Arrivederci Italy!
Written by Mallory April 21, 2017
Just a few of the amazing friends I have made abroad and will miss so dearly!
Even though I ate pasta twice a day, every day, I miss it so much!
It might look like I had done a lot of packing, but right behind me was a mountain of clothes that still needed to be stuffed into my suitcase.
The final gourmet dinner!
Some selfies I found when I went through my phone to show my parents some of the friends I've made!
If I were to write down every thought I have had since being home, this post would be around 100 pages long. I have had a roller coaster of emotions going on. From happiness of seeing my family and getting to sleep in my own bed to sadness of leaving all the amazing friends behind at the airport and everything in between.
For those of you thinking about studying abroad, do it. Figure out a way to make it happen and study abroad. I have had the most amazing experiences in PDG and Europe that I would not have been able to experience in America. I am forever thankful for the opportunity to study abroad and even though I increased my credit card debt, I do not regret a single moment of my study abroad experience.
For those of you thinking about not studying abroad who are just reading my blog post for fun, ARE YOU CRAZY?! Why would you not want to spend 3 months living in another country, exploring tons of cultures? When else are you going to get the opportunity to do something like this? Because all the real adults that have real families and jobs have either said they wished they studied abroad or that when they did, it was the most amazing time of their lives. Studying abroad is more than just going to cool places and seeing historical landmarks throughout Europe. It is about getting out of your comfort zone, meeting new people, expanding your horizons, and learning tons of new things all along the way.
And for those of you who are already signed up and getting ready to go abroad, get ready for the time of your life. Bring a camera or make sure you have enough storage on your phone for the thousands of photos and videos you’re about to take. Capture as many moments as you can because before you know it you’ll be sitting on a plane headed home bawling your eyes out because you already miss the many amazing things PDG and Europe have to offer (or maybe that’s just me). Either way, you’re going to want to have a way to look back on your memories. Your mom, dad, and grandparents are also probably going to want to see photos of you and all your adventures. Cherish every moment. Believe it or not, I miss Paderno and CIMBA so much and would give anything to go back there one more time.
If you’re headed to CIMBA in the next couple of weeks, this is for you! Go to the bakery up the street from the roundabout at least once. It’s not too far of a walk, and it’s absolutely incredible. I didn’t discover it until 2 weeks before I left, and I wish I would’ve found it earlier. Walk down to the pasta making restaurant and have dinner sometime during the week. I wish I would’ve eaten out while I was in PDG more because the food there is amazing, and if you’re a cheese lover like me, you NEED to try the cheese stuffed gnocchi! The gelato place in Castelcucco is really good, and the walk there is beautiful. And when the weather is nice, get a game of soccer going out on the sports fields.
PDG, thank you so much for an amazing semester. You were a wonderful host to me, and I miss you so much already. I can’t wait until I get to go back and visit one day.
Arrivederci Italy, you are already so missed!
Mallory
