Ciao Italy! – Emily Boyd

As my study abroad in Venice comes to an end, I can look back with fond memories and excitement to return. While the initial immersion into Venice was uncomfortable and at times exasperating, looking back on those first few days compared to how I felt when I left, I notice a drastic difference. Over the four months that I lived there I fell in love with everything about Venice. The things that used to frustrate me (walking a mile to class, no easy public transportation, carrying all my groceries from the store to my third-floor apartment etc.) I came to enjoy. Walking to class every day allowed me to notice and discover something new about the city every day. The fact that it was faster to walk than take the public transportation allowed me to explore parts of the city that I would never have seen otherwise. The fact that I could only buy as many groceries as I could carry caused me to be more creative with what I cooked plus I got to explore the differences in Italian grocery stores! Venice became an enchanting city and I kept being reminded of its uniqueness in my daily treks across canals and cobblestone streets. By the end of my four months in Venice, I was navigating with an ease that I wouldn?t think possible to attain in such a short time. Becoming a local at a coffee shop and trying new bakeries or gelato places every day on my way home from class became a new normal! I fell in love with espresso and lasagna and ate way to many carbs but don?t regret a single thing. Going to Ca? Foscari university was an incredible experience. The university welcomes students from all over the world and it is not more apparent than in their English taught classes. Group projects would include students from Vietnam, Turkey, Russia and France. It was a lot of fun learning about new cultures even if I didn?t have the opportunity to physically go visit them. Studying abroad was a once in a life time opportunity and I am so grateful that I took it!