Well, I’m back in the States! I’m not sure where these past six weeks have gone, but they sure do feel like a dream. I went into this trip with expectations of building a stronger global perspective and learning more about others and myself. Stepping off the plane in Philly, I realized that this abroad experience exceeded my expectations. I can’t seem to sum up my experience in just a phrase or two, so here is what comes to mind as I reflect on my time in Italy:
As much as I fell in love with Italy and Europe in general, I came to realize just how proud I am to be an American. I got talking to a local about how Europeans perceive the US, and he said he really admired how innovative our country is. I never viewed America in this light, but he makes a great point.
- I’m happy to say I have no regrets from this trip. I was able to accomplish every item on my bucket list! Even if plans got messed up, I went with the flow.
- Six weeks were an absolutely perfect amount of time for me to study abroad; it was just enough time for me to feel fulfilled with the Italian lifestyle. Any week less and I would have left wanting more.
- Florence is cut in half by the Arno River. I lived on “the other side” of the River, meaning I needed to cross the it every morning to get to class. I LOVED this. While I was far from the main restaurants, I got to see the river every single day, and that was so special to me.
- Compared to my other friends studying abroad in Florence through Penn State, I definitely had a harder work load between my Marketing and Photography courses. Believe it or not, I feel very fortunate to have been given this challenge because it made my time more enriching. Some of my favorite memories are from studying in cafes. I can always travel back to Italy, but I will never be a student in Italy again.
- In case you were wondering, my favorite gelato flavors were dark chocolate, white chocolate pistachio and salted peanut. And yes, I got all three of those flavors together…multiple times.
- I’m happy to be back in a place where I don’t have to pay to use a public restroom. Enough said.
- I found it fun to compare Italian and American-Italian cuisines because there are actually a lot of differences between the two. For instance, spaghetti and meatballs are not a thing in Italy. Meat is never paired with pasta. Instead, pasta is served as a first course and meat as a second course.
- I will never get over the beauty of sunsets over the Arno River.
- I loved having class in the morning versus the afternoon because it allowed me to enjoy the entire day. I might have needed more than one cappuccino each morning, but I survived!
- Seeing how well traveled Italians are inspired me to travel America more. Granted, our country is huge compared to countries in Europe, but I feel like I barely know my own country! It’s time to see more States.
- I feel very fortunate to be able to transition from gelato to Creamery ice cream. Not everyone has that luxury.
- I think I walked more in one day than I do at Penn State in a week. Needless to say, I’m in the market for a pedicure.
- I made a point to write in my journal every day. While it was sometimes a hassle to put my thoughts onto paper in the midst of a hectic day, I am so glad I wrote everything down. I cannot wait to read my journal 10 years from now and be brought back to my time in Florence.
- My bank account may look a little sad right now, but this trip was worth every Euro.
- This experience allowed me to recharge after being on the go for the past couple of years. I was able to remove myself from my daily routines and reflect on who I am and who I want to become. I feel refreshed and invigorated.
To sum up my experience in one word, I’d choose to say it was surreal. Every day was so different from the rest, and I accomplished so much. I am forever grateful to have been given this special opportunity to study in Italy. It was an experience that has been such a prominent impact on my life.
I have loved documenting my experience for the past 6 weeks on this blog, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading along the way. Thanks for tagging along!
Ciao for now!
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