EYP - English Yellow Pages for Italy

Ten Things to Know Before Going Abroad

Whether you believe it or not the most crucial time as far as your well being and standard of life, while abroad is before you even go abroad. The best thing to do is to get really prepared so that you do not find yourself in a pickle. I have made a list of the top ten things to know before going abroad they are as follows:

1. The first on the list should go without saying. Get your passport and all documents in order.
2. Go on the internet and find the exchange rate then calculate how much money you actually have and make a first draft budget.
3. Keep up to date on the political and daily events of the country you are moving too this will help you feel familiar with the country and the people.
4. Make an appointment with your family doctor and have a check up to make sure you are healthy.
5. Make sure that you have your housing situation figured out before you arrive.
6. Start to learn some of the language whether by a online course or just a basic language book.
7. Make 100% sure the classes you take are valid and satisfy some need you would be surprised how many art courses do not satisfy an art requirement.
8. Make an emergency contact list so you have multiple people at home to call if you need them.
9. If you need extra money try to find a place that needs students to work. Usually you can find teaching jobs or internships. Try craigslist!
10. Try to find out what some of the laws are in the country for example can I take my beer on the street? How long can I stay without a permit to stay?

I hope this list makes studying abroad just a little easier for you.

originally posted by: Michael C Hummel EYP Student Blog Editor

Any American sports fans that are now abroad are probably feeling the sting of missing March Madness. I have always been a fan of College Basketball and the NCAA Tournament is my favorite sporting event of the year. No other sport lets you watch as many great games in such a short span of time.
This post is not directed solely towards Italian study abroad students but to any sports fan that is currently abroad. Since I have been abroad I have missed most of the World Series in which my Phillies won, and the fact that I had to pay sixteen-euro just to be able to watch the Superbowl, missing March Madness would be too much for me to bear.
Luckily for me and any other College Basketball fans you can watch all of the games online for free. www.cbssports.com has decided to stream all the games. The quality is good and for the most part I have watched the first and second round games without problem. As the tournament progresses it will become harder to watch the rest of the games because they will start after midnight here in Italy. Even so, I plan on being up at 3am tonight, (actually Friday Morning) to watch the Villanova Duke game.

originally posted by: Matthew Chiarello

I Turisti

As the summer approaches, Rome will begin to be flooded with tourists from all over the world. Lines at sites such as the Vatican, the Coliseum, and all of your favorite piazzas and forums will be borderline unbearable for someone who has been living and studying in the city for a while now. If you havent been to some of these places that you know what you want to see, you should absolutely do it within the next couple of weeks. For example, the Vatican Museums are free on the last Sunday of the month, and this is probably your last chance to avoid the congestion brought on by the sightseers who undoubtedly will fill the spot shortly.

Seeing Rome begin to fill up with tourists brings about a feeling of dj vu for me. It seemed so long ago that I was the one walking slowly, with a map in my hand and staring up, looking for street names. Which, by the way is still an impossible task given that they are hidden on the buildings in the same color as the building. However, I can see now the annoyance that locals must have felt as they tried to get somewhere while I was simply wandering aimlessly with a confused look on my face. Now though, I find myself speed walking by Americans, Germans, Britons and everyone else while I try to make it to class on time or get to the market before it closes.

The last time I was in Rome for the weekend was two weeks ago, and I was actually able to get a few of the tourist attractions like the Roman Forum and the Coliseum out of the way. It was not overly crowded, but there was a significant increase in people compared to just a few weeks earlier. As a student in Rome, now might be the time to start taking advantage of all the great cities Italy has to offer, and get out of town for the weekend. You owe it to yourself to visit some places like Venice, Florence, Milan, Siena or Cinque Terra. Most of these locations are easy to get to by train and purchasing train tickets is hardly a hassle if you do it in person and avoid the Trenitalia website. Some travel agencies are official Trenitalia ticket vendors and will sell tickets without any extra fee.

originally posted by: Alex Sanjian

Pinching Pennies

Living in a city is expensive for everyone, let alone a college student. With the dollar being as weak as it is, it is especially important to manage your money and make sure it lasts you the semester, or however long your stay is. Understandably you might not always have time, but cooking at home is a great way to do this, assuming you have a kitchen of course. While there is something to be said for trying out different restaurants, it is not always a good idea to be spending fifteen to twenty euros a night on food. This is not to say that you should not go out occasionally and try some of the finest cuisine the world has to offer because that is part of the cultural experience, but make sure you dine out responsibly.

While dinner can be pricey in Rome, going out and grabbing some lunch is a relatively cheap venture. If you go to the right place, you might find yourself paying only a few euro for something that blows away anything that McDonalds or Burger King has to offer. There are sandwich shops and pizzerias located throughout the city and most are pay by the weight, so you can get exactly the amount you want. This is great because typically as a student you will not find yourself with a lot of free time so it is easy to grab something on the go (takeaway in Italian is portala via).

Depending on the length of your stay, there are many different costs that will arise. Whether it is buying phone cards or a monthly bus ticket, which will run you 30 euro, Rome is not a particularly inexpensive place to reside. You will also find yourself overpaying for drinks. Drinks at most bars are overpriced as is a simple can of Coke from a convenience store. My advice would be to either load up on beverages at the grocery store, or develop a fondness for tap water. You will also see water fountains periodically placed throughout the city, but they are nothing like they are in the U.S. The drinking fountains, known as nasone (big nose) consist of a faucet with two holes and when you cover one of them the pressure builds up and a stream of water jets out of the other. While I have yet to muster up enough courage to try one of these fountains, locals use them regularly so it cant be too bad.

For more information on the nasone visit
http://www.italiannotebook.com/travel-tips/roman-nasone/

originally posted by: Alex Sanjian

Reaping the Benefits

Life in Italy can make one feel at times very spoiled. Here I am living a stones throw from the Vatican and probably the greatest peices of art ever to be produced all the while becoming part of thousands of years of history. These times abroad gives me the feeling that one day becoming an expat is really not that bad. The new outlook, the knowledge that is obtained from living in a different country, a different culture is priceless. There is absolutly no way that I can describe what Italy has given me. The best way for me to describe it is to quote Leonardo Da Vinci:

Here forms, here colours, here the character of every part of the universe are concentrated to a point; and that point is so marvellous a thing … Oh! marvellous, O stupendous Necessity by thy laws thou dost compel every effect to be the direct result of its cause, by the shortest path. These are miracles… (Leonardo Da Vinci of the Eye)

Leonardo da Vincis outmost respect for the human eye really makes sense when you actually start using it. Living in Italy makes one feel as if everything you see is some sort of miracle. Staring up at the Sistine Chaple ceiling, taking the time to respect the nusances of Michelangelos Pieta at the Vatican, really gives you a sense of pride. What I am so proud of I can not say maybe I am just proud that I have seen what I have seen or maybe it makes me proud to be human, maybe most of all I am proud to be here.

originally posted by: Michael C Hummel EYP Student Blog Editor

The Transition from Visitor to Resident

After living in Rome for a few weeks now, I have begun to settle in and experience life as a resident rather than a tourist. This newfound perspective on Rome has allowed me to see certain aspects of the city the way it really is. In my first post I wrote about how the public transit system in Rome wasn’t half bad. Now that my delusions of grandeur have subsided, I’d like the chance to officially redact that statement. After countless outings of watching one bus go by multiple times while I wait 30 minutes for mine, has left me a bit bitter. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to any of the routes. There will be times when you wait 20 minutes and times when the same bus will show up three at a time, it is completely unpredictable.

On a brighter note, the weather seems to have taken a turn for the better. As spring pushes out winter, the rain has for the most part stayed away, making a beautiful city even more enjoyable. And with this sunny weather comes the responsibility of making sure you enjoy one of Rome’s greatest treatsgelato. The city is filled with places to get this cold and creamy delight and although I have only treated myself to it twice, both times it has been terrific. You will see even more of these places in the touristy areas and you should be sure to take advantage of it.

Another common sight in the touristy areas is people peddling whatever they think you might buy. You will be approached with umbrellas when it rains, lighters when you have a cigarette in your hand, flowers when you’re with someone of the opposite sex and strange little toys that blow bubbles and make noises at all times. I was in Piazza del Popolo recently and one of these vendors would not leave me and who I was with alone and after we declined the flower multiple times he goes up to the girl and places the flower on her arm and says, A gift, from me to you. No charge. As soon as she turns her back I feel a nudge on my shoulder and he rubs his thumb against his fingers and whispers in my ear, some euro? Needless to say I gave him no euro and he took the flower back. My advice to dealing with these people, assuming you do not want anything, would be to just say no, no, no and than cut off eye contact and keep on walking. Do not make the mistake I made and humor them.

originally posted by: Alex Sanjian

Parli Italiano? Uuhhh Si.

The language barrier when living in another country can be daunting. It can cause a lot of frustration and can make life a lot more difficult then it has to be. In bigger cities many of the citizens speak enough English so that you can be understood, actually learning some Italian can make your stay abroad much easier.
Learning a foreign language is easier said then done, and it takes a certain amount of fearlessness to be able to talk to strangers when neither one of you fully understands what the other is saying. If you are able to do this, congratulations, you are a better person then I. Even with high school and college Italian courses I still have a lot of trouble talking to and understanding some Italians.
Even though I am often frustrated with my own shortcomings with the Italian language, it has made my life here in Rome a lot easier to have at least a basic understanding of the language. Being able to hold basic conversations will open up a new world a completely different side of the culture to you. I wear an AC Milan jersey and can have conversations and more often arguments about soccer. I can talk to people on the street and feel like I am part of the city. While it can be difficult, just trying to learn Italian can make all the difference during your stay.

originally posted by: Matthew Chiarello

Here Comes the Sun

After leaving a cold, windy and wet Italy for my spring break I was somewhat surprised to return to sunshine and lovely weather. Its early March now and the sun is starting to show its face all day long. From my experience last semester Italy in the sun is a thousand times better than Italy in the cold. The entire country will just open up to you, all of a sudden the cold bitter Italy becomes this vibrant, exciting country filled with culture. The open-air markets with their endless goods never disappoint even the most sophisticated palate.
Italys charm will reach you and suddenly the possibilities are endless, trips to the coast come to mind. I will tell you that my dream for when the weather is at its best is to hire a scooter and ride it across the country. My advice to you, which I am sure you will not need is to really use this time when the weather is good to do whatever it is you wish to do. Please do not spend time at home sitting around, go out and enjoy. Nothing is more romantic than a warm night out in the beauty of Italy.

originally posted by: Michael C Hummel EYP Student Blog Editor

Hi, I am moving to Rome in May. I have heard alot about burglaries specially targeting expats who leave their apartments vacant during long holidays.

Do banks in Italy have safe deposit boxes that you can rent annually? I could not find any information online. Any information could help, this way I can decide if to bring any family heirlooms etc….Thanks.

originally posted by: NY lady

For Your InformationLiving in a different country is similar to leaving home and going to college for your freshman year, it is simply a different experience than what you are used to. Anytime you try something new, there is going to be a period of adjustment. Hopefully though, you picked up a few things as you progressed through college so you do not have to be bogged down by living in an apartment for the first time and going through the culture shock that comes with living in a different country. When you first arrive, studying abroad may seem like a bit of a vacation, but it is important to stay responsible and treat your time here like you would anywhere else. You have to try and be a student first and a tourist second. This is not to say that you should not go and see all the great sights around Rome, but you will most likely be here for an extended amount of time and you should be able to see everything eventually.As a student in Rome, there are some items that you might want to consider bringing with you rather than trying to buy after you arrive. I made the mistake of not bringing a notebook and had the dubious task of searching the city for something to take notes on in class. For school supplies and general items like that, you need to find a shopping center outside of the city to avoid overpaying, otherwise you might find yourself spending five or six euro on a notebook that should cost 1 euro. Another idea is finding your way to one of the Universities in Rome, for example Roma Tre and buying your materials at a bookstore around there.Also depending on whether or not you desire to blend in with the other Romans, dress accordingly with the other Italians. Romans wear overcoats and scarves when it is fifty degrees outside, rarely wear white sneakers and do not wear baggy clothes. Bring lots of dark colors and bring a pair of dark shoes that are comfortable to walk in. Leave your baseball cap at home and avoid wearing that comfortable T-Shirt with your school name across your chest. Despite all these suggestions, you will still probably stand out as an American. Do not be discouraged, based on your skin tone, haircut and facial features, it is pretty easy to pick an American out of crowd of Italians and when you come here you will notice this too.

originally posted by: Alex Sanjian