I'm moving to Italy tomorrow I need hel on avoiding a mjor culture shock!!!?

Question

I'm moving to Italy and even though I'm going to school on a naval base I need to know if the kids there dress in abercrombie hollister ect....(kids on the base) Please help and give me any other advice at how to get along in a foreign country!!!!

Answer 1

They may not have as much Aber/Holl/Ruehl as the US--if they do it's what they got online.  Ab is in the process of opening a store in Rome but it may be several months away.  What I saw when I was in Rome in April was a tight jeans look in the stores, a lot of black but also bright colors, young women had large pearl stud earrings or larger hoops (this may be too old a look for you).  Italy's famous for its gold.  Obviously the look on base is a lot more American looking and less Euro looking.  The look for women is more sophisticated than the US--a twinset and pants will make your mom look very American.  Tell your mom not to look like a Brooks Brothers model.  

The way to get along in a foreign country is to learn the language.  The basics are easy to pick up.  While most people speak English, it's considered polite that you at least say hello in Italian.  When you say buongiorno, roll your r's like crazy, like twice as long as you think you need to.  (If you say buongiorno quickly, like an American, they respond in English).  Practice on people in stores, like the gelato lady.  You don't have to be incredibly fluent, but you really need to give it a good try--you'll be surprised how quickly you pick it up.  You'll also want to be able to read signs in stores, street signs, etc.

You're going to be in the most wonderful, beautiful country.  It's easy to travel in Italy so make sure you get to see Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa--I know the phrase "history coming to life" is old but it's really true there.  You don't feel like you're learning a history lesson, it's just really interesting.  Be sure to say something nice about Italy when you speak to the Italians, even if it's just "how did I ever live without gelato?" because everyone likes to hear something nice about their country.  

Potato chips are very big over there--more popular than fries--they serve them with drinks in the evening, with sandwiches at lunch, etc.  So if you have friends over, they expect potato chips along with a bottle of water or a soft drink.  

There are familiar restaurants like the Hard Rock in Rome, but the local restaurants are good too.  In the grocery store, the Nutella there is better than the stuff in the US, but I don't know why.

Go to the bookstore, grab a Euro Vogue and any other European magazines, an Italian dictionary, and you're set.  You are soooo lucky--this is going to change your life!!  Have a great time :-)

This is too long, I know, but just ignore what you don't need    

Answer 2

little late to panic, huh?  you'll be fine.  be yourself, be nice, and you'll be fine.  you'll be with other American kids, right?

Answer 3

If it's an American naval base, most of your classmates will probably be Americans as well.  As a result, they probably wear many of the same kind of clothes that kids in America wear.  "European" styles like H&M kind of stuff, I imagine are very popular as well.  Families living overseas are generally financially well off, and the kids usually buy nice clothes.  Because they are well-traveled and "cultured", these kids probably have a good idea of the styles where they are.  I'm not sure if A&F will be popular there because I'm not sure its in Europe.

I'd say wait to buy your clothes over there, even if its more expensive.  You can see the styles, and it might even be a good way of getting to know your classmates.  They've all gone through the same thing you have, so I'm sure they're willing to help you fit in - they're different from kids in America because most of them, especially on a naval base, have transferred school many times, and have become experts at getting to know new people.  Go shopping, I mean your in Italy how cool will that be?

Life on the base wont be too different from here, but in Italy as a whole there will be a little bit of culture shock.  When you first get there, you'll enjoy it a lot, still feel like a tourist.  But slowly you will get to know the culture and the location and it might lose it's "appeal".  You may compare how things go in Italy to how things go in America.  You might think that America was a lot better.  But after a while, you will be comfortable, you'll feel at home and you will come to peace with the differences between American and Italy.  Your classmates have all gone through this, so I really think you should put yourself out there and make new friends.  The more locals you meet the better, they'll probably know the good parties and the good places to hang out, and you'll probably want to learn some Italian too.  They'll teach it in the school I'm sure, but the more comfortable you are with Italian, the more comfortable you'll be in Italy.

Have fun, this sounds like a great experience.  I don't think you'll have a problem fitting in.

Answer 4

Learn some Italian fast, and don't be shy of using it, even if you only have a few words or phrases. The Italians are hugely appreciative of English-speaking people making an effort to speak their language, so you don't need to worry that anybody will sneer at your accent or mock your mistakes - trust me, they won't.

Also, dress tidily. Italians, even very poor Italians, make huge efforts to dress well in crisply-laundered smart clothes. They don't understand grunge; to them someone in faded jeans and a ripped T-shirt is not just a poor person but a person without self-respect.