Florence means ‘to flourish’, which simply could not be more fitting for this experience.
When I first made this category of posts, it felt casual. To be completely honest, the whole process of moving to Italy felt so casual. Too casual. I am the type of person who is so focused on living in the present and soaking up every minute of the people I am with. In this way, I never really allowed myself to follow sink into the reality that I would be living in Italy until I actually got here.
It would be something to stress about for days, weeks, and months in advance for most people. But I learned a lot from the way I went about my journey over here to Florence. While, inevitably, there is lots of planning that goes into any endeavor like this, it is essential to remember to just take things for what they are now and not put too much pressure on what is to come. In the past, this is where my core anxiety has come from; worrying about how things will result and how that will align with how I believe things should go.
However, the hard-hitting truth is that things rarely go the way you plan. This is a tough pill to swallow and takes a lot of faith and patience. But the secret to mastering this truth comes from the advice my mother gave me once I got settled into my new (tiny) apartment; sometimes, it is better to just care a little less and allow things to just be. As mentioned in previous posts, I am someone who likes to have a fair amount of control over things. But the best things in life happen when you loosen your grip, keep things light, and soak up the moment that is in front of you instead of trying to change it.
Well, now that I went on a bit of tangent, I think it’s about time I briefly describe how my first week in Italy has gone. Arriving at the Florence airport, my roommate lost all 3 of her suitcases. Yes, every article of clothing, pair of shoes, and toiletry was in a place no more descriptive than “somewhere in the world.” She ended up getting her suitcases back after 3 days, but it created a sense of chaos that reinforced that things rarely ever go as you plan.
My biggest shock to this first week was how casual everything felt and still feels. While I was hit with challenging moments of realization like “wow, I really can’t watch the Packer game” or “this pasta is amazing, but I really want Schmitty’s wings and cheese curds”, the transition felt pretty smooth. I can attribute this to being surrounded by so many other students in the same boat as I am, as well as a few of my very best friends experiencing the same realities as well.
My apartment is a little Italian apartment. No less and surely no more than you would expect. I have one roommate who works great in our quaint space with minimal appliances. We have a bar in our basement which instantly made us feel like locals. It took us approximately 1 hour after arrival to become friends with the staff.
I met lots and lots of people, but once I discovered a core group of girls to rely on and make plans with, Florence felt to feel a little more like home. I also celebrated my freakin’ 21st birthday with my best friends and Mom (which I will discuss more in another post), which was such a blast and something I will remember forever.
I also want to add that things are not as different as I expected them to feel. We still have class, still get a little too drunk, still crave drunk pizza, and go for runs. But there are things that are certainly different. The language, scenery, and unsaid rules are areas that take time to adjust to, but that is all about diving into a brand-new culture. But people at their core are the same everywhere. We become products of our environment and creatures of habit.
Personally, I am working on getting settled in a routine now while also leaving room for the spontaneity that living in another country brings. I am so thankful for this experience, though it has just begun. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is the key to growth, and ultimately, I gotta say, living out my dream is going pretty well.
Arrivederci!
sent with emphasis 