It's Not Goodbye.. It's "See You Later"

As I’m reminiscing about my last three months in Italy on the airplane back to America, I decided to write my last blog of the semester. However, instead of my usual blog of what I have been doing the previous week, I decided to change it up a little bit, and make it a little more meaningful. I cannot begin to describe how astonishing my study abroad experience was  and it impacted me in ways that I will carry along with me for the rest of my life. I had the opportunity to travel to sensational places, see breathtaking views and monuments, and I made friends of a lifetime. I am now going to list the top five takeaways from this once in a lifetime opportunity.

I.     Adversity

Being abroad and traveling every weekend came with much adversity as you could probably imagine. Over these three months, I missed buses, trains, and (almost) a few airplanes. I was in many train stations where no one spoke English, no signs were in English, and it was a coin toss as to which train to get on. I found myself in situations where it was rainy, cold, and I was completely lost in a foreign city, nonetheless a foreign country. However, these situations made me realize how much I am actually capable of. Being in these mishaps required my mind to start turning and thinking of solutions.

II.      Flexibility

I will be truthful and state that before I studied abroad, I was not the most flexible individual. However, after leaving my study abroad I can confidently say I have changed largely in this aspect. Three months of traveling will change anyone in this area simply for the fact you have no other option. As mentioned in my previous takeaway, I did in fact miss transportations that I needed to make. When in these situations, I was obligated to be compliant. I had no other option or I was going to be stuck in a different country and not make it back to Paderno for class Monday morning. Traveling with big groups also requires much flexibility because everyone wants to do something different. This requires collaboration in effort to achieve a plan that everyone is accepting of.

III.     Open-mindedness

As hard as it is to nail one certain takeaway down as the most important… open-mindedness may be it. To begin the semester, I certainly did not possess this characteristic. However, after leaving the program and reflecting, I am proud to state that I do exemplify this attribute. In September, I found myself regularly getting frustrated because I was constantly comparing the different countries to America. I was so used to a fast pace, always being in a hurry to get somewhere, stores being open 24 hours a day, and everyone speaking English. However, Europe is very different in all of these aspects. Europeans treat time much differently and they would rather enjoy their life and be with loved ones, which results in spending less time working. Throughout the semester I found myself more and more appreciative of the different cultures and seeing the beauty that differentiated each country. Cultures are so fascinating once you get over the comparison stage and begin to see how beautiful uniqueness can be.

IV.     Life begins when you step out of your comfort zone

Could this statement be anymore true? I had seen this quote a few times before I left to study abroad, but I never fully understood what it was talking about. However, now that my experience is over and I am looking back… I 100% understand what it is saying, and I 100% agree. If you live within your boundaries and never push yourself to seek adventure.. will you ever truly start living? Before I left for Italy I was scared to death, even if I wouldn’t say it out loud; I was going to a foreign country, I knew no one, I spoke zero Italian, and I couldn’t even give you a reason as to why I was studying abroad, other than the fact that I have always wanted to travel around Europe. Stepping on that plane and going 5,000 miles away definitely put me outside of my comfort zone to say the least. I can honestly say taking that step and forcing myself to get out of my daily routine is the best decision I have ever made. I believe that the human mind craves adventure and loves getting put to the task of making decisions in new surroundings. At the end of the day, I am successfully able to say that I was able to navigate around foreign countries and managed to communicate in multiple languages including: Italian, German, and French. Did I get lost? Too many times to count. Did I feel confused and lost at times where I just wanted to cry? Plenty of times.  Overall, I believe that I am leaving Europe having succeeded. I proved to myself that I am able overcome so much more than I believe, and I am a lot mentally stronger than I ever thought. 

And lastly..

V.     “There’s no place like home”

I could not think of a better takeaway to end on. As amazing as Europe was, and as wonderful as the traveling was… it truly made me appreciate my home and where I come from. Being gone from the individuals at home that mean the most to me is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. Multiple times throughout the semester I was so homesick I just wanted to book a flight home, but looking back it truly made me appreciate my home so much more. However, in contradiction, I am leaving multiple pieces of my heart throughout Europe and I cannot wait to go back and visit. I truly had the time of my life and these are memories that I will always carry with me.

Before ending my very last blog, I want to give a special thanks to my wonderful parents. Without you both I would not have been able to partake in such a phenomenal experience. I cannot explain how much it meant throughout the semester to have your guys’ full support. So thank you again for giving me the world at my fingertips.

“Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.” -Lisa St Aubin de Teran

Ciao Italia… It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later.