During my first week at CIMBA, I wanted to think about five things I have learned in my first five days. There are so many things I’ve learned after being abroad for just a week - if this list could go on forever, it would.
People don’t tell you how hard it is to visit a country you know very little about, let alone live there for four weeks. That being said, I’ve learned to embrace the unknown. This was, admittedly, a scary lesson to learn at first. No one wants to fail the first time they try to pay someone with Euros or butcher their dinner order; however, the simple act of trying is what matters most. In fact, Molly (one of my professors) encourages us to try to speak the native language because that’s how we will learn. Diving headfirst into something that’s new is hard at times, but I’m thankful to have the opportunity to do it.
To be completely honest, adjusting to the time change and trying to get used to a block schedule has been one of the hardest parts of this trip. I find myself exhausted most days, but also trying to say “Yes!” to as many things as I can, just trying to do everything at once. Prioritizing school, sleep, and fun is not easy, but it gets easier as every day goes by. I’ve found that it’s important to stick to a schedule, but not to be too strict with yourself. Allow yourself to stray from your planner, because sometimes the best memories are ones that are unplanned.
This is one of my first times out of the country, so almost everything here in Paderno del Grappa is new to me. I’m trying my best to soak it all in, because you never get to experience these things for the first time again. One of my favorite nights so far has been when we got a big group of people to meet for dinner at the local pizza restaurant. It was one of the very first nights we were here and it was so fun to start our trip that way. Something that I’m finding very interesting about Italian culture is the fact that they take so much time for themselves, in a good way of course. It may be frustrating when you and your friends walk to the gelato shop and it’s closed, but I think we can learn a thing or two from the Italians in this instance.
If I’ve had one takeaway from this trip, it is that being uncomfortable is when you not only grow the most as a person, but also have the most fun. Step back and think about it, when will I next be in Northern Italy with 300 people from schools across the United States? We tend to get so comfortable at our home schools that we forget how fun it is when we get outside of our comfort zone and have to start over. Making introductions is tiring after the first 12 times, but it’s a chance to make new friends, connections, and relationships with people you would have never met otherwise.
Last, but not least, it is so important to show yourself grace throughout this whole month. Like I said earlier, it’s so hard to live in a new country for four weeks. Making sure you take time to slow things down to a comfortable pace or to be by yourself is something that will save you in the long run.
I am so excited to see how the next three weeks changes my perspective as much as the first week has!