I have been home in New Jersey for about three weeks now, and it has taken me to this point— on the eve of my return to GW—to finally write a conclusion to my blog. The delay in posting is due to many reasons: the Christmas holiday, catching up on sleep, and spending time with family. However, I think the main reason I refused to finish the blog is that I’m afraid that when those final words hit the page, reality will painfully set in. My Italian journey is over.
At first, part of me felt rushed. Quick! Finish the blog before you forget! But how could I possibly forget the best four months of my life? Being away from something really magnifies how much you truly miss it. As I leave for Washington tomorrow I feel a deep pain in my heart. As much as I’m thrilled to go back to life at GW at the same time I wish I were going back to Siena. I don’t want to admit to myself that the last four months are now a part of the past.
But let’s not be so dark and depressing. As I look back at my semester abroad, I could not have asked for a more wonderful experience. The places I saw, the people I met, and the things I learned are all part of a great adventure that I will never forget.
I went to the center the morning of my departure to say goodbye to all of the great people I met from IES. It was a quiet, solemn morning. No classes. No professors. No students and friends chatting in the lounge. I went up to the office to wait for John, spending time talking with Veronica in Italian. Who knew four months later I would be able to casually carry on a conversation in a different language?
John arrived and we sat down in his office. I told him that after four months I was finally going home, but in many ways I was also leaving it. Siena had become my home—my friends, professors and IES staff, had become my family. I was not ready to say goodbye. These people, this city, this country in all of its beauty and chaos, had become a big part of my identity. I wasn’t ready to let it go. How odd it would be to wake up and not walk down Banchi di Sopra to get to school? To not greet people with a “Ciao! Buon Giorno!”? I had lived in a completely new place and in a completely new way. I had immersed myself in the culture and had absolutely fallen in love with it.
John had asked me what I was going to miss most about Siena. I think the things that initially captivated me about the city were the things that, by the end of my semester, still intrigued me the most. In my first blog about the city I wrote how much I loved the quiet, intimate atmosphere of Siena—the winding roads that spontaneously opened up to gorgeous countryside views. Hiking up to the Tolomei Gardens and watching the sunset over the city and surrounding Tuscan hills is my most treasured memory and something I will truly miss. The garden is wonderfully tranquil and I spent many hours up there, reading and studying, while taking in the beautiful views. How I will miss Italy’s beauty! From Milan in the north, to my southern destination, Rome, each city I explored had something unique and fascinating to offer.
In that first blog I wrote that I hoped to have a rich, cultural experience. I wanted to “meet more Italians, improve my language skills, study the history, explore the surrounding countryside, and come to truly assimilate into daily life”. I am proud to say I think I accomplished all of those goals. However I could not have succeeded without the encouragement from my passionate professors, the dedicated IES staff and the wonderful friends I met along the way. They have all taught me so much and I feel blessed to have shared this journey with them.
I could certainly write more about how much I adore beautiful Italy. In some ways I feel that my final blog should be some sort of “grand finale” filled with deep insight and profound discoveries. However, just like when I arrived in September, I have returned home still unable to aptly find the right words to describe all that I have seen. Wonderful. Amazing. Incredible. Astounding. These words just do not carry enough weight to describe my four months abroad. My previous posts are such a small taste of what it is truly like to experience the rich and diverse flavors of this country. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog with as much pleasure as I found in writing it.
Grazie mille. Arrivederci.
Gio
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