Our trip to southern Italy is almost upon us! Already upon us is an influx of work: preparation for our final projects, the wrapping up of lecture material, and the start to a long process of research for our final papers.
It has been a beautiful few days in Rome recently. Gone are the dreadful days of dirty water between the cracks in the cobblestone pouring into my shoes. The sun is out and warm and so gentle on my skin! Last Easter weekend I spent my Saturday in a park in Trastevere, among a field of flowers and under the blue sky. I took naps, I journaled in my notebook, I sketched a few things on my mind.
Studying abroad has definitely been different from what I had imagined coming here. There is not the newfound excitement of being in an unfamiliar place. I have my favorite grocery stores, an ice cream shop I go to every weekend (and most weekdays) that ask me about the English spelling of their new flavors, and the same routes I like to take on my long walks through the city. Obviously, there is so much more to see and experience, but I do feel comfortable with the simple routines I have developed. There’s definitely a lot more work than I had imagined, BUT I allow myself to enjoy the times that I decide I can and deserve to relax. The end of the semester is in a month and 9 days! That’s so scary and so soon. But I am really excited for summer, for reliable public transportation, and for Costco.
Omar