Today marks one week. One week that I've been home since saying goodbye to my second home and study abroad experience in Viterbo, Italy. While I've had time to share stories of my experience with family and friends, I find myself randomly breaking out into laughter or not being able to stop smiling over certain memories - this is how I know that the happiest I've ever been in my life so far was over those past four months. My study abroad experience is constantly on my mind as I try to readjust to being back home and in America.
Before I go into anymore detail about being home, I want to take a moment to Thank Anyone and Everyone who has followed my journey through my blog. Whether I made you hungry with my photos from cuisine class, gave you a laugh with my stories in "Adventures in Europe" or inspired you to study abroad, I hope you enjoyed reading about my life and experiences in Italy, and throughout all of Europe, as much as I enjoyed writing about it. Also, over the next couple weeks before I head back to Chico State, I will be adding more blog posts to this portion of my blog (Study Abroad Secrets) with helpful tips and tricks covering:
Being home for a week has definitely been an adjustment with a major difficulty being that my body clock is still out of whack. I've constantly found myself waking up around 4:30 a.m. or 5 a.m. wide awake and just lying in bed wishing to go back to sleep. My body is temporarily still on European time.
It's been really great spending time with my family, my friends from home and my adorable Labrador Louie but I gotta say one of my favorite parts about being back in America is the variety of food choices available. Don't get me wrong, I love pizza and pasta but those are the last two food items I want to eat right now. From Mom's homemade cooking to Mexican food, Chinese food and barbecue ribs...the variety of food is something I've truly missed about home.
But then my mind wanders back to studying abroad and here are a few things I've been missing the most lately:
(It's also weird not having to carry my passport around everywhere but rather my drivers license!)
However, life must go on and all I can say is I am truly grateful and blessed to have been able to spend my first semester of my senior year in college studying abroad in Viterbo, Italy, traveling all around Europe and creating friendships with so many wonderful people who have become family. This chapter of my life may be over but my wanderlust is stronger than ever and I know I will return to Italy and Europe in the near future. Also, I'm so excited to stay connected with study abroad this upcoming semester working with the Chico State Study Abroad Team as I continue on my road to graduation!
So THANK YOU once again for following me and my blog throughout this life-changing experience and it's only "see you later" Italia. I'll be back!
Before I go into anymore detail about being home, I want to take a moment to Thank Anyone and Everyone who has followed my journey through my blog. Whether I made you hungry with my photos from cuisine class, gave you a laugh with my stories in "Adventures in Europe" or inspired you to study abroad, I hope you enjoyed reading about my life and experiences in Italy, and throughout all of Europe, as much as I enjoyed writing about it. Also, over the next couple weeks before I head back to Chico State, I will be adding more blog posts to this portion of my blog (Study Abroad Secrets) with helpful tips and tricks covering:
- What I wish I packed in my luggage before departing for my host country
- Storage Units
- The Best Travel Companion
Being home for a week has definitely been an adjustment with a major difficulty being that my body clock is still out of whack. I've constantly found myself waking up around 4:30 a.m. or 5 a.m. wide awake and just lying in bed wishing to go back to sleep. My body is temporarily still on European time.
It's been really great spending time with my family, my friends from home and my adorable Labrador Louie but I gotta say one of my favorite parts about being back in America is the variety of food choices available. Don't get me wrong, I love pizza and pasta but those are the last two food items I want to eat right now. From Mom's homemade cooking to Mexican food, Chinese food and barbecue ribs...the variety of food is something I've truly missed about home.
But then my mind wanders back to studying abroad and here are a few things I've been missing the most lately:
- The hilarious Italian YouTube commercials that pop up while my YouTube video is loading
- Not having to show my i.d. at every bar or restaurant I go to when I order drinks
- Going to San Sisto, my favorite cafe, where the staff knows my name and my drink order - either a cappuccino or a latte macchiato to be exact!
- Grabbing gelato at La Antica after class or with my roommates
- Singing with my roommate Kelsey whether in our apartment while hanging out in our living room or in the streets of Viterbo as we walk around town
- And more importantly, all my friends that I've made through my USAC group and those who are from other parts of Europe!
(It's also weird not having to carry my passport around everywhere but rather my drivers license!)
However, life must go on and all I can say is I am truly grateful and blessed to have been able to spend my first semester of my senior year in college studying abroad in Viterbo, Italy, traveling all around Europe and creating friendships with so many wonderful people who have become family. This chapter of my life may be over but my wanderlust is stronger than ever and I know I will return to Italy and Europe in the near future. Also, I'm so excited to stay connected with study abroad this upcoming semester working with the Chico State Study Abroad Team as I continue on my road to graduation!
So THANK YOU once again for following me and my blog throughout this life-changing experience and it's only "see you later" Italia. I'll be back!