CRIS GOES ABROAD

This is the story of some exchange students who once were headed to the same desolate camp but didn't know what was going to happen next. They didn't know each other and couldn't even imagine how close they would get by the end of their experience abroad. But let's start from the beginning.

One Friday, just a few weeks after the arrival in the USA, I skipped school to attend the orientation camp. I knew I was going to meet other students but didn't know I'd feel incomplete without them once back in my home country.

After awkwardly introducing one another, we started talking about simple stuff like which grade we were in, which sports we practiced, why we chose the US and so on.

But then we had to sleep all together in a freezing cabin, take a freezing shower at 6 in the morning, hike in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming and sing around a bonfire while eating s'mores. We learnt a song called "Love in any language" during which we also signed, but we didn't know how important that song was going to be at the very end. 

I had a really good time: no phones, no WiFi, no virtual world - the only connection we had was with nature (so connected that we shared our cabin even with a couple of mouses lol that ain't fun).

The orientation camp was a really positive start for an awesome year.

I had the chance to hang out with some of the students almost weekly, but we finally met all together again in December, when we had to interview some of the outbounds - American teenagers heading out of the country -.

In January we had the Rotary ski weekend and I still think that it has been one of the best weekends so far. I had a real American breakfast really early in the morning, we skied most of the day and then we had the chance to have dinner at a western event at the top of the mountain. The view from the gondola late at night was amazing and I can remember being in there thinking how grateful I was for everything that was going on with my life at that point.

Weeks passed by, we hung out at Starbucks, played bowling, attended the outbound's orientation and before we realized it, it was the 5th of June. We were on the bus and starting our western adventure with San Francisco as a final destination. As the bus stopped in Mesa Verde National Park, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco I lived interesting days. Although we shared amazing memories and lived the trip of a life time, everyone could easily pass from being happy to being sad and angry within few minutes. Misunderstandings led to pointless arguments and we spent our 3 days conference in a very intense atmosphere. But then, we had to sing "Love in any language" in front of everyone, for the last time. Tears started streaming down, we hugged each other, we told each other how important we're for one another and that we couldn't let time or distance separate us.

That night was the last one of the conference, it felt endless and yet the shortest. We spent it in a room being goofy as always, trying to focus on the good things rather than the bad ones. Silent breakfast and then everyone had to carry out their bags and find their ride home. Then we kind of repeated what we did the night before. I cried so much I could barely see something. As soon as I closed the car door I felt like my heart was torn up in pieces. Even unpacking was hard so I just reached my bed and started staring at the brownish ceiling asking myself where 10 months went. How was it possible that I just had 3 weeks left in America when I still remembered the 15 years old me trying to convince my parents to let me go on exchange, how?

Nowadays it is still hard, because no matter how many people I meet or where I go, it will never be the same, and it is legit. I always want to experience something new and being in Denmark is amazing, but being away from home makes me also think about the good ol' days.

- Cris

I made more troubles here in less than 3 weeks than in my entire life. Oh well, probably not, but I laugh on it now. One of the first things I experienced after a few hours in Kolding was being locked out my own apartment, which means that I left my keys inside even though my buddies told me at least twice to always carry them with me as the door looks itself. The good news is that while I was locking my windows my friends rang the bell and once I reached the door I forgot to lock one of them, so my buddy climbed the wall and walked through the unlocked window to grab my keys. He now keeps a copy in his apartment, lol. But before gently closing the door behind my back and realizing how stupid I am, I can proudly say that I pick up a lot of stuff for my flat, like kitchen stuff, a wardrobe, made the bed and things like that. In fact I was exhausted.

My first day, or first few hours I should say, have been intense. I've been to a house party, had a pizza by the lake at night, walked around the city, checked out the big mall and finally met my roommate. On Monday the 29th of August I was already in class and I was like "Am I seriously starting University?". Now I'm here and I can tell one thing: no more anxiety or pressure by the teachers, nice classmates and environment (at least so far).

It is not going to be easy from time to time, I'm not a designer or anything close to it, but I'm here to learn and I know I can do it if I put enough effort. I've nice friends who can party but also try to stay healthy and go for a run (or in other words they are trying to get rid of me by killing me once and for all since my body is used to eating rather than sporting, lol). Anyways I am concluding saying that Thursday I even swam in the cold sea here because sometimes it is better to be a little crazier than the average. Seriously though, it has been really warm here this past week when last sunday it was rainy instead. 

- Cris

A few people asked me what to do on their first days abroad and I realized I never wrote anything about that. Now, I start by saying that for me it wasn't hard to be abroad. I was really excited and I didn't feel sad or homesick at all. I was happy to be where I was and I was trying to be as calm as I could about anything. The only thing I can say is that I felt awkward the very first day of school, which wasn't really about classes, it was more about being introduced to teachers, classmates and about attending an assembly in the main gym.

2. DON'T STAY IN YOUR ROOM.

Some of you might feel embarassed of your poor language skills: don't be. Your host family will appreciate you trying to connect with them, regardless your ability to do so: It will get better day by day. Do not stay in your room because you feel out of place, hang out with your family in the living room instead, watch a movie together, go grocery shopping together or get a cup of coffee but do not skype your family back home every day, that won't help you settle.

If you are like me, you don't like sports and prefer to spend time differently, but if you join a team there's a better chance to meet people. I chose to do tennis even tho I wasn't good, I actually got better and I enjoyed experiencing something new.

If someone comes up to you and asks something, don't cut the conversation by simply responding but keep the conversation alive, one thing leads to another and you might end up having lunch together.

Sometimes students don't talk to you because they hang out with the same people and don't see the point of getting to know an exchange student. You gotta show people why you are interesting. Be involved at school, take fun classes and be part of extra activities. The more you are around and the more they will talk to you.

Last but not least, always act like you know what you are doing or what is going on around you. Even if you are a shy person, act like you are an outgoing one. Show your interest on meeting people and people will reach out to you. Don't be the weird guy who says no one talks to him but at the same time doesn't do anything to change the situation. Your fellow students are in their hometown, living their usual life, the exchange student is the person who has to build up his experience.

PS It has already been a year since I came back from exchange, but my host brother came to visit me this summer and we toured Italy together: watch the video!

- Cris

Every day millions of people take off from one place and land on another one. They leave their comfort zone, travel, connect with locals and travel again. There are people who measure life with plans, schedules or things of value; I measure life with plane tickets and experiences, things that aren't tangible but really important to me.

"Roots are important, but we men have legs, not roots, 

and legs are made to go anywhere else."

When I step in an airport I feel like I'm capable of anything. I am brave enough to distance my feet from the ground, to face the earth from above where cars look like ants and fields look like puzzles. I love when the aircraft speeds up and within seconds leaves the asphalt because it's when I realize I am going somewhere. I feel something in my chest and I start smiling like an idiot looking out the window. I wonder where the person next to me will be ending his trip and why there. I start thinking how awesome it is to be sharing a trip with hundreds of people who are flying in the same direction but for different reasons. It puts joy into my heart to be meeting people from all over the world in such a short period of time.

Traveling by train calms me, I always make sure I get the window seat so I can look outside and enjoy the view: see the green fields pass by, cars racing and clouds moving while I listen to music. No matter how uncomfortable it can be at the moment, traveling by train is awesome.

Some people take traveling for granted and they are fine when a trip comes to an end because they are ready for the next one. I am not that way, I am always ready to travel no doubts, but I feel bad every time I travel back home because as you do it you realize that the fun time you had becomes a memory. It is good to be home, to sleep in our bed, to use our own bathroom, to be able to 100% relax.. but what about what happened on our last trip? that we will never have back, so make it the best you can!

- Cris

How many times a day people say to be nice to one another? A lot, but how many of those are actually nice? A few, because most of the people nowadays put their wellbeing first, even if that means to be incorrect to others. Today I want to tell you that it's not always about receiving but it is about giving as well, and to do so I am going to share a couple of experiences of mine.
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If you've been reading my blog long enough, you'd know that I will be soon moving to Denmark for University, but before making this life changing decision, last winter I flew into Copenhagen for a few days and visit. There I was going to be reunited with some exchangers. When I was planning my trip, my american family told me that the exchange student they hosted some years before me was from Denmark and that I could text him if I needed help of any form. So I decided to do so and ask him if he knew cheap hostels in the city. My friends and I ended up being at his place for four days as he told me he was out of town and I was welcome there. But the story doesn't end here. As I landed I did not even have to catch a train because his friend was waiting for me there, he picked me up and drove me to the flat. It was really nice of them to do so. Everyone in Denmark was really nice to me, this is also why I can't wait to make my way there.

As I am a member of a lot of exchange student groups on facebook I always see that many fellows need help or have questions about certain countries. Once, a guy from Mexico was searching for someone from Italy, so I offered my help as I thought he was going to ask me how to say something in Italian or needed suggestions about hostels/places to visit. He was actually looking for a family who was willing to host him a couple of months in the summer. He's partially Italian and he wanted to get to know the language and the culture. I thought I was going to be useless as I couldn't host him, but I knew that trip was really important to him. As my trip to Denmark was made possible by kind people who offered their help, I was going to do the same thing: trying to be as useful as I could. I asked anyone I could think of if they were willing to host a college student. I eventually told my friend to find a family through workaway. He ended up living in three different cities in my beautiful country, so far. I'm glad all of this worked out great for him, because he's a great person to hang out with. As I hosted him in Milan, he returned the favour and hosted me in Liguria and we had a really good time.

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I shared this because it's just great how a message can change things these days, social media can be awesome if used for good. Facebook became the place where people need likes to be cool but I'm actually glad there's still someone who uses it to connect (or reconnect) with people. When I tried to find a family for that guy I didn't expect to have anything back, I just felt great when he told me he found a place to stay. I try to treat others how I want to be treated, and this is my advice for today.

- Cris