Ciao from Milano! After several months of anticipation, I’m finally studying abroad in Italy for the next three and a half months. I've been here for about a week so far, and I'm absolutely in love.

While it’s exciting, starting a new life in a foreign country is full of uncertainty and unexpected roadblocks.

Here are there are things that I wish I knew before starting my life in a foreign country.

1. Get an adaptor for the country you’re studying in

Outlets and voltages around the world are different! In America the power supply is 110 volts, but in Europe it is 220. Make sure you look up the kind of adaptor you need for the country you’re going to. There are a lot of people who came on my program with U.S. to European adaptors that didn’t fit into the Italian outlets.

Adaptors are super easy to find, and I got mine on Amazon before I left.

2. Create a group chat with your housemates

My program released the names of the girls living in my apartment over the summer, so we created a group chat on Facebook soon after we got that information. I highly recommend doing that, it helped us bond and answer each other questions before we flew in. I got lost trying to find our apartment the day I flew in, and having that group chat was a literal life saver.

3. Talk to people who are joining you from your school

Don’t be afraid to connect with fellow students in your program, even if you haven’t talked to them before. It’s really assuring to go into your program knowing at least one person. You two don’t have to be best friends, live together, nor travel together, but having that contact is useful when preparing for and adjusting to your life abroad.

4. Make your bucket list

I can’t emphasize this enough! Get to know your country and the cities/countries surrounding it if you want to travel, especially if you're in Europe since transportation is relatively easy and inexpensive. Don’t book anything before you get your class schedule, but come in with a bucket list so you can find people who also want to do the same things with you. It’ll also help once you get a travel group started, since people will be shouting all these places left and right and the list will help remind you of what you really want to do.

5. Figure out if your country uses cash or cards more often

Definitely one of my biggest regrets. Italy heavily relies on cash and coins, which is foreign to me since credit/debit cards are popular in America. What makes this frustrating is that my bank, Chase, doesn’t have a location here nor a partner bank near me. So I get hit with a 3% foreign exchange fee AND another one for using a non-Chase ATM! Try to find banks that are international if you are relying on cash so you can withdraw money with ease. If the country relies more on cards, then find a credit card that doesn’t charge international fees.

6. Budget, budget, budget

I feel like my money disappears into thin air every second. I definitely regret that I didn’t make a detailed budget that itemized how much I have and the amount I’m willing to spend on different categories (for example, travel, shopping, food, etc) before I left. Everything is so new and exciting and you want to experience it all, but sadly most of these things will cost money. Having the budget will keep you in check and make sure that you have enough money for basic living and for the items on your bucket list (see #4). Make sure to take the exchange rate into account!

7. Buy a hair straightener/dryer there

Remember the thing about different countries having different voltages? Well, your straightener/hair dryer can get ruined even if you use an adaptor because it may not be intended to handle the amount of electricity going through it. This can ruin these products over time, so the best idea is to get new ones abroad. You can even split the price with your roommate and share them!

8. Bring some of your favorite snacks

I can’t tell y’all how much I miss Hot Cheetos (and spicy food in general, but that’s another story). Bring what you love and the things you know you can’t do without, because it’s likely that you won’t be able to find a satisfying alternative in the grocery stores.

9. Increase your phone's storage

You will be taking a LOT of photos and videos, so make sure you have a safe place to store them. I upgraded my iCloud storage for $0.99/month so I can be an obnoxious tourist and take a photo at every corner, and I haven’t looked back.

10. Make sure you have a data plan abroad

I switched to T-Mobile before I left since they have unlimited texting and data abroad, and it’s been working beautifully for me. If you would rather stay on your current phone plan, then I recommend getting a different SIM card that only has a data plan once you arrive in the country you’re studying in. You’ll get a new phone number, but I think it’s wiser to get a plan that only has large data compared to one that has calling/texting included because platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Facetime audio/video allow you to call/text using the internet.

11. But most importantly, have fun

While preparing to leave is stressful and you may feel homesick once you arrive, remember why you chose to study abroad and that you’re there to make timeless memories. This is a once in a lifetime experience for many, so take advantage of every opportunity and do things that are out of your comfort zone.