Provincial Life Goes Global: Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Nebraska Anymore

Culture shock- we've all experienced it on some level. One of the reasons studying abroad was so appealing to me was my fascination with different cultures and my desire to experience these differences or "culture shock" first hand. In my time spent abroad so far, I have noticed many differences as well as many similarities. These differences (good and bad) are what makes traveling so fun.

I'm going to share some of my 'culture shock' moments with you, as I feel it is a huge part of the abroad experience.

One of the situations that I noticed very fast was the (much too often) reoccurrence of me being an (unwilling) spectator to a lot of tonsil hockey matches. Eloquently put, I know, but saying "I've seen a lot of people kissing” isn't suffice in explaining the gravity of the situation. As I've traveled, I've noticed that it's not just a Czech Republic thing; it is a European thing. They are not shy of PDA, which isn't a bad thing except for when you're trapped in the corner of a tram by two....affection people or when you are taking in a breathtaking view of the Alps and a man walks past you growling and you catch him out of the corner of your eye picking up a lady to kiss (by her bottom nonetheless). The PDA has definitely led to some funny stories among the group (and has helped me learn to never stand in the corner of a tram).

I love my leggings as much as the next college girl back home, but in the Czech Republic it's rare to see someone dressed down in public. This is one of the differences I was slightly aware of before I came here, but I guess I figured that I would still see some leggings and t-shirts around. That has actually proven to be relatively false. One of the things I wanted to work on while abroad dressing nicer (even on days it's not necessary). So in preparation, I only brought 4 pairs of leggings, which is a HUGE deal for me; however, it's been surprisingly easy for me to put in more effort than legging and a t-shirt for class. (This might also have to do with the fact that class is usually at 3 in the afternoon.) This is definitely something I plan on trying to continue when I return to the States.

A picture of my typical morning
at Bolzano

The last difference I'm going to talk about has definitely been my favorite, and I am absolutely going to miss it when I leave. The plethora of cafés (and the outdoor seating popping up at almost every eatery downtown)are so much fun. As I said earlier, most days class doesn't start until 3 pm which leaves my mornings open, and I have found a real love for sitting at a café, drinking coffee (more accurately drinking an Americano because they don't brew coffee here), and just relaxing or doing my homework. While I love exploring new cafés around town, I am partial to Café Bolzano’s, which is conveniently right down the road from my dorm. Bre and I go almost every day, and we have formed a sort of relationship with the nice owner who always seems to be able to twist my arm into getting a sweet treat to go with my coffee. I’m also excited about the weather warming up because more and more restaurants set up outdoor seating. With the beautiful and historic atmosphere, I can't wait to soak up my time in Europe with warm sun, a fabulous view, and a cold pivo of course.

With one month of the trip gone in a flash, I'm really focusing on enjoying the little things and trying to experience all that I can. I really love embracing other cultures and feel like there’s so much to learn from every single place we visit. I can only hope the remainder of the trip slows down because I have found so much happiness, education, and perspective in Europe that I’m not ready for it to end anytime soon. What can I say? I have definitely been bitten by the travel bug, and I definitely don't plan on stopping anytime soon!