On Friday, I met my closest friends for lunch at a vegan restaurant near the school. We spent hours eating and laughing about the fun travel memories we had made. We decided to meet up again later since two of the girls were flying out in the morning. So around sunset, we met at The Student Hotel where one of my friends was staying. We hung out by the rooftop pool, took pictures and said our goodbyes.
Sunday was my last day in Florence. I spent the day running around trying to find last-minute souvenirs for my family and friends back in California. The next morning, I boarded the train, with two large suitcases and a backpack, and took the two-hour train ride to Rome. I stayed overnight at a hotel near the airport, and the following morning, I boarded my 12-hour nonstop flight to California.
I think about my time in Italy often. It is funny, as sometimes I wake up thinking I will run over to the piazza or museum for the afternoon but remember those places are in Italy, not California! There are so many things I miss about Italy. I miss exploring the streets of Florence and taking in the beautiful views of places like Fiesole, a small town on the city’s edge. I miss the challenge of speaking another language and hearing it around me. I miss the food because it was so fresh and delicious. Sometimes, I cannot find the Italian foods I crave in California. I also miss being able to travel with ease to close-by countries like France and Spain. Italy became a part of me, and a part of my heart remains there.
Leaving Italy was bittersweet. I was sad to leave behind good friends and to not get to do all the things I had planned on doing. But Leaving Italy was also nice.
