Was it a Dream?

NYU in Florence

Back in New York City. Has this semester really come and gone? The last day and a half I’ve been back in America has felt like a weird dream that I’ll eventually wake up from and find myself in Italy again. More so also because I’m actually flying out again in the morning ridiculously early to my parents who live in Hawaii. (I’m just in Manhattan for the weekend to drop off my stuff at my apartment. Oh sweet apartment, I missed thee.) So being back in NYC in the midst of all the finals flurry which my friends are experiencing at the moment (and have no time for me), it hasn’t fully hit me that I’m actually gone for good. A problem because when my friends do ask, “So how was Italy? Was it amazing? What was it like?” I have absolutely no idea how to respond.

So now as I’m here trying to genuinely reflect on this last semester… streams of memories flow my mind… All the places I’ve been, all the people I’ve met, all the food I’ve eaten… It was a good semester. Though, admittedly a bit out of my general comfort zone. The constant feeling of unsettledness was something I could never shake; thus, I feel I was never able to truly connect with the city. It honestly felt like a huge vacation, a step outside reality that is my life in NYC with the constant hustle and bustle, the expectations and goals. I feel I’ve gained a greater appreciation for the little things in life; learning how to pause, reflect, soak in, with no other ulterior motive. And I’m inspired to bring that kind of spirit to this city of rat race mentality.

As far as this blog went… I’m actually quite grateful. It really forced me to reflect about my experiences and retain some of those memories that might have been otherwise easily forgotten. I initially took this course because I had a feeling that without it, I would fail to write in my own journal. And this whole experience from August to December would be lost forever. But now, having even these snippets comforts me and assures me that yes, I was in Europe. I did live that life. Also, being able to share with all of you and reading about your experiences brought this to a whole other level. That collectively we shared experiences that were actually quite different. Yet, in some way, being study abroad students creates a certain bond that only other study abroad students could ever understand. That’s a beautiful thing, I think.

And as a final statement, I suppose that’s what I really appreciated about this whole semester. Realizing that this world isn’t as big as we might think. That the human experience is one that we can all share and live together. And in that way, we can truly work towards a future of acceptance, understanding, and love. A love for others, a love for this world, a love for life.