Final Moments in Italy and Home: Week 16.5

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I can't believe my semester abroad is over. Here is what I did my couple of days in Italy.


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I had 4 finals, so I spent a good amount of time preparing for those.


I missed working in the library. It was nice being back in one.


This was the view I had for one of my finals.


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After finals were over, my program hosted a final gathering for everyone on our last day.


I don't have many pictures from the gathering, but they gave us pandoro and panettone, which are traditional Christmas cakes from Italy. They were really good.


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After the final gathering, some friends and I went ice skating.


Aubrielle, Zoe, and I were saving the last night to go ice skating together.



We ran into some friends on the ice. :)


Though I was not a very good ice skater, I did much better than I thought I would LOL.


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After ice skating, Aubrielle, Zoe, and I got dinner at my favorite carbonara restaurant. 


I took a picture with the waitresses, as I have become quite a regular there and they knew I was leaving the next day. After dinner, I packed, cleaned, and prepared for my flights the next day.


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I spent the entire day of December 18th traveling back home.


My train to the airport was around 6:20 AM, so I had quite an early start to my day. Also, my bags were PACKED, but the agent lady only made me pay $100 instead of $300 for oversized luggage! Yay!


Aubrielle, Lillie, and I had the same flight out of Italy before our final flights home, so I was able to hang out with them before I boarded my 11.5 hour flight back to Houston. 


The flight was so long, but only having 1 layover before this was not bad. I watched a lot of movies and TV to pass the time.


After my family picked me up, we went to Mexican on the Main, my favorite Mexican restaurant ever, and I was able to get a glass of SWEET ICED TEA after not having one for 4 months. It was so good. 


It was also my first time having real Tex-Mex after so long and it was DELICOUS. Also, some very close family friends - who I consider family - knew I was going here after my flight and surprised my family and I there! It was so sweet and I really enjoyed getting to catch up with everyone. 


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I am so immensely grateful for my semester abroad. Here is a reflection I wrote to try and portray some of the ways in which I've been transformed from this experience: 

Throughout my entire life, I’ve always been told that I need to stress less and enjoy life more. My dad, along these same lines, always reinforced the idea that I’m a human “being” and a human “doing.” To be quite honest, I brushed these words of wisdom - offered by almost everyone around me - off. Instead, I always prioritized my goals and, subconsciously, measured my self worth off of my achievements. I didn’t have a life outside of my professional and academic ones. It should serve as no surprise that burnout has been a common occurrence since middle school. From striving for perfect grades, to volunteering, research, and internships, my life has been governed by a to-do list. I would also ensure that my to-do list was completed before I allowed myself to have any fun or actually enjoy what I was doing, and while I am so very grateful for the immense amount of opportunities that I have had throughout college, I am also very aware of the ways in which I have sacrificed my well being in to obtain them.


When I came to Italy, everything changed. Very slowly, but surely, I began adjusting to the European lifestyle. In other words, I enjoyed life even if my to-do list wasn’t finished. I lived in the moment even if I had an exam the following week. However, I was still working hard and hitting my goals; my grades were still up to my standards, award applications were still sent, and some of my time was still spent volunteering. I had the epiphany that it was possible to enjoy life while simultaneously achieving my goals. I could live life, be happy, AND perform well.


I do not think this realization would have come without studying abroad in Italy, and, most importantly, my travels, which I recognize that I am very fortunate to have done. As I was traveling to other countries and cities, I developed a deep appreciation for this world that I had not felt before, and I understood - genuinely understood - that the world will still spin even if every goal isn’t hit and if my to-do list isn’t finished. I vividly remember hiking in the Swiss Alps and having this exact same thought because when you see something as beautiful as the Swiss Alps, how could you not have this thought? How could you not be changed and challenged by such a force of nature?


I can say, without a doubt, that studying abroad and traveling has changed me. I felt like I was living once in a lifetime opportunities every weekend. From visiting the filming locations of my favorite movie ever in Greece, to seeing the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, and Northern Lights, I can confidently say that I took full advantage of being in Europe. I also want to use this space to express gratitude for the scholarship that put me in Europe, as I would not have had these experiences without it, so, to the Top Scholar staff and program, thank you. Additionally, I am so extremely grateful for the friends I’ve formed abroad, as well as the relationships that have supported me back home. I am so lucky that I am supported and loved no matter where I am in the world by my people.


Before coming to Europe, I was both very nervous and excited, but knew I was fulfilling my dream of studying abroad. As I’m leaving Europe, I’m eternally grateful and forever changed. Europe will always have a piece of my heart and I know I will be back, but, until then, arrivederci, Europe.

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