A Summer of Firsts: 5 New Experiences When You Study Abroad
Written by Katie May 6, 2016
Waving goodbye to freshman year. Next stop, ITALY! Ciao!
Who can think about finals when all there is to think about is Italy?
Saying goodbye to Iowa dorm room living and good friends. I'll be back soon enough!
I hate to leave you, Herky, but it's time to go make some new friends abroad!
Trading in this lovely Iowa view for the mountains of Paderno del Grappa... going to miss this but I can't wait!
As I stare up at the aged panels of my roommate’s bunk from beneath my striped comforter, it is finally hitting me. Finals are creeping up on me and my lively dorm room will be blank in a matter of a week. If the fact that my freshman year is already over isn’t extremely terrifying enough, I will also leave the country in a matter of days – in fact, I can count the days on my fingers. Time is whistling by faster than I’d prefer it to, and regardless of how often I close my eyes and wish time would simply freeze, I must continue to face reality and prepare for what is ahead. The future holds the unknown and I am more that ready to discover what the unknown has in store, no matter how diverse it will be from my normal routine. When pondering this upcoming time of a excitement, I decided I’d like to call it: “a summer of firsts”.
For the first time, I will make it through spring finals (fingers crossed!). I will pack all my clothes in plastic bins and probably lecture myself for bringing fifty t-shirts to college when I only wore five. I will wear squeaky, worn-out shower shoes in the fifth floor bathroom for the last time. I will share my final laughs with my friends on the floor of my dorm room while eating American pizza. I will say goodbye to my beloved Iowa City, the countless hours I spent at the library, the game-day tailgate fun, and the many strolls through the Pentacrest where I received one too many food coupons. My freshman year will begin to fade away along with all the memories with it.
For the first time, I will overwhelmingly stare at the million items lying on my bed that I want to pack for Italy. My mother will probably lecture me by telling me I do not need to bring the same dress in three colors, and after deliberation, I will decide she’s right. My father will sit me down and emphasize how pertinent it is to save my money while overseas, and I do not need to buy silly, unrealistic gifts, even though my little sister will beg for a shirt from Paris. I will try to sneak my dog into my suitcase and ultimately fail. Along with hundreds of other tedious tasks, I will soon be (blindly) prepared for a month in a place far from familiarity and dive into the unknown.
For the first time, I will be dropped off at the world’s eighth largest airport with passport in hand and officially become an international traveler. My feet will finally depart from U.S. soil. The passenger next to me on my ten-hour flight will probably get ridiculously tired of my nervous babbling. My stomach will be pulling in multiple directions of anxiety and excitement. I will take my first steps on Italian ground and begin by taking off on a wild goose chase to find my luggage while I consistently ask myself what I’m getting myself into. The rest of the story will hopefully fall into place throughout the following four weeks.
For the first time, I will no longer just be a Hawkeye nor a biomedical engineering student. I will be an international student studying Statics and Travel Writing at a school in the Dolomite mountains. I will reside in a random dorm room, live with a new roommate, and indulge in Italian cafeteria food. I may not know what this summer holds, but I am ready to accept this experience with open arms and a driven mind. Summer 2016, please don’t disappoint (although I know you won’t)!
For the first time, I am truly putting myself out there, and this is all thanks to the opportunity that CIMBA has given me. I am leaving an entire life behind to discover what Italy has to offer. This Iowa girl is no longer confined to the city-student norm and is ready to take off running – running into a summer of exciting, wonderful firsts.
And for the first time, I’ll be blogging all about it. Stay tuned!
Catch you on the flip side (of the world),
Katie
Blogger: Katie, The University of Iowa
