My experience dating while studying abroad in Rome, and all of the unexpected culture shocks
This past summer, from May to July, I studied abroad in Rome, Italy. I was participating in an advanced language program lasting eight weeks and living with an Italian host family. I was soaking in all of the Carbonara, vino, and aperitivi that I could, but I had an overall goal of true cultural/linguistic immersion. Quickly, I got to work and downloaded the well-known dating app ‘Hinge’.
The way I safely approached these potential first dates was by double dating with someone I know and trust. This was made extremely accessible for me because luckily, my close friend, Gabby, was sharing a host family with me. By the third day of us being in Italian paradise, we had set up multiple double date adventures.
Alright, let’s start with the first date. We will call them…..Marcello and Mario (insert Italian hand motion.) Marcello was mine, and Mario was my friend’s. They picked us up and we were headed to Trastevere, a well known area in Rome famous for its great bars and social spots, as well as going viral on TikTok for the spontaneous singing of “SarĂ perchĂ© ti amo” in the Italian piazzas.
On the drive there, we quickly realized that they did not speak very good English, so it was a mixture of us trying to understand broken English mixed with slow, clear Italian. Not only did we have to maintain small talk, but we also had to decode two different languages at the same time. The second major shock for Gabby and me was the trends and styles the men embraced. From the outfits to the haircuts (both were… interesting, to say the least), it was something to adjust to and definitely not the fashion we were accustomed to.
Long story short, the date went great after an hour of breaking the ice and the language barrier. I really liked Marcello, way more than I expected. He was teaching me Italian, and I was teaching him English. All the while, he was SO curious about every single aspect of my life in the United States, which, as I’m sure we all know, is refreshing coming from the previous dating pool in Austin.
Now picture this: an Italian villa, a huge pool, a guest house, and a literal chariot of local wine. Double date number two was exactly this. The names of these boys do not matter as much as the experiences do. My two friends and I were picked up in a luxury car and taken 30 minutes away to a more vacant area surrounding Rome. We were wined and dined, all while in awe of our surroundings. They had literally imported water to store in an underground well (what?!). These boys were also very curious about the American university lifestyle. The look on their faces was picture-worthy after explaining Greek life, American football games, and the concept of West Campus. A common understanding was that Italy and America are truly two different worlds.
Oh, one more thing… surprise!! My now-boyfriend is Marcello! So, through all the weird, new, and uncomfortable feelings that came with dating in a new country, I am so glad that I put myself out there and tried something new.