It’s hard to look at this experience and see that I only have ten days left. It felt like last week were I was stressing that I would miss my connection in Frankfurt as I sipped champagne in my first class plane seat (I was randomly upgraded). While I now spend most of my time trying to think of the best song to play for the last sunset at the rose garden on the hill behind my house, I do also love to think about all my experiences I’ve had.

If I had to choose one word to describe my experience, I would tell you that I can’t. The people I’ve meet, the places I’ve been, and my experiences have been so amazing and life changing. All of these things have made me such a different person than the kid that riding in the taxi to my apartment the first day. One of the most influential parts of my journey in my time here was my “host family”. It’s not really a host family but I will meet with them once a week and eat a meal with them. They have taught me so much about the culture and opened my eyes to a new way of life. My family came and visited for Easter and we had a full course lunch cooked by my Italian family, which was one of the best meals and memories I’ve had here.

While here, I have definitely gained some good skills, some useful for real life and some not so much. One thing I have had to master is planning things and making sure to be on top of my time management. The amount of 4am wake ups in order to get to the airport or train station have helped me quite a lot. But I have also learned lessons like not to have a preconceived notions of places and people until I get to experience them. I have learned how to appreciate and wonder a city, how to enjoy food, and so much more.

Overall, abroad has been the best experience I could have wished for. I got everything I wanted out of it and so much more. It will be hard for me to go back to the states and not walk 10 feet across the street and order an euro espresso from Caterina before class. I am more than beyond grateful and blessed.