After spending 4 months in the incredible, eternal city of Rome, I feel as though I need to reintroduce myself to my family, friends, and acquaintances. Studying abroad was the best experience of my entire life, and I have grown more in these 4 short months than all of my other years combined. Of course, there were growing pains along the way: a difficult, complaining set of roommates, a school that was a 30 minute uphill climb away, and an apartment that was always the same temperature as outside (lacking central heating and air). However, this time taught me to trust in myself, people around me who I had just met, and the beautiful city itself.
Rome never let me down, even when I felt the ocean-wide separation from my family and Rollins community. While in Rome, I learned to be Italian. By the second month, I could fluently order at osterias, shop at clothing and grocery stores, and converse with locals on the streets. Many Italians asked where I was from, and were surprised to hear that I was American. Until living here, I hadn’t realized how important being Italian was to me and my identity. While my roommates were annoyed with our lack of a clothes dryer, I laughed and enjoyed the chance to slow down. I gladly made pasta every night for 4 months while they went to McDonalds frequently. And when I traveled to England, Switzerland, and France, I craved to be back in Italy. From the first day that I woke up in my apartment on Viale di Trastevere, I knew that I never wanted to leave.
Studying abroad is one of the best experiences you can have. I thought that I would miss Rollins and America much more, but I was too captivated by Italy to even have second thoughts about home. I didn’t realize how much I needed a break from the mundane, busy, and rigid schedule and routine I have. It’s very important to me to take what I’ve learned and who I’ve become back to the states and to Rollins. When I find myself slipping into my worries and cares of pre-studying abroad, I need to place myself back in Rome and recapture the lighthearted, excited, curious, and joyful spirit I was infected with my entire time there. I left Rome heartbroken and searching for every excuse to come back, but with a dozen new best friends, hundreds of polaroid pictures and memories from across Europe, and a suitcase overflowing with dried pasta and other goodies (seriously, it was 75 pounds). Grazie per tutto, Roma, tornerò presto!