Writing about this trip simply as a memory now is bittersweet. Part of me is still dreaming of summers in Europe and imagining myself walking through a maze of lemons in the Almafi Coast. I had high hopes that this trip would be one for the books, but there’s nothing like actually being there and living out my study abroad experience. I’ve adopted a better perspective on what ties American and European culture together and what makes us different but still both valuable and rich. There’s the small distinctions like accepting a pizza not being cut into triangles or needing a few Euros for any luck or going to the bathroom. Then the greater gaps that one might experience as a language barrier when you can no longer reply on the English you’d grown up knowing all too well. When language can’t connect us, I’ve learned that emotion always will. A soft smile, eyebrow furry, or wave of confusion crossing between you and stranger reminds us that we share something immaterial. I’m forever grateful for this trip and the impressions that have been left behind.
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