A will to discover...: Reflections

Antibes, France

My semester in Florence is not over yet, but these next 10 days are packed full and I am not sure if I will later have the time to write. My roommates and I have made our final dinner reservations and our final shopping lists. We’re working to fit in those mandatory visits to the Uffizi and the Accademia before we head home to the United States next week. I cannot believe it. This has officially been the shortest four months of my life.

It’s hard to believe that I was ever apprehensive about coming to Florence. Before I left home I was concerned that my homesickness while abroad would be too much to handle. I wondered how I would leave my family, my dogs, my house and my cozy bed to go live in a foreign country. I almost backed out and I am so incredibly happy that I chose not to take the easy way out.

Eze, France

My semester in Florence has been full of positives and negatives. There have been times when I’ve imagined myself living in Italy for the rest of my life, and there have been times when I’ve closed my eyes and wished I was back in New Jersey, standing on my balcony with the salty sea air blowing in my face. It was not always easy, but I can confidently say that my decision to study abroad has been the best that I have ever made.

Prague, Czech Republic

I toured countless museums and churches, ate pounds of spaghetti, spoke in Italian, shopped through the leather markets and every other store in Florence, completed four academic classes, learned the bus system, found the best cappuccino in the world and made three lasting friendships. I traveled to Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, France, Croatia and England, all in four months, and 100 days later I can confidently say that I have done all that I had hoped.

St. Moritz, Switzerland

Leaving next Friday is going to be difficult. I’m going to miss my routine here, which formed much more quickly than I had expected. I’m going to miss living with my roommates, as we had the greatest apartment and setup in the city. I’m also going to miss my breathtaking campus, and the close-knit community that formed within it. What scares me the most is that I do not know when I will be back to Florence, but I do know that I will take a piece of this city with me when I go back to New Jersey. It’s impossible not to, as this place truly feels like a second home now.

I have changed since having arrived in January. I’ve become independent and much stronger. I am more tolerant, and I try to look for similarities before I search for differences. I’ve become more appreciative. I realize now how lucky I am to have my friends and family and a beautiful house to call home. Most importantly, these past four months have deepened my appreciation and my love for the United States, a place full of patriotism and endless possibilities.

Last week I was wondering how I was going to leave Italy behind, but now that my departure is so close home is all that I can think about. Thank you to everyone who made this semester possible, and thank you to all who came over to visit. Most importantly, thank you Mom and Dad for giving me Florence and the experience of a lifetime.