Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Time's flying

I'll have been in Italy for an entire month tomorrow, I still can't believe it. To think, just a month ago, I was packing my suitcase, practically freaking out and now I'm here and used to everything.

In this last month, I've:
  • Learned so much about myself as a person. I've tested my patience, my abilities to adapt, how I handle drama, traveling on my own, and how fast I can think on my feet when put in crazy situations. I can definitely say I've grown up a lot and this experience, so far, has changed my outlook on so many things.
  • Met a ton of amazing Italian people (Giulia, Lorenzo, Andrea, Lucas, Valerio, and my conversational partner Elisa, whom I met yesterday), along with Giulia's mom, who was a total sweetheart. She said some of the sweetest things to me, it almost moved me to tears, as corny as that sounds. 
  • Booked my trips to Munich, Amalfi Coast, Barcelona, Sweden, and Paris! 
  • Changed my work habits by starting assignments ahead of time.
  • Had almost 5 jars of Nutella...it's becoming problematic. 
  • Witnessed the joust and all the insane outdoor parties related to it. 
  • Stood wide-eyed in front of the Coliseum, threw a coin into the Trevi Fountain (while dying inside), sat on the Spanish Steps (cliched-ly so), practically cried while staring up at the Sistine Chapel, and couldn't believe my eyes when I stepped into St. Peter's Basilica. 
  • Been a lot more happier with myself, which is something really important to me. It's one of the reasons behind my love for traveling. Along with that, I've gained quite a bit of confidence as well!
And now for the dramatic and overly cliched, "I think I've found myself here" study abroad line that almost everyone uses to describe their experiences. It's absolutely true. How can you not expect to find out who you are when you're thrown into a million crazy situations, in a country you've never been to (that you've always wanted to visit), with a language barrier? If any of you are thinking about going abroad or are given the opportunity, take it. If you think you can't do it, trust me, you can. You won't regret it. I wake up every morning extremely thankful that I'm here. It was raining today and after I finished my Dante paper, I stood out on my balcony and just watched the rainfall over the Duomo (church) and the hills in the back and I suddenly missed this place, as if the next three months had already happened and I was back at home. Strange right? To miss a place while you're still there. It's hard to describe but it's how I felt. I've fallen absolutely in love with this place. 

2 comments:

lol said...

love this and you! so glad you are enjoying yourself Zee.

Stephanie said...

That's amazing that you've found Italy so inspiring :) Sometimes the challenge of a new place can really bring out the best in you xx

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