29: 5 Things I took for Granted before Moving Abroad
This list is as much a compilation of my failures in gratitude for convenience as it is an encouragement for you to recognize the little joys of your day to day that make life a bit sweeter.
For background, in September, I uprooted a beautiful life in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA to move to Venice, Italy for a Master’s Program in literature. Writing it down here in black and white only serves to make it feel even more fictional than it already does, ha!
Had I been to Venice before? No. Had I been to Italy, Europe, or anywhere across the Atlantic yet? Also, no. Somehow I’d managed to remain within the greater North American continent for the entirety of my 27 years on this planet. An adventurous life nonetheless, just a bit smaller in geographical scope than I thought I would have traversed by now.
So, as one can imagine, I am experiencing a certain level of self-discovery and reorientation that I have never before been challenged with. When the basic things you take for granted are upended, you begin to find weak spots you didn't know you had.
Here are 5 things I took for granted before moving abroad.
Speaking the native language. The sky is blue, fork found in kitchen, yes, yes, I know how grossly obvious this one is, but what I mean to say is that I took for granted how easily I could start up a conversation with strangers. Back home, I would often talk to strangers in coffee shops, in line at the post office, cashiers, baristas, random people on the beach. Now, there is a certain distance between myself and strangers that I am less likely to feel comfortable taking a chance to speak to, as it often falls on non-english speaking ears. I am learning Italian, but am not at a place yet to carry a good conversation. I am doing a lot more smiling and nodding, and a bit less engaging. I took for granted the very basics from which community is created: mutual language and understanding.
Accessing bank accounts. Oh my god, I had no idea how many of my accounts had weird security walls when attempting access from outside of the US. I’ve spent hours on customer service calls and have had to purchase a VPN just to be able to access and move my own money. Also, how often do we take for granted the 2 step verification that’s tied to our phone number that automatically populates for us? I had to change my phone number to an Italian one to apply for residency, so that doesn’t work anymore either! Haha. I felt like a little kid trying to break into a piggy bank with a plastic hammer.
Driving my car. Okay, this one I knew I was going to miss. I used to talk to my car and thank it like it was a living horse or something lol. I even deep-cleaned it before I left. I love my car and good god I miss the freedom of driving. I took for granted the privacy, the storage-unit-on-wheels, the control you have when you’re not dependent on public transportation. Take a lovely fall drive for me this month, take in the autumn foliage, the feeling of an open road. Fill up your trunk with random sweaters and camping equipment and a bag of clothes you keep forgetting to give to Goodwill for me. If you have the privilege of owning a car, don’t take it for granted! (Of course public transportation makes more sense in metropolitan cities, and many countries do a beautiful job of building with people, bikes, and public transport in mind, as opposed to cars like in the U.S., but that’s an essay for another time).
Iced coffee and Kombucha. Alright I know I know, this one is mostly relatable to the other multi-beverage girlies like me. I love a sweet little special drink. I mostly drink water and tea, but throughout the day I like little pick-me-ups, a cold brew, a kombucha, a kefir, a CBD-infused concoction of questionable origin, a probiotic soda that tastes like cherry cola. Here, putting ice in your coffee is a total faux pas, so if a barista will do it for you at all, it’s done reluctantly and usually with a funny face. I have been drinking exclusively shots of espresso since moving here. Yes, I have been getting absolutely launched with caffeine. Also--probably because I chose to live on the barrier island of Lido that’s further from the mainland than Venice itself--I have not seen a single kombucha, kefir, or probiotic soda since being here. If I were strong enough to venture to the mainland an hour each way by ferry, it’s possible I may find one, but if I do, I fear I may never return. I took for granted my favorite drinks, it was silly of me to think they’d be universal! Pop open a cold one for me.
Being able to call loved ones whenever you want. This one doesn’t make sense until you account for being six hours ahead of your American friends on the east coast, and almost ten hours ahead of your friends on the west coast. There have been times I’ve thought of someone I really wanted to talk to, maybe needed someone to lean on or vent to, or just wanted to catch up with a friend, but when I did the math, realized it was 2am where they live, and either waited until later or just forgot to call them altogether. This has been a lesson in not taking for granted your loved ones’ accessibility, physically and virtually! (Also, yes, I still prefer the dying art of calling someone, I don’t care if that makes me old. I like to hear people’s live reactions and voice memos don’t cut it; they feel like a performance and this is also another essay for another time!! lol)
I am grateful to be here.
I am grateful to be here.
I hope this list puts into perspective a lot of the beautiful parts of a home country that often feels just as alien to me as another. There is a lot about the U.S. culturally that is problematic, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s where I grew up, where I was educated, and where 90% of the people (and, apparently, the cars and drinks) I know and love reside.
Thanks for reading, feel free to leave a comment below! Maybe just affirm or share your gratitude for something we both love.
-Gabby
