Fall Semester in Italy

Ciao my name is Lizbeth and this past fall semester I studied abroad in Milan, Italy. I studied at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and it is one of HPU’s exchange partner schools! Studying abroad has been one of the best adventures of my life and I feel so grateful that I took that leap of faith.

This experience was truly enlightening and daring. I learned so much about myself and the world! When it came to housing my school didn't offer it for international students so my friend and I used spotahome (definitely recommended) to get an apartment for the semester and it worked out great. Transportation is also very accessible and interconnected through the city. I would go to school in the metro and it was very efficient and cheap. The food was also affordable. I could get a croissant and cappucino for 2.20 euros!

Here are some of my pointers: 1. Complete your visa application appointment as soon as possible because it can take longer than expected (my visa arrived 2 days before my flight so it was very stressful). 2. Go on as many adventures/ trip as possible. Time flies by too fast and you don't want to have any regrets! 3. Take the time to not only travel around Europe but know your city! I would travel every weekend but when I was home I tried to do so much exploring and immerse myself in Italian culture :) 4. Pack light being abroad you will want to do it all so having a weekend bag and small travel containers and packing cubes makes that a lot easier. 

Some of my favorite parts of Milan to explore was Navigli canal, Parque Sempione, Duomo and Brera :)) A huge culture shock for me was how everybody dressed! Especially coming from Hawaii where a tank and shorts is acceptable but in Milan you would not even see people in athleisure and everyone always looked so put together! Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world so it does make sense haha. Another tip is to go on solo trips at first I was hesitant but it felt so freeing! Lastly document everything whether that be by journaling, pictures, blogging or vlogging do it you’ll thank yourself later!! Like any adventure outside your comfort zone there will be ups and downs with missing loved ones and familiarity but just by taking it day by day helps.

While abroad I took my unrestricted classes(perfect to explore classes outside of your major). I took classes about Italian food and fashion, female literature, diversity and psychology and loved them all. I only had classes from Monday through Thursday same as HPU. The coursework worked very differently to what I was used to. In Italy I only had two assignments that weighed my final grade which was just the midterm and final exam/ presentation. While back in HPU it's more traditional to have small assignments along the semester and have exams that have less weight on your final grade. 

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or doubts my instagram is @lizbethh.s

Blog #3: 5 tips for traveling while abroad

1. Plan out your weekends/travel dates well in advance (about a month or two), if you want to get the best deals. Flights from country to country can be SUPER cheap (I’m talking like $50 roundtrip cheap!) in Europe but you have to book about 6 weeks in advance to get those kinds of deals.  
2. If you plan to study abroad during spring and want to travel a lot during spring break, definitely plan that well in advance (before even arriving in Europe) to avoid paying tons of money for air/accommodations.  Many Europeans vacation during Easter which drives prices up like crazy, especially last minute.  My friends and I really wanted to go to Amsterdam but we waited to long and flights rose to about $600/roundtrip and hotels and Airbnb’s sky rocketed! It cost me way less to fly to Philadelphia for Easter than it would have to travel last minute throughout Europe.
3. Pack lightly!! Most budget airlines only allow a carry on bag and are very strict about it.  I’ve had airlines tell me I had to put my small purse inside my carry on just because I wasn’t allowed to have a personal item.  I’ve also had airlines tell me I had to either put on my jacket or to put it in the overhead bin for take off and landing.  Remember, no one in these other countries/cities are going to know you so no shame in repeating outfits! Also, wear your heaviest clothes/shoes onto the plan to save room in your luggage :)
4. When booking a place to stay, make sure you use maps to know the location you are in and that you are nearby to things you want to see.  If you plan on using public transportation while there, use the maps to find metro stops.  My friends and I used Airbnb for most of the places we travelled and we found that they had the best deals.  Hostels are a good option too but if you are traveling in a group it’s usually cheaper to split an Airbnb. 
5. If you are going to another country with a different language, learn some basics before getting there! I found it helpful to learn how to say “hello,” “thank you,” “please,” and “sorry” in whatever language for the country I was visiting.  The reason I chose these is because even if you are struggling with other words and phrases, these words show that you are polite and that usually goes over well with everyone.  Obviously you can’t learn the language of every single country (unless you can, that’s awesome!), but just practicing some of it on the ride there does a lot.  Just attempting the language is appreciated by most foreigners (although you’re the foreigner in this case) and they are more likely to help you if they see you are trying.  You may feel a little silly sometimes but it’s definitely worth it!

Blog #2: Fitting in

When choosing to study abroad in Milan, Italy, I knew I would have to pretend to know about fashion a bit but was not prepared for the reality of fashion in Italy, Milan especially.  Everyone is so well put together at all times!  Coming from Hawaii this was a harder transition than most other students since we are much more laid back here.  I remember throwing on some workout clothes to run to the grocery store really quickly for some dinner.  The supermarket was about 2 blocks from my apartment and the trip would take me about 15-20 minutes total.  No need to waste decent clothes on a quick trip to the store… so I thought.  I have never had some many people look at me like I was crazy.  You would have thought I was walking around with a costume on.  

Eventually I learned that my safest bet when trying to decide what to wear was to just go with dark colors.  Most days I wore black jeans or leggings, a sweater, and my gray dress coat, with some boots.  As it started to get warmer I noticed Italians started wearing brighter colors but no where close to what we wear in Hawaii.  

As much as I wanted to be comfortable and just wear simple clothes everyday, I learned that it was easier to try to fit in then to deal with all the consequences of looking different.  By not fitting in you are opening yourself up to pick pocket-ers that target tourists.  I’ve had multiple friends get their phones and wallets stolen.  Another annoying fact of not fitting in is the looks you get.  I rather just wear dark colors and blend in than have 20 people staring at me on the subway for wearing workout clothes to class!

Blog #1: Preparing for travel 

This was my first time in Europe.  I have travelled outside of the United States before but never for such an extended period of time.  There are some things you should know before leaving for your study abroad experience.  The first thing is that, if you plan on doing some shopping and want to explore the fashion of wherever you are going, pack lightly.  Because I studied in Milan, Italy, the fashion capital of the world, I knew I wanted to do a lot of shopping! I packed lightly and brought a lot of basic clothing that I could easily add accessories to.  I’m not a girl that’s usually into fashion at all, but I definitely wanted to leave room for souvenirs. 

Something else you should know, especially if you have a layover in another country, is that they might only do passport check at your layover but not when you arrive in the country you are studying in.  This was confusing for me because I had a layover in Portugal and followed the crowd to a huge line.  At first I wasn’t sure what I was waiting for but then I realized we were getting our passports stamped.  You want to be sure to give yourself sufficient time to wait in a long line before your connecting flight.  I was running a little low on time and stressing out because I only had about 90 minutes between flights.

A final tip for preparing to go abroad is to make sure you bring basics such as towels, school supplies, toiletries, etc. to hold you over until you are able to find a store to buy these things at.  I didn’t bring a shower towel because I didn’t want to waste room in my luggage but that resulted in me drying myself with a swifter towel, that I found in a grocery store, for 2 weeks.  In Italy, Milan specifically, there aren’t many stores like Target or Walmart that carry everything you need for reasonable prices.  It wasn’t until a few weeks in that some friends and I travelled a Primark, about 30 minutes away, that had some affordable towels to buy.  There was a store near my apartment that sold towels but they were about 30 Euro and I was not willing to spend that kind of money for a bath towel.  Just make sure you think of the little, everyday items that you use. 

Arrivederci and a Hui Hou Italia

Ciao Everyone!

                It has been several weeks since my semester abroad has been officially over and although I am happy to be back in the islands, it feels as if I have never left. Although at the time I was extremely homesick for the first month, now I wish I was still abroad enjoying every new experience I could. My time abroad was the greatest highlight of 2016 and now I refer to 2016 as my golden year. I was extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to study in a different country and gain a new perspective on how life half way around the world is. I can’t wait to take a trip back to Europe to revisit some of my favorite cities such as Zadar, Zurich, Brussels, Nice and to explore places I was unable to see while I was abroad. If I had another opportunity to study abroad again, I would not hesitate to say yes. Like I said it was the best four months of 2016 but in all honesty, it was the best four months of my life!

Shout out to Italy and all the European countries for being a part of my amazing time abroad!

If anyone would like to see additional pictures from all my trips and blog post I wrote while abroad, you can visit my website at http://joselynolinares.wixsite.com/hawaii2milan.

xoxo,

Joselyn

Lights, Camera, Action: Living in a Fashion Capital

Ciaoooooo!

My name is Joselyn and I am currently living life in Milan, one of the most important fashion capitals in the world. What is it like living in such a prestige city you may ask...well, let's just say it's nothing like I was expecting but in a way much more than I could imagine. 

First off, I have just gotten adjusted to the idea of living in another country, one that I had never visited before or was the slightest bit familiar with and it only took me two months and I am leaving in less than a month, ironic right? Before coming to Milan I was extremely excited to be able to experience some place new that I've only heard about or seen pictures of however when I did finally arrive in Italy, the culture shock and unfamiliar surrounding was a bit overwhelming. 

Yes, culture shock is a huge part of studying abroad, especially if you're someone like me who's never been to another country before BUT I have adapted to my new home and can proudly say that Milan has stolen a piece of my heart. From walking to school, to seeing familiar faces each day, to getting to know other study abroad students and being able to be apart of another culture is truly an memorable experience. It's definitely one of the best decisions I've made so far even when I was told it would be impossible to study abroad my senior year but here I am! 

Shortly I'll be writing a post about traveling to other countries right after I have visited my 10th country while studying abroad (that was my goal), so stay tuned!

xoxo,
Joselyn
#Hawaii2Milan

Readjusting & Crying About Pizza

To quote the silver fox that is George Clooney (whose house in Lake Como I sadly could not find), "I think people in Italy live their lives better than we do. It's an older country, and they've learned to celebrate dinner and lunch, whereas we sort of eat as quickly as we can to get through it." George knows what he's talking about, as I often spend my days back in America reflecting on one of God's greatest gifts that is Italian food.

It's still hard to believe that my study abroad program in Milan, Italy ended 2 months ago and that I returned back to New Jersey a little over a month ago. My first week back in New Jersey was bizarre- I no longer had to mentally prepare myself to speak Italian every time I walked into a store or restaurant. I was now hearing English everywhere I went instead of Italian, which was comforting but strange nonetheless. Every time I see family or friends they say "You have to tell me EVERYTHING about Italy!" but I'm not too sure how to sum up 5 amazing months into a few minutes. Reflecting back on this past semester has made me appreciate the crazy adventures I had. I feel so grateful and #blessed to have had this opportunity to go abroad that it would probably take me a whole year to explain every single thing I loved about Europe. Basically, I got to travel throughout most of Italy by planes, trains, buses and cars. I got to know the huge city of Milan, rode a gondola in Venice, tossed a coin into the Trevi Fountain & explored the Vatican in Rome, drove the Amalfi Coast in Naples, took a ferry to Positano, and went on a solo 4 day trip to Florence.

View of Ponte Vecchio in Florence from the Uffizi Gallery

I also took a solo day trip to Lugano, Switzerland, met up with a foreign exchange student from HPU in Copenhagen, Denmark, biked around Barcelona, Spain with a dear friend and had a jam-packed weekend in Paris, France with two international students I met at my Italian school from Mexico. I ate some of the most amazing food in the world, visited family, toured the most breathtaking museums, and made some of my greatest memories- which makes coming home even harder. When I was still in Europe, I vowed that once I got back to the US I would keep traveling and see more of the United States; I didn't want to stand still. But since I've been back, I've been visiting family, friends, and taking it easy. In Italy, I was always running around on my next adventure, which is why it's nice to just take a break and enjoy my summer at home. (And honestly cuddling with my dog has been the highlight of my summer, I'm not gonna lie.)

Reppin HPU from Park Güell in Barcelona

One of the greatest rewards of living in Italy was getting to come home and speak Italian with my Italian grandmother. I never realized how happy it would make her to hear one of her grandchildren speaking her native language. When I'm not practicing with her, I'm keeping up with the language app Duolingo so I don't forget it when I'm back in Hawaii. Since I dress a lot like an American, many Italians couldn't tell if I spoke Italian or if I was just a tourist, especially in Florence. I couldn't believe how many American tourists I heard in Florence that I actually heard sighs of relief when I spoke to locals in Italian. (It's also fun to be bilingual because you can eavesdrop on conversations when people think you don't understand.)

I'd like to dedicate the end of this blog post to the amazing friends I made in Italy who made my experience as enjoyable as can be. I encourage everyone to talk to students from all different countries as well as America. Every two weeks, I'd go out to dinner with girls from France, Brazil and the Netherlands where we'd compare the things we'd do in our respective countries from food to politics to pop-culture. Every time I talked to them I learned something new about the world, which makes this huge planet seem a little less unfamiliar and scary. It opened my mind to how other cultures do certain things and what their impressions of America are. One of the best things was comparing our languages and trying to explain American slang to them. We would always try to pronounce words in each other's languages (French, Dutch, English and Brazilian Portuguese) and laugh when we would horribly mispronounce them. When you study abroad, don't be afraid to break out of your shell, make friends and try something new!

Left to Right: Camille and Caroline from France, Paula from Brazil, Iris from the Netherlands and me :)

Italian friends and fellow HPU student, Hunter!

Waiting in line to go up the Eiffel Tower with
Mitchell and Paola from Mexico

Sarah from Tennessee (yes I had American friends too)

P.S. Here's a quick shout-out to Italian pizza. I miss you and think about you everyday. 

The entire pizza is for one person.
Notice how I added arugula in an attempt to not feel
guilty about how many carbs I was consuming on a regular basis.

Overcoming Language Barriers

Here is a conversation I’ve had approximately 50 times ((slight exaggeration)) since coming to Italy:

“Gabriella Marzullo…your name is Italian and you look Italian, are you half or something?”

“Yeah I’m actually 100% Italian! My dad was born here.”

“Oh cool so you’re fluent!?”

“Haha no…not yet anyways.”

“Wait what?”

….

Every time I have this conversation with someone, I just have to laugh. Obviously my name is Italian and I look Italian, so it’s natural for people to assume that since my dad was born here, I speak fluent Italian. I then have to go on to explain that we never actually spoke it while I was growing up and I’ve only been learning it for a year. Although I’m not close to being fluent, I have to say that my Italian has vastly improved since I first arrived. From taking an intensive language course my first two weeks here, to taking a cooking class where we can only speak Italian, and visiting relatives in Southern Italy who speak little to no English, I’ve really been pushed out of my comfort zone to think of different ways to say something so I can say it in Italian. Although I may butcher it sometimes with broken Italian, I’ve found that about 85% of the time, people will understand what you’re trying to say, and more importantly- they appreciate that you’ve tried. 

Buona Pasqua! Enjoying Easter dinner with my relatives in Southern Italy

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people complain about Italians being rude to them. Sometimes that can definitely be true, especially in a metropolitan city like Milan, but usually those same people who are complaining are people who only speak to Italians in English and expect them to understand. I’m not saying you have to be fluent in Italian to live here, obviously I’m not, but making the effort and even pulling out google translate in times of need makes it easier for the locals to understand you so they can help you.

Can we just appreciate these lush green hills? I wanted to dance around like Julie Andrews but I restrained myself.

First time meeting my 2nd cousins! 

Conversely, the first time I went to the café next to my apartment, my Italian was just awful and I ended up saying everything in English. Ever since then, they only speak to me in English. Although I love to practice my Italian any chance I get, I think it’s really sweet how they go out of their way to make me feel comfortable by speaking English. Which reminds me, I haven’t been there in a few weeks... I miss their pistachio cream filled croissants... BUT I DIGRESS. Just try your best, anywhere you go. When I went to Paris and said a few phrases in French, everyone was so kind and told me how cute they thought my accent was and appreciated my sad attempt at French.

See, they even put a smiley face in my cappuccino!

Also, I’m not sure how often these happen in the United States, but if you’re studying abroad in another country where you’re learning the language, I suggest going to a language exchange! I’ve gone to a few, and even though it’s intimidating at first, it really helps me practice my Italian. Plus, it’s a great way to meet new people from all over the world! :D