Homesick Abroad

Is “home” a place or a feeling? I think it’s both.

Home for me is Rochester, New York. Home is where my family lives and where I have met all of my closest friends. Home is a place where I feel comfortable. But hey, great things happen when you step out of your comfort zone.

I have never been away from home before, so moving to Florence was a huge step. I never realized how much I truly rely on my family. I call my mom almost every day- for any minor inconvenience, advice or just to hear her voice. I think one of my hardest goodbyes was to my two year old labradoodle, Louie (sorry to my family and friends who may be reading this).

Since I have transitioned into the Florentine lifestyle, I have often times found myself wanting to crawl back to my place of comfort.

After asking other American students what they are most homesick for, their responses varied from different types of food to their pets that they had to leave behind. One of my roommates responded by saying that if her family members all came to Florence, then she wouldn’t be homesick. A lot of people feel this way because they believe that their family is “home” rather than home being the location they are in.

Here are some places and things that I do to gain that sense of “home.”

1. 1950 American Diner
Via Nazionale at the Corner of Via Guelfa, 50123, Florence, Italy
Open Monday-Friday 11:30am-11:30pm, Saturday 9am-12am and Sunday 9am-11:30pm

Craving some authentic American cuisine? (And by that I mean a burger and fries) then this is the place you can get it. The American Diner can be described as an American fantasyland. I describe it as a fantasyland because it is more of the “Hollywood way” of looking at America. There is a huge statue of Marilyn Monroe to your right as you walk in the door, jukeboxes, multiple American flags and the bright, neon red signs. The decorations can be seen as very “loud” and “out there.” The floor is a black and white checkered pattern and the booths are a red glossy color. I have never been to a restaurant in America where the servers wear roller skates but here, they do. If you’re like me and miss having a big breakfast, they offer an array of bagels, egg dishes, waffles and pancakes. If you have a sweet tooth, they also have a long menu of desserts. The cherry on top of this diner is the fact that you can order online and have it delivered right to your doorstep, which is something that I have definitely utilized more than once.

2. Tiger
Various Locations
Open Monday-Saturday 9am-8:30pm and Closed on Sundays

Tiger, or Flying Tiger, can be described as the “European Target.” You know, the type of store that you walk into not needing anything, but end up coming out with bags full of stuff? Tiger is the perfect place to go for art/school supplies, small house decorations (which are updated based on the holiday approaching), phone accessories and so much more. They sell small house plants which is something I recommend you purchase if you’re feeling homesick. The plants allow you to make your apartment more “homey” and personalized. Whenever I need a little retail therapy, Tiger is my first stop. I could spend hours walking around the store and my money practically begs to be spent. There is one right by my apartment which is a blessing and a curse all in one.

3. Mama’s Bakery
Via Della Chiesa, 34/r, 50125, Florence, Italy
Open Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm and Saturday/Sunday 9am-3pm

Located in the Oltrarno area, Mama’s Bakery is the home of traditional American products. The bakery prepares all sorts of muffins, cakes, pies and American coffee. This place was recommended to me by my professor. She purchases her pies here for Thanksgiving. I had my first Thanksgiving without my family this past year so my roommates and I decided to all cook together and have one giant “Friendsgiving” meal. The logo for Mama’s bakery is a red coffee cup with an “M” in the shape of a heart which immediately translates to the type of atmosphere that is inside. It is warm, welcoming and full of delicious sweets for you to eat. The employees all wear matching red headbands and are very patient and kind. They help answer any questions that you may have about the menu and overall seem to be very passionate about the bakery. My go-to order is a plain bagel with veggie cream cheese and an American coffee. All together, this cost around five euro.

4. Tutto 99 Cent
Various Locations
Open Monday-Saturday 8am-8:30pm and Sunday 10am-8:30pm

The 99 cent store is extremely hard to miss. The exterior of the shop is bright yellow with blue lettering, immediately catching your eye as you walk down the street. The front of the store always has decorations for the holiday that is approaching which is a cheap way to decorate your home and get into the holiday spirit. My roommates and I went here to purchase Halloween decorations and cheap accessories for our Halloween costumes as well as Christmas decorations such as window decals, tinsel, and Santa hats. Not only is the 99 cent store good for holiday decorations, but they also have household necessities like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, etc. This is also where I purchased my school supplies for the semester: pens, notebooks, folders, etc. I think one of the best thing about this store is that everything is truly only 99 cents no matter what you’re buying. Whereas in America, when you go to a dollar store, everything typically cost more than $1. Inside the store may be overwhelming as it is often very crowded, but if you want cheap items, this is the way to go.

5. Vivi Market
Via del Giglio 20/22r, 50123, Florence, Italy
Open Monday-Saturday 9am-8pm and Sunday 2pm-8pm

The Vivi Market is a international foods market focusing on non-traditional Italian products. The store is organized by country so it is easy to maneuver and find what you’re looking for. A couple countries that are featured in the store are America, Japan and Thailand. They also have a lot of Mexican food products which is perfect for me because Mexican food is my favorite. You are going to find foods here that you are not going to find in a typical grocery store in Italy. Some of the staple items that I purchased here are Bisquick, Frank’s Red Hot, Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, Aunt Jemima syrup, canned pumpkin and of course, the ingredients needed for a successful taco Tuesday such as taco seasoning, queso, corn tortillas, tortilla chips and salsa. If you’re a peanut butter lover, you can also pick up jars of Jif peanut butter here. The Vivi Market may be a little on the higher end of your budget. For example, a bottle of Aunt Jemima syrup is €6.80 but think of it this way, the feeling of home is priceless, right?

You may feel guilty for being homesick in such a beautiful place like Florence, but the feeling is completely normal and odds are, you are not the only one feeling this way. Learning how to deal with homesickness is important because once you are able to connect to America from Italy, Italy becomes your second home.