Arrivederci!

Looking through all of my pictures from my last month in Italy sure makes this dreary Saturday in Maryland a little more bearable. I returned to the United States on Sunday, May 1, and facing my departure from Rome and the end of my study abroad experience was full of mixed feelings.

The day of departure turned out to be historic on both ends: May 1 was the beatification of Blessed Pope John Paul II, which attracted millions of pilgrims to Rome, and we were welcomed back into the U.S. with the victorious news that our Navy Seals had captured Bin Laden. Our program sure went out with a bang!
April flew by so fast as I traveled around Italy and attempted to soak in all Rome has to offer. The month started with an incredible, 36-hour whirlwind trip to London with some friends. Severe flight complications delayed our departure from Rome and got us into London hours later than we had planned for, but these travel complications reinforced the "carpe diem" attitude for us, so we explored the city non-stop and actually conquered our massive to-do list! London is one of my favorites cities, and I can actually picture myself living there one day. I loved the city for its pure beauty and opulent yet down-to-earth vibe.

The next weekend I traveled to Sicily with some friends. We stayed in Palermo, a city with rich history, fascinating architecture, and a beautiful coast. We explored the city for a day and devoured the incredible seafood, pesce spada, or swordfish, a local favorite. We also took a day trip to Agrigento, a tiny resort town south of Palermo, where we spent the day on the breath-taking beach. It was a perfect day in paradise: the sand was so smooth and the water was a crystal-clear blue, and the sun was beating down on us. Sicily was a relaxing beach getaway from the hustle and bustle of Rome.

Next was the program trip to Pompei, Sorrento, and Naples. Together we all explored the fascinating ruins of Pompei, stayed in a beachfront hotel in the beautiful resort town of Sorrento, and ate the world's best pizza in Naples. During our free day, my friends and I took the ferry from Sorrento to the most beautiful place I have ever seen, the island of Capri. We walked around the island and took a great boat tour around the entire island, from which we got a peak of the famous Blue Grotto. The trip was a great way to wind-down the semester and be together again as a group.

Lastly, my friend Katie and I took a pre-finals retreat to Cinque Terre, a region that is comprised of five hill-top, coastal towns connected by hiking trails. There, we enjoyed the beaches and hiked between each town, Riomaggiore, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, and Manarola, exploring unique characteristics of each town.

Back in Rome, I continued to try to soak in as much as the dynamic city's history and culture as possible, and took full advantage of Italian Culture Week, as all of the major museums were free. I went to the Pope's Mass at the Vatican on Easter Sunday and enjoyed a great lunch with my friends afterward. The last week was surreal and flew by, with exams and final dinners and goodbyes, and before I knew it, I was back in the U.S.

I had mixed feelings leaving Rome, since I was ready to be back with my family but it was difficult to think about everything I'd be leaving: the incredible history and architecture, favorite bars and restaurants, the Italian language, the generosity of the Romans, and just the opportunity to spontaneously explore some of the world's most famous and wondrous monuments and sites. I made a life for myself in Rome, and it hurt to leave it behind. But I am so proud of my newfound ability to be spontaneous, take risks and live in the moment. I made so many great new friends, with whom I have so many special memories. We became a family, and although it's sad to know that we'll never have this experience together again, I can't wait to share senior year and beyond with them. So now I'm happy to be back home in the U.S., but I think about Rome constantly, and I always want to remember the Eternal City as my second home. Forza Roma!