Back to life, back to reality…..
So I am back from Italy and transitioning back to life in the UK. As a final Erasmus related blog (don’t worry, I have plenty other things to blog about!) I wanted to share the good, bad and ugly for those considering whether to embark on an Erasmus Young Entrepreneur exchange or spread their business wings further afield
- If it seems like feasible idea don’t think too hard about it, it is easy to talk yourself out of the unknown – register/ plan now!
- Despite my best efforts my expectations and work practices did have differences to that of my host enterprise. However I kept going and learned unexpected nuggets that may lead to work I would never have considered in the past/
- I loved getting to know Southern Italy and I have generated so many amazing memories, going somewhere new opens all these opportunities to see amazing things and learn more about the country you are visiting. Bus and rail is convenient and reasonably priced making exploring easy to do – so don’t sit at home on the weekends.
- Living and working in the local community was lonely at times, my Italian is not great; the majority of my colleagues didn’t speak English and have family commitments. This meant whilst I could follow the gist of conversations at work it was hard to join in, and whilst I did go out with one colleague every so often evenings and weekends away were spent largely on my own. So you need a strategy for coping – mine was facetime with friends and family, reading, a VPN so I could keep up with a few soaps on TV, going out and about and filling my free time with activities
- I have a mortgage and bills at home which I needed to pay whilst I was away as well as travel, accommodation etc in Italy. So I decided to flat share for the first time in my life! It does keep costs down and remove the issue of setting up utilities, just make sure you have a list of what you need (wifi, washing machine, clean mattress!) and if you have not slept in a single bed for a while please know it is not easy to go back to!
- Despite all the talk of the world speaking English, it turns out there are many people who don’t. This is a daunting concept when you ask the question ‘Parli inglese?’ and the answer is 95% of the time no. However with some reliance, basic vocabulary, charades and google translate I got by.
- Be ready to get lost, it will most likely happen in the dark when it is raining. My solution was to head back to where I knew and be prepared for a long walk home. The next day I got a local SIM for an android phone and set up a data bundle. I navigated to train stations, hotels and bars with the help of technology.
- Get ready to vacuum pack! If you are renting you will most likely need to take bedding and towels with you as well as all your clothes. It is important to fit in what you need and some airlines and connecting flights have different luggage allowance – check this before heading off to avoid charges. Also make sure you can lift your hand luggage in to the overhead locker!
I won’t lie there were some challenges, I was lost in the rain after dark and facetimed my Dad in tears afterwards, I stood outside shops trying to recall some basic vocabulary and the courage to have a conversation to make myself understood. I did find I needed wine and chocolate on more than one occasion to pick myself up (although the wine is good and cheap so not all bad!). My business has slowed whilst I was away and it will take time to implement what I have learned and even get back to the turnover I had before Christmas
BUT… I learned about EU funding and projects I would never have considered or knew existed, but I am interested in; my world and opportunities have expanded. I would not have learned to have more faith in myself, to take more risks getting involved in the unknown and been surprised as what I could achieve. I would not have made friends and business connections in Italy and been inspired to develop my language skills in Italian and Spanish. I would not have seen the beauty of Florence and Sorrento and the magnitude of the sights in Rome, Pompei, Vesuvius and Pozzuoli.
So be ready for a bit of pain, but know hand on heart, that the payoff is absolutely worth it.