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This, That, and the Other Thing – Three Tips for Pre-departure and Arrival Abroad

Published on by emilywolvertonLeave a comment
  1. Bring something special from home to spruce up your room

This may sound a little silly, but it is definitely something I regretted within the first week of being abroad. Whether it is photos, a poster, or even a pillowcase, bring something that can connect you to home and give your room a little personality. You will be glad to have something to distinguish that space as your own and make it feel homier.

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  1. Don’t make any promises… yet

11874120_10203798343993835_192348149_nStarting school abroad is a lot like orientation week as a freshman at college. Everyone is excited to meet each other and explore their new home. But like freshman year, people form friendships fast and soon settle into friendships. For that reason, don’t make any promises to people from home about FaceTiming, writing emails, or even texting. Take advantage of the newness of your study abroad location – get out and explore with new people. Don’t be that person who stays back because you promised someone you would talk at a certain time. Give yourself a chance to settle in and find your place in the new city with new people before you get into a routine of reaching out to people at home. Once you figure out how your schedule works and when you are free, THEN you can figure out a schedule for staying in touch. Don’t feel guilty about being in the moment when you first arrive.

  1. Allow yourself to feel every emotion

The other day I was eating an apple and thought about eating apples at home during the summer, and out of nowhere I started crying. The first week or so abroad can be totally overwhelming. You meet new people every day, you learn the layout of your city and new home, and you are trying to get over jet lag. emoji_autism2All the stimulation keeps you insanely busy, so remember to allow yourself some “me-time.” Give yourself at least 10 minutes a day to reflect on your experience. You could write in a journal, talk with a new friend or roommate, or even just think in silence about the experience so far. Whatever you like best, make sure you give yourself time to feel everything – the highlights like an awesome new friend or a funny experience as well as the things you miss and things that frustrate you about your new home. It is okay not to love every minute of the experience. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Let yourself feel every part of the experience so you can grow from them.

 

 

 

  • Emily Wolverton

Ciao Bella

Published on by Jordan MendicinoLeave a comment

Hello readers! This is an exciting time.. all the DU students are either heading off or have officially landed in a foreign country for several months to study, and completely immerse themselves in a new (or perhaps not so new) culture. GO US! I could not be more proud of all of the students embarking on this amazing adventure. Even though I am in another country, I am proud and blessed to be a Pio.

Me, Myself, and I

My name is Jordan Mendicino and I am a third year Marketing major, Entrepreneurship minor at DU, currently studying abroad in Milano, Italia at Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. I am a fitness, fashion, and business enthusiast and I am constantly searching for ways to combine all three. In my free time I love to do anything outside, as long as the weather is warm, and I love to be surrounded by the people that are most important to me. Although I am a Colorado native, I don’t ski or snowboard and I would rather spend my days on the beach! I hate the snow and I hate being cold. Red Rocks is my favorite place on earth, and I think I would die if music didn’t exist.

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Why

I chose to study abroad in Italy because I have deep roots here, and I knew that I would feel right at home. Also, Cattolica is an amazing school- it is the largest Catholic university in the world and offers an array of diverse classes for international students. I have signed up to take classes in both fashion and entrepreneurship, both fulfilling my desire to learn something new and work on classes for my minor. Although I took Italian for a year at DU, I am taking more language courses here in Italia. I would love to be fluent by the time I depart in December. It’s a beautiful language, and I would love to add it to my language arsenal, next to English and Spanish.

What’s Next

I will be studying and exploring and adventuring for the next 15 weeks, so keep an eye out for more posts about my feelings, thoughts, and reactions during this wild ride we call study abroad.

Ciao!