It’s hard to believe, but my three months in Rome are finally up. The last week of school went by so fast. It didn’t help that I spent it studying and taking exams (which were ten times harder than the exams at Rollins). On my last day I was frantically trying to pack my bags and get everything to fit. I honestly don’t know how I did it but I managed to cram everything into my suitcase. It weighed a ton and I hurt my back trying to lift it but all that mattered was that everything fit. The hardest part was actually getting my massive bag down three flights of stairs. Good thing there were plenty of people at my disposal to lift that thing.
The airport was torture. I am a very small person and had to transport two suitcases and one backpack back home all by myself. And I got stopped at the baggage check because I got lazy and didn’t remove my laptop from its case. My plane ride was about eleven hours long to North Carolina then I had to switch flights to Tampa. Luckily the second trip was only an hour and thirty minutes. I’m suffering from jet lag but other than that, I’m doing just fine. I’m happy to be back home and with my family. It almost feels like I never left. I fell right back into my normal routine and am catching up on lost time. Plus I came home just in time for mother’s day.
While I am happy being back, I still miss Rome. It’s weird waking up in the mornings and not going for a walk through the city. When I walk outside, I don’t see beautiful sculptures and architecture. “Italian” restaurants don’t satisfy my craving for authentic Italian food. Nothing is within walking distance. And I keep reverting back to Italian. It’s strange that my life has gone back to “normal” so quickly.
I’m so grateful for my time abroad. It really changed me for the better. I gained a lot of confidence in myself and relied on my own resources to live independently. I left my comfort zone and took every opportunity to speak Italian with the locals and I’d say I definitely improved. I tried new things that the old me would have taken one look at and turned away in disgust. I was open, adventurous, and wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. Italy changed me and I’m happy with the person I’ve become.