Studying abroad might be one of the best decisions you'll ever make in college. It's the perfect opportunity to expand your horizons and find out what life is like in another part of the world. You'll try new foods, meet new people, learn new languages, and gain new life experience. If you need some help deciding where to study abroad, I beg you to consider Italy. Think delicious pizza, breathtaking architecture, so much rich history, and all of the wine. Need I say more? It won't take long to realize that studying abroad in Italy might just ruin you forever.
There are some places that just change us. They change the way we think about food, history, and life itself. Italy is one of those places where you won't come back the same. For better or for worse, you'll see things differently. You'll find yourself comparing every little thing to the way it once was when you studied abroad in Italy, but that shouldn't stop you from going. You might shed a few tears of both happiness and sadness once you realize that Italy basically turned you into a different person. Just ask anyone else who's ever studied there. If you need some convincing, keep reading.
Seriously, enough said. After visiting Italy, you'll want to shun the likes of any other pizza restaurant — because it's just not the same. Once you've had REAL Italian pizza with stringy cheese and fresh dough, you can never go back. You'll be that one person who has to mention that no other pizza could compare to the authentic pizza you had while you were living in Italy.
Remember walking around Rome or Florence and feeling like the city itself was a museum? Italy is such an old country that you can see remnants of the past everywhere you go. It feels like you've gone back in time as you wander the cobblestoned streets and look up to see that cute old lady peering out the window of her 4th floor apartment. You'll always miss the feeling of walking past monuments that have stood in place for so many years.
Just like pizza, you'll miss indulging in the world's best coffee. You won't forget about the way people treated coffee as if it was part of their religion. People aren't rushing around with their to-go cups. They take the time to savor every drop of their caffeine — and that's just the way life should be lived.
It's like Italy was made for Instagram. Seriously, think about it. The incredible structures of Rome, the magnificent churches of Florence, the rolling hills throughout Tuscany, the cliffside homes of Cinque Terre, the canals of Venice, and the rainbow-colored homes of Burano are some of the most picturesque sites in the world. Things are quite different than your town or city back home.
No car needed. You can get everywhere by train, and that just makes life so much more convenient. The trains are cheap and fast. It was so simple to take that weekend break to Puglia. You just need a pass, and you're off to another picturesque city. Not to mention the scenic views along the way are beyond breathtaking.
Any and all art students will understand how Italy is the perfect place to study. The country is home to many of the world's greatest artists and their original works. You'll always long for the days when you could just stumble into the best art museums and pass by some of the best sculptures on your daily stroll.
Whether you learned a few words or became fluent, you'll miss hearing the sounds of this romantic language. You'll be dying to hear an Italian accent again, and that just means you have no choice but to return.
Unlike Italy, life in the US can be fast-paced and so serious. Everyone is always in a rush, and you've learned to slow things down while studying in Italy. You'll miss the daily siestas (naps) and relaxed demeanor of Italians. It's gonna take awhile for you to get back up to speed once you return to home.
This incredible country just might ruin you for good. Once you study abroad in Italy, there's no turning back.
