I’ve reached the halfway mark! The time has gone by so quickly. I don’t want to think about going home yet, I am loving it so much here. In the letter I wrote two weeks before leaving from Rome, I talked about worries with the language, getting my way around, and roommates. Luckily, none of these problems have been the case. The language was a bit difficult at first, especially since I knew absolutely nothing. However, as I became accustomed to the neighborhood and my surrounding it became easier to communicate with people using gestures and the short phrases I have picked up on. Additionally, I had issues at first with the public transportation. The busses do not really come on a set schedule, so I just make sure that I give myself plenty of time when I leave for class. It doesn’t hurt that there is a really good cafe next to AUR that I always go to when I am early to class. I also love my roommates. The girl I live with is great, and we live pretty close to each other at home so it will be nice to be able to see her once we return back to America, too. I am surprised at how well I transitioned into living here. It is really different than home, but I feel like I hardly experienced the culture shock that many people say they feel when first arriving abroad. I feel like I am going to experience culture shock even more when I return home, because I am so used to everything here, and really do not see myself wanting to leave anytime soon. I really can’t believe it is halfway over! I have had some of the best experiences of my life in the past couple of months or so. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester brings.
