Advice Session

My thoughts:

1. They have an honor system. For example, when you buy a coffee you sit down to drink it and pay before you leave.

2. Drivers in Europe are crazy! Especially in the city of Florence, they treat every street almost as if it was a race track. 

3. There often isn't any air conditioning.

4. When buying any drink with a twist off lid there will be a plastic piece connecting it to the bottle. Super weird to never be able to fully remove the cap.

5. Water is not free in restaurants. You will have to pay for a bottle of water if you want any, often comes chilled. There are water spouts around the city available to fill up water bottles.

6. Bathrooms! They were so hard to find if you were out and about. If you did find one you would have to pay to use it, they often charged 50 cents to a euro. You will run into restrooms that don't allow you to throw toilet paper into the toilet. They will usually have a separate bin for you to place it into.

7. Their trash system is different, separating into different bins for paper/cardboard, plastic, glass, metal, and organic waste.

8. The ground level starts at 0. So, our 2nd floor would be their 1st floor.

9. Siesta is a real thing! Often in the middle of the day people take breaks or long lunches. It was normal for shops to be closed and residential areas to have "quiet hours"(I believe this is more of an unspoken rule).

10. ​I think it is so important to keep an open mind. When traveling you will often run into people who may come off mean or rude. I think it is important to not allow one person to negatively skew your perception of a place or country.

11. Lean on your friends and family! Going abroad is taxing, especially in the beginning you have jet lag, around all new people, and don't really know how to get around. Give yourself time to learn and adjust to your new life abroad. I found it helpful to explore new places with your new friends. Everyone is in the same boat. Figuring out the city is a bonding experience and a great way to get to know others.

12. If you have an iPhone, you can add your home city to your world clock. This can help you see what time it is for your loved ones at home.

13. Time Flies! Make sure to plan out those trips and budget, so you can go everywhere you want to.

14. Always remember it is okay to feel weird or a little lost. Your life is different, but in good ways. Some of your best trips and adventures are right around the corner!