Things I will miss about Italy
1) EverythingOk, ok, while that is true I should probably go into more detail.
2) The clear refreshing water of the Adriatic. Going to the beach almost every afternoon not only was refreshing after a morning in the sun at camp, but also was a great bonding time for us.
3) Big lunch, small dinner. I might try and take this back with me, I felt so much better after eating a big healthy at lunch and then just kind of snacking at dinner time. Also I want to take back some of the food philosophies I've learned here. My intense heartburn has really subsided since being here and I have lost weight and felt great. A lot of this I think has to do with some of the many things Italians know about digestion and PH levels of the body. Drinking coffee after a meal may be fashionable in the US but here they do it because it speeds digestion and ups your metabolism. There are bunch more of these tips that I will be trying to integrate into my life.
4) History. Being able to turn the corner and constantly see buildings that are thousands of years old and hear all the stories about them will never get old. I need to seek out more culture in the US.
5) The relaxed atmosphere. Everything in the US is go go go. And I, admittedly, am like that too. But in Italy they will look at you like you are crazy if you ask for coffee to go, and they don't even have "to go" cups. While sometimes I found this frustrating, I learned to appreciate it the more time I spent here. The fact that nothing needs to be rushed and you can just move at your own pace and no one cares is freeing.
6) On that note I will miss the coffee!! It is so much better over here, I don't know how they do it.
7) Simplicity. I am going to try and be more simple when I get home. In Italy I didn't have a clothes dryer, a dish washer, an oven, a stove, a coffee maker, a fridge that I could fit more then 3 things in, paper towels, a shower I could bend over in, or even a car. And guess what? The world didn't end. And in fact I didn't even miss anything that much. Now granted I can't survive without a car in Texas. I live 20 miles away from work and it's 100+ half the year. But I want to at least take back the essence of being a simpler person and wasting less.
8) Cheap, delicious wine. I'm telling you, wine is just better here.
Things I miss about the US
1) ICE there is not ice in anything over here and it is HOT. I just want some ice in my water some days.
2) (Pretend you didn't read #5 on the list above) Coffee to go! :-p
3) My friends
4) Tacos
5) Eggs for breakfast
6) Being able to read signs and being able to speak to people. I have found that through the little Spanish I know and the little Italian I learned here I could understand most of what people were trying to say to me, I just couldn't say anything back. It was so frustrating. But I realize it was completely my fault that I didn't learn more Italian before coming here.
7) Mani/Pedi's (I know they have them here, just not in the small town that I was living in)
8) Air conditioning
9) Stores being open all day, not just from 10am-1pm and 5pm-10pm.
10) Having a phone...that I can actually use
All in all this has been a great experience. I am so glad that I found the opportunity and have a flexible enough job/life/schedule that allowed me to take the opportunity. I felt good to be able to make this decision on my own, not having to run it by anyone, and just have the unconditional support of the people around me. It was nice to take a break from my life for a while and surround myself with new people, a new culture, and new experiences. I was so broken when I came here, more then I even realized until I started to be myself again. But what frustrated me most about the situation is that I allowed myself to get that way. I allowed myself to crawl into that hole and feel sorry for myself and not try to change it for so long. I regret a lot of the things that happened in the months leading up to coming here, but part of me feels like I needed to go through all that to realize what I don't want to do to myself in the future. Everything happens for a reason, right?
I am sad to be leaving, but excited to go home. I can't wait to see my friends and family (and welcome Katy back to the US as well). I can't wait to celebrate my birthday (and Sophie's and Jen's), do crafts, take trips with my robotics kids, hang at the saucer, go to trivia, explore Dallas more, take some cooking classes, move to my new place, cuddle with my kitties, start a new school year, and take my change in atitude with me through it all. I will never let myself be ruled by hate and anger again. It's not my style and it didn't suit me one bit. I hope when I get back I can allow myself to forgive and that others can allow themselves to forgive me. I'm not perfect for sure, but all I can be is me. And I think I found myself again.
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