When getting ready to study abroad, one of the hardest things to do is preparing to live in another culture, immersed in technologies (and the lack thereof) that can be hard to adjust to.
I was placed in an apartment in Via Ghibellina 7 at the Palazzo Virginio. Welcome to my crib.
Via Ghibellina 7 is located in southeast Florence near the Arno river. The Palazzo Virginio houses eighteen apartments and has rooms ranging from two-person studios to rooms that can sleep more than six people.
Outside, the street is narrow, and the sidewalks are even more narrow. The cobblestone streets are very difficult to walk on and hard to get used to. At first, this can be annoying because you are used to smooth asphalt and paved sidewalks, but you also have to remember that these streets were created years and years and years ago. One of the most fascinating things about Italy’s architecture and infrastructure is that the cities were built for people, not for cars. This is something that one of the shop owners on Via Ghibellina mentioned and is a statement that perfectly describes Italy.
Behind the massive wooden doors of the apartment, green and white marble tile decorates the floor and is almost too beautiful to walk on. Making your way inside, there is an office on the left and a pink courtyard directly ahead that is absolutely breathtaking. The courtyard is filled with plants and greenery that complement the pink walls perfectly. Sunlight illuminates the courtyard, making it the perfect place to read or catch up on homework.
One resident who lives off of the courtyard, Maria, said her studio apartment is the perfect space for her and her Pomeranian, Gino. She loves the two bedroom studio because it is great for when her son comes home to visit.
Up the stone staircase, there is a yellow courtyard with four apartments. This is where my apartment is located.
An enormous wooden door marks the entrance to the apartment. When moving into your apartment, be sure to ask your landlord to show you how to open the lock on your door because a lot of doors in Italy are a little different than the ones back in the United States. Rather than the deadbolts that you are used to, Italian locks turn multiple times to activate the normal lock and the deadbolt. This can be confusing at first, because turning a lock five or six times without it opening can be a little concerning but the lock will eventually open.
Inside, red bricks line the floor and high wooden ceilings decorate the apartment. A small kitchen is one of the first things you will notice that is different than your home in America. If you have never used a gas stove before, get ready. Gas stoves are present in the US, but not nearly as popular as the electric stoves that most of you probably have. Turning on the gas and lighting the stove with a lighter is a little scary at first, so you should purchase a long lighter so that you won’t have to put your hands too close to the actual flame.
A small fridge, a microwave and a toaster oven are also located in the kitchen. Be careful not to use too many appliances at once though, because it may cause the electricity to go out.
At first, these kinds of technological differences may be frustrating, but it’s important to remember why it’s that way. These buildings were built hundreds of years ago before electricity was an everyday feature of life. It’s important to appreciate the history that you are living in and try not to focus on the negatives.
The electricity is one of the most interesting things about this building. In the bathrooms and around the apartment, you can actually see where wires and technology have been added right into the architecture. In the US, your home was most likely built in a time where electricity was a staple of everyday life, so all of the wiring is in the walls and doesn’t seem like an afterthought to the architecture.
In the bathroom, the shower is definitely something that takes some getting used to. There is no shower head mounted to the wall, but instead it is near the faucet in the tub, so you have to pick it up every time you need to rinse your hair. This is extremely frustrating until you get used to it because you are probably used to standing under the water the whole time, so you don’t get cold. On your way to Italy, be sure to mentally prepare to freeze when you take a shower. The water itself gets relatively hot but, again, the buildings were not built to have water heaters in them, so the hot water can be a little spotty at times.
In the bedrooms, at first it may be a little hard to find the outlets because they look nothing like the ones back home. Make sure you don’t forget to bring an outlet converter and adapters when you’re packing for your trip because if not you won’t be able to use any of your appliances.
Another unique feature of the apartment is the lack of overhead lights in the bedrooms. Instead, there is a skylight that illuminates the room. This is an exciting and new feature that is fun to experience because the natural light will wake you up in the morning which is nice if you’re someone who struggles to wake up in the morning.
There is no air conditioning in the apartment which is common in Italy. It’s not rare to eat in a restaurant or ride on a train that does not have air conditioning. As an America, this is an adjustment. At night, opening the windows in the apartment is the best way to keep it cool. The only problem with this is there are mosquitoes in Italy and they love to come into your apartment for a late-night snack. To prevent a ton of bites, purchasing a citronella spray or candle will help you out tremendously.
Getting used to life in a foreign country is not easy. There are so many changes to get used to and adapt to, but it is so worth it. When planning your trip abroad, definitely try to see if you can rent out an apartment for your stay to get a more authentic experience. Staying in a hotel is fun and touristy but staying in an apartment will give you a chance to dive in to the Italian lifestyle.