I was chatting with one of my program directors the other day and she pointed out to me how big of an accomplishment this is for all of us. I never thought of studying abroad as an accomplishment but, apparently, not everyone finds living in a foreign country so easy. If I didn't know any Italian, I might be singing a different tune. I was really proud of myself the other day. I've been sick for two weeks and I was able to communicate all of my symptoms to a pharmacist that didn't speak a word of English. I love little victories like that!
It's so easy to grow accustomed to living here. Despite the fact that it's SO different from the US, living here doesn't feel any different than life at home. I'm just living. Every now and then, I take a second to realize where I am and what exactly I'm doing. If I didn't slow down to do that, the entire adventure would pass me by and I would have taken it completely for granted.
There was a moment as my friends and I were walking back to our hotel from the Vatican State. It was sunset and St. Peter's Basilica was directly behind us. I turned around and I said, "Guys, I think we should just take a moment to realize how frickin' cool it is that we're right here, right now. We're in Rome, Italy!" That's been one of my favorite moments from this semester. I'll never forget it.
And the second half of this semester will be even more slam packed full of new adventures. I'm totally stoked!
What's more, only 4 midterms separate me from Spring Break! I'm taking a 10 day road trip around Europe. Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris! I just hope they're ready for me.
Arrivederci, Amori!
~Britt
Current Music: Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel
