Culture Shocks : Studying in Italy
If you are studying abroad I’m sure you have heard of culture shock.
Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is in an unfamiliar culture or way of life.
There are so many cultural differences between the U.S. and Italy, that may take a little adjusting too when going abroad.
Spending months in Italy you will have to learn how to work with these differences.
After reflecting on my time studying in Italy, I realized that I experienced culture shock by things I had never anticipated or known were going to be different.
Here are some of my personal cultural shock experiences I encountered in Italy. I hope awakening you about these differences will make the uncertainty a little less unsettling.
The Coffee Culture Shock
No Iced Coffee
We Americans love starting our morning sipping on a pumpkin spiced latte from Starbucks.
Sorry to break your heart, but Italy does not have a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts on every corner. Milan is actually the only city in Italy with a Starbucks.
The coffee culture in Italy is very different from what we are used to in the States.
Not having a Starbucks is only one thing. You are going to have to get used to drinking a classic Espresso or Cappuccino.
This was a little unsettling to me during my first few weeks studying in Italy.
I am personally addicted to drinking my iced coffees. I typically avoid drinking hot coffee at all costs. I’m the person who orders an iced coffee in the dead of winter, in temperatures well below zero.
But, after months of drinking Espressos and Cappuccinos I actually grew to really like it. After returning home I have even surprised myself and ordered hot coffees instead of iced. My friends were concerned when I also ordered an espresso after dinner.
The Wardrobe Shock
Everyone dresses up to go anywhere
I know you probably have heard this one before. After all the Italy has some of the best fashion in the world. But take it from me, this is more than 100% true.
I personally wear sweatpants or leggings almost everyday of the week, whether I am going to school or running errands.
The first time I went out in public in my sweatpants I got a lot of looks. I realized that quite literally no one wears casual comfy clothes out and about in Italy, not even on a rainy day!
So, I would recommend wearing nicer outfits to even class. It is very easy to stand out as an American based on what you wear. Dressing in sweats or leggings are extremely comfy but you will stand out within seconds.
Check out my capsule wardrobe blog to find ways to look fashionably acceptable with simple clothing pieces.
Time Difference
Italy is six hours ahead than New York in time. The time difference took a while to adjust to.
When I would start my morning classes at 9:00 a.m. in Italy. When I was starting my day it would be 3:00 a.m. back home, in New York. I forgot about this many times and would accidentally wake up my friends and family back home.
I recommend finding a time that works for both you and the people back home so you can create a routine to communicate.
Also, in Europe they use the 24 hour clock, known as “military time.”
To prevent experiencing culture shock due to the time differences, I highly recommend learning this before you study abroad.
| 12:00 AM = 0:00 | 12:00 PM = 12:00 |
| 1:00 AM = 1:00 AM | 1:00 PM = 13:00 |
| 2:00 AM = 2:00 AM | 2:00 PM = 14:00 |
| 3:00 AM = 3:00 AM | 3:00 PM = 15:00 |
| 4:00 AM = 4:00 AM | 4:00 PM = 16:00 |
| 5:00 AM = 5:00 AM | 5:00 PM = 17:00 |
| 6:00 AM = 6:00 AM | 6:00 PM = 18:00 |
| 7:00 AM = 7:00 AM | 7:00 PM = 19:00 |
| 8:00 AM = 8:00 AM | 8:00 PM = 20:00 |
| 9:00 AM = 9:00 AM | 9:00 PM = 21:00 |
| 10:00 AM = 10:00 AM | 10: 00 PM = 22:00 |
| 11:00 AM = 11:00 AM | 11:00 PM = 23:00 |
I kept a screenshot of a military time conversion chart in my phone, until I was more comfortable with the telling the time.
Late Dinners & Longer Meals
n America, it is often considered normal to eat dinner around 5 p.m. However in Italy, most Italians don’t eat dinner until 8 or 9 p.m.
Not only are the dinners later in Italy, but the meals are longer.
Dinner is a huge part of the Italian culture. Italian’s value taking their sweet old time at the dinner table. Dinner to them is a time to gather with your friends and family and converse for hours.
The way the Italians go about dinner is one of my favorite aspects in their culture.
Italian menus are divided into four categories :
| Antipasti | This course is commonly considered the “appetizer.” Often times, the antipasti may consist of a charcuterie platter with meats and cheeses. Other antipasti may include bruschetta or grilled vegetables and bread. |
| Primi | Primi is considered the first course and will typically be some sort of pasta. |
| Secondi | Secondi is the second course. During the secondi you will see different meat and seafood options. The second course is a type of meat or fish |
| Dolce | Dolce is my favorite part of the dinner – Dessert! |
| Caffe | It is very common to finish your meal with un caffe (espresso). It comes after your dessert, not with it. |
Also not mentioned in the list is a shot of Limoncello. The Limoncello is offered after caffe as a way to help digestion.
The Grocery Shopping Shock
1. Don’t Touch The Produce
You will get stares or even yelled at for not wearing plastic gloves when picking up produce items. The gloves are provided next to the produce bags.
2. Always Weigh Your Own Vegetables
Weighing and getting a printed out bar code is a must when grocery shopping in Italy. The cashiers will not look up the items and do it for you at the register. It is expected that this is done before you even get in line, or else they will make you go do it and you will lose your spot in line.
3. Pack Your Own Groceries
In Italy, you are expected to pack your own groceries not the cashier.
The line will be moving fast, so right when the cashier scans each item put it in the bag. You don’t want to keep the others waiting behind you.
I also highly recommend bringing a reusable tote bag like this one I mentioned in my Amazon necessities blog post.
4. Eggs & Milk Are Not Always Refrigerated
Don’t be shocked when you see that eggs and milk are stocked on the shelves in Italy.
5. Use Your Receipt to Exit The Self Check-Out Area
If you choose the self check-out area, don’t throw away your receipt when your finished. You’ll need to scan your receipt to leave the area. Put the barcode of your receipt under the scanner and the gate will open.
I experienced culture shock the hard way when I went through the gate without scanning and the store alarms went off.
I defiantly stood out as an American when this happened.
Garbage
Yes, I know garbage sounds so odd to add on this list of culture shocks. However, I was shocked when I had to learn how trash and recycling is handled in Italy.
In America, we are used to the garbage trucks picking up our waste bin and recycling bin on the same day. But in Italy there are so many more steps. First off, you need to sort your trash in several different categories :
- Plastic and metal cans
- Paper and cardboard
- Bottles and glass
- Organic waste
- All other garbage
The different categories have different colored bags.
Get ready for another shock. Not only different bins and bags, there are different days for pick up.
I know this sounds like a mouth full. It will definitely take some time to understand and get used to.
Most apartments will have instructions printed out on a cabinet for you to refer to.
Moving abroad comes with some challenges that can be difficult to adjust to.
These are just a few of the big differences that I believe played the biggest adjustments to my routine.
Experiencing these cultural shocks is actually a beautiful thing, and you truly get to immerse yourself in cultures foreign to your own.
These cultural differences will feel very odd in the beginning. Once you get used to them, it will become so normal that you may feel a reverse culture shock when you return back home.
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