From attending a papal audience in Rome to sunbathing on the Amalfi Coast to seeing the fashion scene in Milan and eating pizza in Naples, studying abroad in Italy is nothing less than life changing. Here’s how you know you definitely got the most of your time abroad:
1. You’re completely done worrying about your carb intake.
After living off spaghetti, pizza and way too many pasta dishes to even count (let alone pronounce), you’ve completely and utterly given up on counting carbs. And you couldn’t care less.
2. And portion control is a foreign concept to you.
If you can’t eat an entire pizza in one sitting, what did you even learn studying abroad in Italy…?
3. PDA no longer makes you uncomfortable.
…But people making out in broad daylight did seem a little more romantic in the cobblestone streets of Rome.
4. You’ve become overly expressive with your hands.
And you learned some rather rude gestures that you love to use here in the states.
5. You miss the days when you didn’t have to wait for everyone to be served before eating.
Because the Italians actually understand that no one wants to wait until their food goes cold to dig in.
6. One word: Wine.
In many places, it’s cheaper than water. Yes, you heard that right. Drink up.
7. You’ve become dangerously comfortable with traffic.
Once you realize there’s no stopping the Vespas and Fiats weaving in and out of traffic completely ignoring the speed limit, you learn to just go with it.
8. You can avoid a street vendor like it’s your job.
A talent acquired and perfected after what seemed like the billionth person tried to sell you a selfie stick. I mean, yes we bought one the first time, but like, no, we don’t need twenty.
9. But you have a newfound appreciation for street artists.
And you always found a couple of euros to give to those modern day Michaelangelos.
10. You’re so much more adventerous with your food.
11. You’re that person who corrects other people’s Italian.
And your friends hate you for it. (Because no one cares if they’re pronouncing the menu wrong at an Olive Garden).
12. Half you Instagram is #TBT pics and you totally own it.
Yes my semester abroad was a year ago. Yes I’m going to keep posting pictures from it. How else will everyone remember I went?
13. You like to have a choice in your water, thank you very much.
The nightly question at the Italian dinner table: acqua naturale or acqua frizzante? Both will be served at room tempterature, obviously. Because ice doesn’t exist in Italy.
14. You’re a total pro at this:
It took several dinners (and too many Italian onlookers totally judging you) to perfect it, but hey, what American is as good as you at twirling spaghetti?
15. You can sneak a ride on public transportation like nobody’s business.
Does anyone in Europe actually pay for the bus?
16. You have way too many basic tourist pictures on your camera roll.
Yet another thing the locals were totally justified in judging you for.
17. And you find yourself wondering whether you should drop everything and go back for good.
Because nothing quite compares to rowing a gondola down a canal in Venice, wine tasting in Tuscany or seeing the most amazing works of art in Rome.
So when are we going back again…?