Time for some honest reflection on my time abroad, halfway through my semester. I'd say this particular post is probably mostly for myself to collect some random thoughts, but maybe with any luck at all it can shed some light on the whole experience for anyone else thinking about studying abroad later.
First of all, I think a big part of my experience over here has been very greatly impacted by some personal struggles that I was never expecting to have to deal with. I imagined that coming to Italy was going to fix all my problems, I convinced myself that problems really just can't exist during a semester abroad, and I think that mindset only made it harder for me when everything wasn't immediately perfect. I'm disappointed that I won't come home with only positive memories of my time in Florence, but I'm still learning a lot about myself and the life I have from this experience.
Something I've noticed is that every time I travel somewhere else on a weekend, whether it's to Nice, or Rome, or Lucca, I find myself wondering why I chose Florence. When I get away to somewhere new I feel like my head is so much clearer, everything is so much more exciting, and I get that feeling of "problems don't exist here" that I was looking for. Combined with the simple fact that I have to go to school and spend time dealing with my personal drama when I'm in Florence, I've started feeling a little let down when getting off that train or bus after a weekend away.
I really don't want to go home in May and say my temporary hometown was my least favorite of all the places I went this semester, so lately I've been trying to make my life in Florence a little more like the trips I take. At least once a week I try to set up little excursions for myself, whether it's only to visit the Uffizi or to hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo, or going out to dinner with friends. My friend Kathryn and I go out to get gelato about once a week now, and I've started trying to cook some more exciting meals for myself at home (usually my lunches and dinners consist of some spaghetti with olive oil and garlic powder with a forkful of Nutella for dessert), and there's a group of us here who organize weekly dinner dates at each other's apartments. The little things like these make my weeks in Florence a little more exciting, and I think it's really important that I have things like that to look forward to during the week.
I'm not going to say that I don't still spend plenty of time staying in the apartment watching Modern Family or pinning recipes I'll probably never make, but I am trying to liven things up occasionally. I want to make sure I have plenty of fond memories from Florence, and not just the places I jet off to on the weekends.
Hi melissa, sounds like you've got a good plan for making the most of your stay in Florence. Have you had a chance to get to know any of the locals, like say a baker or the owner of a small shop you might frequent when need odds and ends. Having never been to Florence myself, I have no experience to draw from but I'm thinking if I were planted in another country for several months,it might be cool to develop a friendship with a local that would be willing to share some of the finer points that Florence has to offer. Just a thought. Hows the visit with the folks? Well gotta go. Just remember your on a trip of a life time acquiring memories you'll reflect on the rest of your life. Love from California, Uncle Roger.
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