Saying Goodbye to Europe…

Just a few days ago, I had to say goodbye to some of the best people I have ever met. I am lucky to say that a good handful of the great people I met live within a drivable distance to see and visit, but there are a few who live many miles away. It is really sad to say that you will probably never see these people again, but it’s important to take the experience for what it was worth and keep it close to your heart.

All the travelling almost outweighs the time spent with these great people and teachers. This is definitely an experience I will never forget and if I could do it all over again, I would. I am happy to say I wouldn’t change a thing about my experience, and to say I went to 10 countries and countless cities is pretty amazing. Reverse culture shock is definitely a real thing, and it is weird to be driving a car or not having anyone selling me anything on the street. I love Chicago, but it’s so loud, and the people are all in a huge hurry to do anything. (i.e. self checkout and road rage) Although I have to get back to reality, it is going to take some time to adjust.

I want to end by saying that this is an experience I will never forget and a chapter in my life that I wish never had to close. I want to thank my parents for giving me this opportunity and I encourage everyone to study abroad if they have the opportunity. What made Cimba special is definitely the camaraderie that you felt with your classmates in comparison to living in a big city where everyone is spread out. I would give a lot of Euros to be back in Paderno and living in a rambunctious hallway again with people coming in and out of my room all day. Only time will tell if I’ll see these people or even be able to travel to Europe again. These memories will stick with me just by hearing a certain song or seeing a noodle of pasta. Pictures don’t do any justice to how much fun everyone had and we all learned so much without even knowing it. I  wish the best of luck for the future “Cimbites” (Cimbite: (n.) Of or relating to a person in the Cimba Undergraduate Program) and I hope they have an awesome experience like I did.

Ciao, Europe… for now.