Goals for Study Abroad

Whenever I tell people that I will be studying abroad in Italy for 10 months, a lot of people tend to respond with, "Oh, so that'll be nice. I bet you'll be traveling the entire time, eh? Because no one actually studies when they go abroad..."

That's when I just stare at the person until he/she becomes uncomfortable enough to walk away. I used to try and be all, "Oh, no. I'll actually be studying while abroad--you know, at an actual Italian university. Yeah, Italy actually has some of those... blah blah blah." Now I just stare, usually like this:

See why it freaks people out?

Needless to say, it gets the job done. In my head, you can bet your butt that I'm thinking, "Honey, please. This isn't an Australian study abroad program." After all, I have to speak another friggin' language. Why can't anyone understand that I do not speak-o the italian-o. Okay, that's kind of a lie...

Anyway, I realized that I'm starting to get super lax about studying abroad. Since everyone always assumes that I wont be actually studying abroad, I've let myself pretend that's the case. This needs to stop. Like, now. If i forget how to ask where the bathroom is, I'm screwed. Like, s-c-r-e-w-e-d. A girl's gotta pee, yo.

Naturally, I make a list of goals I want to accomplish whilst in Italy. Because making lists is my #3 preferred method of procrastination, third to only Youtube and online shopping. It makes you feel productive while not actually being productive. This is generally how I roll.

Goals for studying abroad:

1. Meet Rick Steves. This guy is a BAMF in cargo shorts. 

2. Become the female version of Rick Steves.

3. Learn to speak Italian. Like, actually speak it--not just pretend to.

4. Not die. No further explanation necessary.

5. Not get 'napped a lá Taken.

6. Travel as much as possible--within Italy, outside of Italy, down the street, around the corner, across the continent. I'll take what I can get.

7. Find a legitimate job once I graduate. Despite the whole I'm-taking-the-GRE thing, grad school is a back up plan... one that needs to not happen.

8. Make millions off this blog. Easy peasy.

9. Not look like a total idiot while among Italians.

10.  Not gain too much weight. I'm vain but honest.

11. Get some really incredible shoes.

Obviously some of these goals will be more difficult to accomplish than others. I mean, everyone knows it's easy as pie to get a job these days. The perfect pair of shoes, however, sometimes evades you for months.