Ciaowdy!

We leave for Italy in 13 days. That’s crazy! To prepare for our trip, I have compiled a list of things I would’ve found helpful to know before visiting the country. I’ve broken them down into three categories.

Food/Drink

  1. No cappuccinos after 11 am. I mean, unless you want to look like a tourist.
  2. Never order pineapple on pizza. That’s just considered inedible.
  3. You can drink the tap water!

Clothing/Things to bring

  1. Dress code: We’re going to be visiting some incredible, gorgeous basilicas. However, there’s a dress code for church. This should be easier to follow now that we’re going in the spring instead of the winter, but general guidelines for girls are: Shorts, miniskirts, strappy sundresses are not considered respectable clothing. Bring a scarf or a shawl. Guys: jacket and pants/long trousers!
  2. Weather: Speaking of colder weather, the temperatures will be 50-60 ˚F during the day and 35-45 ˚F during the night, so dress warmly.
  3. Adapter/Converter for technology: you’ll need both for your tech. Here’s a link to something I found on Amazon (https://tinyurl.com/adapteritaly)!
  4. Shoes: bring shoes you can walk around in comfortably! You’ll be walking a lot 
  5. Phones: Figure out your cell phone plan before you go so you don’t end up with roaming charges!

Money

  1. For cash: I find it helpful to get some cash before you even go so you don’t always have to use the ATM (there’ll be a fee for exchanging every time you exchange!). Especially when you’re buying more inexpensive items, small bills are often more commonly used than card.
  2. For debit/credit: Make sure your bank and/or your credit card knows that you’re traveling outside of the country, or else they may decline your purchases and your cards will be frozen.
  3. Be careful: Don’t get bamboozled into buying a fake LV belt. Also, don’t get pickpocketed. (Don’t look like you have a ton of money on you.)
  4. Coins for restrooms: Sometimes using the restroom is not free, so save your change/small coins so that you have them available for public restrooms (when you gotta go you gotta go). Alternatively, always use the restroom in restaurants because you’ve already paid.
  5. Don’t tip at restaurants: The tip is already included, often in something called a coperto, so don’t tip like you would in the US!

If you think of any questions you have, ask the student leaders!

Ciao for now,

Elsbeth (your favorite student leader)