Reflection

How can two months seem like the longest amount of time but also like the shortest amount of time, simultaneously? While part of me feels like I was just sitting at home over an incredibly long winter break (where I watched Netflix and hung out with middle schoolers), the other part of me feels like I’ve been in Italy forever and will be here forever. But I also only have two months left! Which once again, feels so long and so short. When I think about the two months until June, I can’t believe I won’t see my family (and cat) for another two months, but then I start to panic and think “I ONLY HAVE TWO MONTHS LEFT.” Because I know that these two months will go by so quickly and I’m going to miss it once I’m gone! If only it was so easy to be in two place at once.

It’s also crazy to think about everything that’s happened in two months - I went to three times and plan to go back again, Florence twice, Arezzo, Pisa, Corneglia, Manerola, Riomaggiore, Siena. I’ve spent my days with nineteen other people that I only met two months ago and had no idea what it would be like when we first met at the airport on February 23^rd. I can get around Orvieto now without getting lost (for the most part). I’ve realized that I love to go on trains because it feels like an adventure but I also love to be back home in Orvieto after being away for a day or a few days. I’ve never seen greener grass than Siena’s and I’ve never seen better sunsets than Orvieto’s (except for sunsets back home on Lake Winnipesaukee). I didn’t know how much I would love gelato or that Orvieto sometimes has more cats that people in the streets. I didn’t know the kind of friendships that happen when you live together, eat together, go to class and church together, and travel together.

Having only 1 ½ hours of internet time is challenging but so simplifying. I don’t need to check my phone throughout the day and if I really need something, I can go to a café for wifi. But there isn’t the constant pressure of always being available online. I don’t feel homesick in the sense that I would go home if I could, but I do miss my family and wish they could share this with me because I know they would love it here. So I don’t really miss home but I do miss my parents, my grandparents, my brother, sister, and cats. I also miss Dunkin Donuts iced coffees and Grammie’s cooking, but other than that, that’s the only food I miss. :) I miss my friends too but I’m used to being away from them for months at a time.

I’m excited for the lake this summer, seeing my friends, preparing for field hockey, and working at the preschool camp. But there’s still so much that will happen here before then! A trip to Assisi with the group, a trip to Pompeii and other parts of southern Italy, possibly Edinburgh with Laura to visit Kelly, two more classes (Dante and Poetry), visiting Heather a few more times in Rome, more hikes to la Rocca Ripesena, day trips to Lake Bolsena, Saturday mornings at the market, cooking lessons with Hannah, days working at the farm, and more gelato of course! :) How will I fit everything in?!?

La Rocca Ripesena 

Disegno book projects

Colosseum

With stub-tail-cat

The girls in Rome

Rome with my roommate!

Museums in Rome

Laughing with Alessandro at the art show

Our first day in Orvieto

Adrianno's 

Arezzo

Sunset Park

Siena

La Musa

Riomaggiore

Riomaggiore

Orvieto sunsets

Cat city

Orvieto Duomo

Ligurian Sea