Jessica Boucher

I’ve never cared for the saying “All good things must come to an end”. While it may be entirely true, I have always had difficulty accepting that amazing experiences must end. This is exactly how I feel now that my semester abroad has been officially over for an entire month.

The phrase “time flies when you’re having fun” has never been more applicable in my life than it is regarding my semester abroad. With the semester winding down, each passing day is just a reminder that this whirlwind experience is almost over. It’s honestly difficult for me to fathom how much time I’ve already spent here, but upon further reflection, I realize that I have done and seen so many things, made so many friends, and changed in so many ways.

I think there are likely a lot of people out there who have once dreamed of one day getting to visit one of Italy’s most famous cities. Of walking by the Colosseum and wandering through the Roman Forum. Of sitting by the Trevi Fountain in the morning when the air is warm and the sun is shining.

The past three weeks here in Italy have been a whirlwind of excitement, stress, and a whole lot of chaos. These three words can accurately describe studying abroad as a whole, but they are particularly precise when it comes to describing midterms and spring break.

It has been almost one month to the day since I first arrived in Italy. It is hard to believe that we are 1 ⁄ 3 of the way through this experience, as it feels like I have been here forever, but somehow not very long at all. I have already learned so many things, one of them being that I was not entirely prepared for the things to come.

It has been nearly two weeks since I arrived in Italy, and it is still sometimes hard to believe that I am actually here. Every morning, I wake up to the breathtaking views of the mountains right outside my window and am still in awe of this place. With two weeks under my belt, here is what I can tell you: travel is as challenging as it is spectacular.

Ciao ragazzi! My name is Jessica Boucher, and this semester I will be one of a few blog ambassadors for CIMBA.