The decision to study abroad in Italy isn't a hard one. It's a country full of history, a thriving culture, and great food. However, the decision to study abroad in Milan often comes with a lot of questions.
Why Milan? Why not Florence or Rome? What's in Milan? Don't you have to be rich and fashionable to go there? Is Milan really even that cultural? Isn't it just a lot of big businesses?
The questions are endless, but what so many people fail to understand is that Milan offers a unique cultural experience in its own right. Sure, Milan is popular as a fashion house for Italian brands such as Prada, Giorgio Armani and Versace, but it's also home to the aperitivo and The Last Supper.
It may not be Rome with its popularity of the Trevio Fountain or the Vatican, and it may not be Florence, a city that's home to fine Italian leather and the Statue of David, but Milan has so much more to offer as an up and coming Italian social hub. Plus, there's a real advantage to avoiding the top touristy cities of Italy and getting used to living as a local in your own way. If you made the decision to study abroad in Milan and brushed off the comments from your family and peers, then I've got a list of things you probably did that may make you feel a big nostalgic.
1. Sent a picture of you eating pizza to your parents to prove you were getting the full experience
Because somewhere between all of the "wine-tasting" and late nights spent "studying" you had to prove to your parents that their money was being spent wisely.
2. Got used to eating dinner around 10 p.m.
Not only did the Italians throw you a curveball with their change in portion sizes and multi-course meals, but now you had to train your body to suppress your hunger until later in the evening.
3. Came back to the States and bragged to your friends about the benefits of Aperitivo
For the price of one alcoholic beverage, you could eat for free at what was essentially an all you can eat buffet of gourmet Italian food. Allow me to repeat myself- for the drink you were going to buy anyways, you get free food.
4. Tried an Aperol Spritz to fit in and immediately regretted it
It was colorful and all of the Italians were drinking it, so why shouldn't you? For a drink local to Italy, you really wanted it to be good. Unfortunately, the combination of prosecco, Aperol and soda water just didn't add up to your classic cocktail choice of a vodka soda with lime.
5. Questioned how you've managed to live in the States for so long with ridiculously high travel expenses
For 15 euro you could buy a plane ticket from Milan to Berlin- and that included your return flight. For 15 dollars you might be able to buy a bus pass to the town over in the States.
6. Dreaded every time you booked a cheap flight only to later realize it was at 5 a.m. out of Bergamo
Might as well set your alarm for two hours earlier than you would have normally left. If it wasn't Malpensa or Linate, odds are the cheap ticket wasn't worth it.
7. Became a pro at determining which line you needed to take for each stop
"You can get to the Duomo by the red line, but if you're on the green line you'll have to get off and switch. Don't forget you need to take the green line to central station though in order to take a bus to Malpensa."
8. Found yourself late to class on more than one occasion because the metro workers decided to go on strike
Just when you thought choosing which line to get on was your biggest problem, the Italians threw you another curve ball. To walk the 50 minutes to class, or to wait and arrive fashionably late like the Italians often do?
9. Made a visit to Spontini at least three times a week for a slice of non-traditional Italian pizza
There's no arguing that Italy is known for its phenomenal food, but sometimes there's nothing better than a thick slice of bread covered in piles of melted cheese and running grease to remind you of home. #America
10. Spent your Friday nights at Club Alcatraz
Entry guaranteed you two free drinks. If it's good enough for Harry Styles, it's good enough for us.
11. Changed your schedule around so that you didn't have early morning classes on Thursdays since Wednesday night meant a trip to Old Fashion
As soon as the outdoor patio opened up, class attendance seemed optional (sorry mom).
12. Used the Duomo as a meeting spot
Odds are you didn't have great cell service in Milan, and as a city without a designated city center, why not use the most notorious landmark as a means of locating your friends.
13. Fought off the swarms of pigeons that decided to make the square in front of the Duomo their home
We're all still scarred from the tourists that purposefully fed the pigeons in hopes that they'll land on them for a picture. Sky rats are not friends, and they definitely are not food.
14. Visited the churro stand by the Duomo
For one Euro, you could get a freshly fried churro filled with dulce de leche while you waited for your friends to arrive (no shame if you bought five).
15. Used "Ciao" and "Scusi" so often you forgot you weren't fluent in Italian
The expectation to better your Italian often falls short when you realize everyone around you wants to instead practice their English with you. However, if you said "ciao," "scusi" and "grazie" often enough, you felt like a local.
16. Became besties with your Foodora delivery guy
17. Took a walk to Grom once your food from foodora finally brought you back to life and you realized you NEEDED gelato
Imma let you finish, but Grom has the best gelato in Italy of all time.
18. Often received looks of judgment from the Milanese for wearing weather appropriate attire
Because for some reason the locals still wore winter coats and pants even if it was 98 degrees in the middle of March.
19. Realized that pasta isn't really a main meal and instead was just a starter to the many course meals that are Italian culture
If you started off by telling the waiter that you were having a pasta dish, they most likely hovered at your side anticipating you to order something else. In their defense, the sizes of the pasta dishes are way smaller than what we're used to. As in, they're actually the size of one portion.
20. Felt betrayed when you weren't able to find meatballs on any menus and came to find out they are actually an American creation
OLIVE GARDEN HAS LIED TO US AND I WANT MY MONEY BACK.
21. Met your friends at La Fontanella for board games and beer served in various shaped containers
If you were feeling spontaneous, you ordered the Cracken. If you were feeling the beer, you and your group probably turned the night into an impromptu karaoke sing-along to whatever was playing over the speakers that night.
Bon Jovi lives on.
22. Got used to a 24-hour-clock and degrees celsius
If all of Europe is doing it, why does America have to be so different?
23. Realized that no one is ever on time so adjusting to the clock was just a waste anyways
Everyone walks as though they have nowhere to be and odds are if they have somewhere to be, they're going to be late.
24. You walk outside thinking you're in a well-put together outfit only to be shown up by literally everyone on the street
Most likely, even if you put an hour of thought into you outfit and another hour and a half into some sort of actual hair style or makeup, you'll still be under-dressed by Milanese standards.
25. The struggle of craving Sunday brunch only to remember breakfast in Italy isn't a thing
Sure, you may have been craving poached eggs and salmon with a slice of avocado toast, but odds are you didn't find it. Instead, your breakfast options were often limited to several brioche variations and a shot of espresso.
26. Realized that ordering cappuccinos in the afternoon granted you the same look as though you decided to leave the house with no pants on
Something about the amount of milk in a cappuccino leads the Italians to believe it's far too heavy for an afternoon pick me up. Pro tip: just don't do it.
27. Got used to the taste of espresso shots
At first, throwing back a 60 cent shot of espresso made you cringe as though it was cheap vodka. However, eventually, you craved it.
28. Added a photo of the canal to your Snapchat every time you were in Navigli
As one of the post card spots of Milan, you had to make your friends back home jealous. If you didn't leave your study abroad experience with a camera roll filled with canal shots, did you even study abroad in Milan?
29. Met at Park Sempione for a picnic
On days when there was good weather, you joined the crowds at Park Sempione with a baguette and a bottle of wine. Bringing along the soccer ball was just a bonus and a great way to get to know the locals.
30. Regretted daily your decision to purchase an Italian SIM card through Wind
Maybe it came in a package in your fees for studying abroad, or maybe you saw so many store fronts that you thought it was the right choice, but odds are Wind let you and your cell service down on more than one occasion.
31. Put off your return flight to the States for as long as possible because you were never ready to leave
You made it through months of the struggle of not understanding the language, missing a few trains (and a few flights), peanut butter withdrawal and missing your dog, but when it finally came time to packing your bags and heading home, you felt a sense of loss as you traveled to Malpensa one last time with the States as your final destination.
