This week makes week 8 that I've spent in Italy. This weekend I'll be going on a week long vacation to Vienna, Berlin, and Amsterdam and once I return, I'll have 7 weeks left in Italy. Meaning that half of my time in this beautiful country has passed already. Looking back, it seems like I've barely spent a month here, let alone two. Time is flying back so quickly that it is honestly so hard for me to grasp how little time I have left here. I was told that when you study abroad, time goes by faster than at home, but I never believed it until I experienced it. I've been to amazing places; Munich, Pisa, Cinque Terre, the Mediterranean Sea, Paris, Assisi, Florence and the list is still growing. The reason that time goes by so quickly is because of everything that I'm doing but I'm trying to make the most of the 4 months I have here.
Right now, since it's the half way point, I'm becoming more and more excited about coming home to see everyone. However, I have a feeling that once I get home and get back into the routine of school, I'm going to find myself dreaming of the simple and slow paced life in Italy. By no means have I been lazy here in Italy, but I have more time to do things that are important to me and still get my work done. I spend hours a night reading my text book on Music History, go on walks/runs every day for the sake of doing it just because I have time, I spend hours eating dinner and making conversation instead of wolfing down a meal and moving onto the next task at hand. I've managed to accomplish things that needed to be done, and still have time for myself. And especially regarding my music classes I'm LEARNING so much. There is something really remarkable about living in a place where such important musical events have happened (for example Florence is 45 minutes away and the birth place of Opera... so cool). I've found myself interested in things that I never thought I would really excite me, for example opera, art and history. Also, I'm starting to understand fine wines thanks to this wine tasting class that I'm taking here (I'M BECOMING SO CLASSY).
The goal: to take these parts of the lifestyle I've fallen in love with here in Italy (the slow pace of life, taking time for myself, etc.) and do my best to use them when I get home. Instead of cramming for a music history test the night before, ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND READ THE TEXT BOOK BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY INTERESTING AND I CAN PROBABLY LEARN SOMETHING. Instead of grabbing dinner from the cafeteria at school and take it back to my room so that I can study for a test, ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND ENJOY A MEAL WITH MY FRIENDS BECAUSE THE TEST CAN WAIT 45 MINUTES. I've learned a valuable lesson in the act putting purpose and thought into everything you do, even if it's something as routine as eating dinner.
So that's how my past two months have been going... Stay tuned for a blog post on my vacation to Vienna, Berlin and Amsterdam (although it's weird calling it a vacation because this whole time has basically been a vacation).
Until next time...
Ciao!
Right now, since it's the half way point, I'm becoming more and more excited about coming home to see everyone. However, I have a feeling that once I get home and get back into the routine of school, I'm going to find myself dreaming of the simple and slow paced life in Italy. By no means have I been lazy here in Italy, but I have more time to do things that are important to me and still get my work done. I spend hours a night reading my text book on Music History, go on walks/runs every day for the sake of doing it just because I have time, I spend hours eating dinner and making conversation instead of wolfing down a meal and moving onto the next task at hand. I've managed to accomplish things that needed to be done, and still have time for myself. And especially regarding my music classes I'm LEARNING so much. There is something really remarkable about living in a place where such important musical events have happened (for example Florence is 45 minutes away and the birth place of Opera... so cool). I've found myself interested in things that I never thought I would really excite me, for example opera, art and history. Also, I'm starting to understand fine wines thanks to this wine tasting class that I'm taking here (I'M BECOMING SO CLASSY).
The goal: to take these parts of the lifestyle I've fallen in love with here in Italy (the slow pace of life, taking time for myself, etc.) and do my best to use them when I get home. Instead of cramming for a music history test the night before, ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND READ THE TEXT BOOK BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY INTERESTING AND I CAN PROBABLY LEARN SOMETHING. Instead of grabbing dinner from the cafeteria at school and take it back to my room so that I can study for a test, ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND ENJOY A MEAL WITH MY FRIENDS BECAUSE THE TEST CAN WAIT 45 MINUTES. I've learned a valuable lesson in the act putting purpose and thought into everything you do, even if it's something as routine as eating dinner.
So that's how my past two months have been going... Stay tuned for a blog post on my vacation to Vienna, Berlin and Amsterdam (although it's weird calling it a vacation because this whole time has basically been a vacation).
Until next time...
Ciao!