It is incredible to think that I have lived in Venice, Italy for almost a month now. I have learned so many things already and I am eager to dive in deeper and learn even more throughout these upcoming months. Venice is already one of my favorite places in the world. I truly believe it is one of the most unique cities I could ever experience. The beautiful sights, helpful locals, and sweet atmosphere make it a happy place to call home. I am so thankful to be experiencing all that this semester has to offer alongside two incredible Aggie girls that are already my close friends.
The start of my trip included many surprises. For starters, the very first leg of my flight to Italy was canceled as I was standing in line to check in at the airport. I am so thankful my original plans for arriving in Venice included multiple days set aside to explore the city before I was required to be there because every extra day was used up due to flight complications. Long story short, it was an unexpected adventure that included one canceled flight, three flight delays, one missed connecting flight, an unexpected overnight stay in Istanbul, Turkey, and my baggage not arriving in Venice on time. I can honestly say that I wouldn?t want to change a thing. I got to start out my trip with adventures and stories to tell before I even arrived for my study abroad. I met incredible people along the way, grew in self-confidence for facing big challenges alone in foreign countries, and my ability to go with the flow and laugh things off was solidified.
There have been multiple surprises to take in throughout the first few weeks in Venice. For one, the number of dogs on the island is a fun surprise that I did not expect. The amount of people who smoke cigarettes here is truly shocking. After our classes get out, students immediately group up outside of the classrooms and smoke together. Also, the lack of food offered in restaurants that is not pasta or pizza is very surprising. It has been quite difficult to find local restaurants that serve meats and veggies at affordable prices. We are learning to cook at home and growing in our cooking skills because of it! Our university here offers classes on three consecutive days a week, so only having classes on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday has been a blessing that I refuse to take for granted. I think we could all use more of a break ? students and professionals alike. I understand that there would be less advancements if three day weekends were more common, however, I think our physical and mental health would be better off as a whole. Speaking of physical health, we walk an average of anywhere between 6 to 9 miles per day. This experience has confirmed my love for walking. It is even more enjoyable to walk in Venice because of all the beauty surrounding you as you stroll from place to place. The lack of cars is such a foreign, yet truly appreciated concept for me. It is such a stress eliminator. The whole city is less noisy and I do not have to deal with construction, traffic, or parking like I am used to dealing with at extreme levels every day in the states, especially in College Station. I am thankful and, truly, surprised by how safe I feel in Venice. I feel safe walking at numerous times throughout the day and the streets are beautiful and clean.
It is particularly easy to get lost in Venice. I am learning that what was once frustrating is now freeing. In this season of life, I finally have the time to get lost and dive into new adventures outside of my direct path. It is an incredible change of pace for me. I have learned that I need to do a better job of slowing down the pace of my life and simply look up and around more. I deeply love the organizations I am involved in at A&M. I feel honored to be a part of so many incredible groups. That said, just this one month of separation from my usual extracurricular activities has been so freeing and a taste of a more peaceful life that I have never before experienced.
I am beyond thankful for the generosity of the donors of these study abroad scholarships. Through both the hardships and good times so far, I am so confident that choosing to study abroad is one of the best decisions I will have made throughout my lifetime. It is only, I repeat, only, possible because of the helpful, generous, and equipping scholarships given from hearts of sacrifice, passion, and generosity. These scholarships not only help us students make ends meet when studying abroad, but enable us to maximize our experience through additional travel. My roommates and I have already taken advantage of our long weekends by traveling to Verona, Florence, and Milan. We have Rome, Paris, and Greece trips already booked as well. I could not be more thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity. It is creating space for a slower lifestyle with wild and exciting adventure sprinkled in. I deeply enjoy learning about other cultures and discovering more about myself along the way. I am excited to see what the rest of this semester holds!