The problem in this story lies not with her fellow students nor with the locals, but with the woman in the mirror:
While NYU is famed for its foreign offerings in places like Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Berlin, Paris, and Shanghai, I opted for Florence, Italy, in the fall...
I imagined fun potluck dinners with my roommates, summer flings with people who called me "bella," gelato that dripped down my fingers in the heat, and natural wine that paired effortlessly with good conversation and better prosciutto.
But when my semester in Florence came to an end, I grew to despise the sights, hated the people, and couldn't wait to get back home to my campus in New York...
My routine looked drastically different from that of my roommates. I had a GPA to upkeep and an online internship. I wasn't out partying; I was home working most of the time, and it became difficult to concentrate on my assignments...
The roommate schedule is the only complaint that I find valid. How horrible for her, though, that everyone else had different fantasies--and lived them!--depriving her of "fun potluck dinners with my roommates". Aww, and she couldn't find anyone who would call her pretty. Self-centered much, lady?
Let's continue:
Since three-day weekends are the standard for NYU's study-abroad programs, almost everyone chose to take $20 Ryanair flights to places like Croatia and Munich for Oktoberfest. To me, this seemed like an exhausting form of escapism. I was convinced my peers were doing it only to freshen up their social-media profiles and make their friends back home jealous...
But most weekends, I stayed at home in Florence, while my classmates burned themselves out with travel. During those lonely weekends, I ran along the Arno river, popped into free gallery exhibits, and cooked with ingredients I found at local vegetable markets. I was left in the apartment completely alone. This lack of human interaction didn't help me feel optimistic.
I was disillusioned by the fact that no one in my study-abroad program seemed to have my values.
I'm not quite sure whom I resented more during my stay in Italy: my American classmates or the locals. The latter is often described as soulful, charming, and overflowing with hospitality, but I could provide concrete examples of them being hostile, inconsiderate, and preposterous. For example, one time, two women were talking about me on the bus, looking at me up and down and scoffing. There were a couple of incidents of verbal confrontations.
I started to protest by presenting myself to the public in a way I knew they'd hate. I started wearing American-brand athleisure, Nike Air Max 97s, and oversize hoodies. The Italians rolled their eyes as I passed them on the street.
I know it's only one example, but two women talk about her and the world comes to an end? And in response, she chooses to intentionally antagonize the locals?
In Europe in general, and in Italy in particular, how you dress is important. Any European can pick out an American from 100 meters; we stand out, we don't dress as snazzy as they do. Heck, I've been known to wear cargo shorts whilst walking around Rome! She had to know the locals wouldn't like the way she dressed, assuming she dressed as an American--and she also didn't have to care what they said! Granted, the locals didn't need to participate in "verbal confrontations", either, but that's an American viewpoint, I don't know if that's an Italian viewpoint. And when in Rome...
Let's get back to the cry-fest:
I was consistently frustrated by the fact that my life back in New York was not put on hold. Fellow NYU students who stayed in New York were actively pursuing in-person internships, networking with zeal, and making moves to advance their futures. I felt like I was wasting precious time in Florence.
Are you kidding? She's frustrated that everyone else's life didn't stop while she was in freakin' Florence? Said in best Darth Vader voice: the entitlement is strong with this one.
Send me to Florence for a year. I volunteer for the suffering.
5 comments:
I will join you in your suffering while in Florence. As long as I get to experience Octoberfest in Munich.
According to her little sobfest, apparently you can fly there for $20 :-)
Who bankrolled her sucky semester abroad?
Will they pay for me, too? I promise not to whine *at all*...
"I, on the other hand, wanted to travel to learn more about myself and explore ways to shape my life after graduation."
Based on the whiny and privileged article, the self-reflection didn't take.
During my engineering days, I took a year-long foreign service assignment in Madrid.
"I traveled alone. I went to Nice, France; Lugano, Switzerland; London; Malta; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates."
For three-day weekends, I took longer trips to Gibraltar, Barcelona, the Pyrenees or other destinations that could be driven in 6 hours or so. My vacation time was spent in France and Germany. Her trips don't make any more sense than the trips her roommates took.
"For example, one time, two women were talking about me on the bus, looking at me up and down and scoffing. There were a couple of incidents of verbal confrontations."
I went over with little fluency in Spanish, but tried to improve. While shopping, sales ladies would chastise me in what sounded like gibberish for not conjugating verbs properly. I didn't give a fuck.
Some of the people I worked with didn't speak much English. Occasionally, I'd say something in Spanish that struck them as hilarious. They'd call people over to have me repeat what I said. I played along because my new friends were having such fun. After everyone had a good laugh, I'd get someone to explain what was so funny.
Spaniards are warm and loyal people, and since I went in wide-open, I made wonderful friends and had some wild times. I didn't go in expecting them to serve my fantasy.
It's a shame that she didn't learn a thing, but she did get her article in Insider, so she will probably be okay.
Sounds like a very spoiled and insulated young woman who had no real understanding of the concept of global diversity. I do know some programs are better than others. My daughter in law, fluent in French, spent six months in Marseilles and came back similarly disenchanted with her roommate (a drug addict who was later shipped home to LA) and the lack of work ethic by some of the students from other schools (She majored in International Business at Texas A&M) She did enjoy the travel and took many beautiful photos now framed all over their house. Being short, with long curly red hair and obviously American, she was subjected to unwanted male attention, the worst instance being in Spain. The funniest time was listening to French people denigrate her and she would turn around and assail them in perfect French. Some places are nicer to visit than live in perhaps. She came back appreciating what she has here but with plenty of good memories to override the bad ones.
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