Leaving Myself in Michigan: Hobbies I’ve Found Studying Abroad

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At home in Michigan I have my share of hobbies: thrifting, swimming at the lake, house plants, hanging out with my friends; but once you start a study abroad you realize you can’t take all of those with you. Leaving the comfort of your home to go to college is one thing, but leaving the comfort of your country at 18 is another. It’s all about learning new skills, games, and activities that make this new place feel a little more familiar.

While living in Siena, I’ve gone to Monday night karaoke several times. The karaoke bar we go to plays loud music and everyone sings along, passing a mic through the crowd. The other students and I have enjoyed this event each week as it’s a way to meet new people and listen to new music. Granted, they play a lot of American music too.

On our most recent night, we met a whole group of students studying abroad through another program in Siena. They were quick to introduce themselves and add us to a group chat for activities and travel plans. And just like that we made new friends—and I can’t even sing! Despite being in close quarters with strangers while music blares in a small room, I feel more comfortable there. I think that music, even if not understood by everyone linguistically, is a universal language. People I can’t talk to in their native language will be dancing right next to me listening to the same song. As an American, I can confidently say that I don’t have this experience at home. Since I’m now used to hearing people around me speak to each other in Italian, it’s almost calming to be in a room where it feels like everyone is speaking the same language. 

Back home, I live in a more rural area, so there aren’t great walking streets that I don’t have to drive to. Living in Siena has given me the pleasure of long walks around the city in the evenings as well as short walks to class, gelato, or the Piazza Del Campo. I’m finding that my average step count, according to my watch, has increased by 4,000+ steps each day. This has become my way of winding down after school or gaining some energy after a long bus ride.

I’ve gotten into the habit of walking around the city when I get bored even if I don’t have anywhere to go. Walking through the busy streets, and listening to the locals talk has become a regular pastime for me. Sometimes on my walks I like to talk to the strangers around me. If I see someone who looks similar in age to me, I might ask their name and where they’re from or if they have any suggestions for food or leather stores. Being in a place where you can just stop and take in the different areas, people, and sounds around you is one of the gifts of this program.

We all know how expensive travel can be in the U.S. so it’s been something I like doing while in Italy. Initially, I was nervous about using public transportation as I never needed to before, but it has been a life saver since I got here. As of now I’ve been to Rome, Florence, and Genoa for weekend or day trips through public buses.

Visiting these places with people in my program and having this shared experience is part of what makes this hobby special. Since I started traveling in Italy, I’ve expanded my comfort zone and tried things I hadn’t before which has made me more confident as an independent college student. Seeing this part of the world at a young age and not knowing if or when I’ll be able to see them again puts things into perspective. Even at home, traveling to another state took either a long car ride or an expensive plane ticket. The opportunity I have to see this much of the world is something not most people have as a college freshman.

From belting out Katy Perry in a bar, to strolling down cobblestone streets, this experience has opened my eyes to more of the world around me. The opportunity presented to me has shown me more than I thought I could see at my age. Through all of my newfound pastimes I’ve seen growth in myself as a young adult. I’ve met new people and made friends, walked through unfamiliar streets, and stayed in different cities throughout the country. Though it has only been a couple months, Siena has started to feel less like a place I’m visiting and more like a place in which I live.

Writer’s Bio

Ainsley Phelps is a first-semester student at Hope College, on the Hope in Tuscany first-semester-study-abroad program in Siena, Italy, a program that seeks to establish the community of Hope in an international, diverse context. This is her first column for the Hope in Tuscany blog.

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