The last few months have been an absolute whirlwind of excitement, new experiences, travel, and friendships. I travelled through the desert, climbed the Eiffel Tower, skied for my first (and second) time, hiked up mountains with beautiful lake views, and tried so many new foods while exploring Europe with incredible friends, all while still taking classes. My time abroad has wrapped up in the blink of an eye, but it has left some lasting impacts on my perspectives and understanding of travel, friendship, and overcoming challenges and staying confident.
For one, traveling throughout Europe has been incredible, but it truly wouldn’t be the same without the people I’ve gotten to share those experiences with. When you’re with the right people, it doesn’t matter if it’s raining, if your flight gets delayed, or if you’re sitting on a bus for 10 hours. Travel isn’t perfect like the Instagram photos might show, but the laughter, memories, and love that I’ve gotten to share with my friends has made every difficult moment worth it.
Another important takeaway from these four months has been remaining confident in myself despite facing new situations. My life was completely upturned in the first three weeks here. I was stressed about Italian bureaucracy-related things, struggling to navigate the new space, and probably lacking in Vitamin D because the sun didn’t make an appearance for at least the first month. Throughout those times there were moments when I regretted my decision to study abroad, but as time went on I got more comfortable living overseas and started to cherish the different way of living. This shift has proven that I can overcome new situations, and that I should never turn down a decision because I’m nervous about the outcome.
I’ve also gained new perspectives on the lifestyle differences between living in Italy vs. the US. There are many great things about living in Europe. The public transportation is incredible, and I can get basically anywhere I want on a train, bus, or tram. Walking to the grocery store (especially the huge, Walmart-sized one near my apartment) saved so much time. Being able to cross a country’s border within an hour and a half was also crazy. At the same time, there are also things about the U.S. that I missed while abroad. The education system in Europe places a much larger emphasis on the final exam, and my classes seemed to focus mostly on memorization. A&M really does a good job of engaging students within their classes, something I really didn’t see here. Also, as great as public transportation is, I do miss being hopping into my car, blasting some music, and parking right in front of wherever I want to go. Both places have their perks, but I think the most important takeaway is to learn to appreciate the mundane things (like seeing the sun outside of the late spring and summer) and to make the most out of the time that we have.
Overall, I wouldn’t trade the past four and a half months for anything. Time flies so fast, and I would believe it if someone told me I left home just a few weeks ago. It will be hard leaving behind the place that has created such an incredible impact on my life, but I’m looking forward to being home with the things I’ve grown up with.
