part of a year, you'd be well advised to just fucking roll with it and live the life. It's Italy for fuck's sake. Holy shit. Just pretend you're in a Highsmith novel and lounge the fuck out.
They don't have Italians in New York City. How is she supposed to know their strange ways?
from her linkedin
Slow City Living Podcast Host Slow City Living Mar 2022 - Present1 year 1 month
Host a podcast on slow living habits in big cities;
:palme-confusion:
Holy shit this actually makes me furious. The slow food movement was started in Italy and is the originator of the slow living movement. What a fucking idiot
"slow living" in NYC translates to about 90mph for the rest of the US
Slow living to her is getting your Pop Tarts delivered instead of heating them yourself.
If only there was some sort of phrase about doing things when in Italian cities... :thinkin-lenin:
nah Italy is just another place if you go to italy for a year to study expect roughly what you would from a year anywhere else
The people who shared the space with me had asynchronous schedules
what a bunch of assholes
I can’t BELIEVE these fucking Fredos we’re trying to to force me to LAY BACK and HAVE FUN, can’t they see I’m trying to network my way to the Lockheed Martin executive board?!??!!
I imagined fun potluck dinners with my roommates, summer flings with people who called me “bella,” gelato that dripped down my fingers in the heat, and natural wine that paired effortlessly with good conversation and better prosciutto.
Americans understand that europeans are real people who don't live in a disney cartoon challenge
I agree obviously these things are all true and exist in Italy but they aren't the reality of day to day Italian life
True, a certain pesky element known as money is the obstacle among other things
summer flings with people who called me “bella,”
LOL Italian men wanted nothing to do with American white women. They've gotten a reputation.
I assume that reputation comes from eat pray love and it's cultural impact
also thinking about it that image of italians is pretty objectifying of italian men
They come to our country and then make puppy eyes when they clog their toilets with their american diet shits. We ARE NOT all plumbers
I’m not quite sure whom I resented more during my stay in Italy: my American classmates or the locals. The latter is often described as soulful, charming, and overflowing with hospitality but I could provide concrete examples of them being hostile, inconsiderate, and preposterous.
My god, Americans are so racist that they managed to orientalise Italians.
About 5,000 American college students flock to Florence every semester, so why are the Florentines still angry about the way we look and act
Bizarre statement coming from someone who think her seven American roommates were awful. That's 7/8 American exchange students who she thinks suck. Why would she think that the Florence people would like US students?
So she was miserable when her room mates were home, and also miserable when they were away. I think she might be her own problem :fidel-wut:
The alienations getting so high even the wealthy ghouls are feeling dissatisfied with their treats
I wasn’t out partying
:wtyp: holy shit i can't imagine spending months in one of the most gorgeous, agreeable places on earth and whining about it in a national publication
i wistfully fantasize about this shit goddammit fuck you :sicko-wistful:
My sister studied abroad for a year in Aix-en-Provence. Everyone else in her program partied all the time. She stayed at home and played WoW and her host family made quiche every night. She did not have a good time. But she also still hadn't come to term with the fact that she's trans so that super didn't help.
Anyway, I think Americans like the author here are the exception. I think like 10% of folks study abroad thinking they'll be Emily in Paris and 90% go to party.
Mentions visiting Lugano, but doesn't mention any bad experience in this "wow italians are just the worst" essay?
Yeah this whole story is fake none of this happened she just wanted to write how she's not like 'other students' because she wants to be the next opinion columnist writing how it's good actually that the us is bombing i dunno children hospitals or some shit like that.