In attesa di Roma!
With just under two months left until school, I am sure most of you are just as anxious as I am to get back. Though I will miss the lazy days of summer, not having to stress over finals, and the luxury of having a room all to myself, I can’t wait to be in Rome. Yes, Rome. The Eternal City where Audrey Hepburn took a holiday, Nat King Cole sang a sad goodbye, Julius Caesar dictated, and countless men and women have tossed their coins in the hopes of one day returning to this breathtaking city.
Ever since I submitted my application way back in November, I have been nervously counting the days until my departure. Travel books have been bought and lists of countries to visit have been made. Soon, I will have to start the daunting task of deciding what to pack. You would think it would be fairly simple. Not so. Since I will be gone a whole year, I have to pack for virtually every type of weather and situation. But, with TSA’s limitations on the number of bags I can bring aboard the plane, my number of clothes and other necessities has dwindled to a scary few.
I am that girl who packs every piece of clothing she owns, justifying this insane packing style by saying, “who knows what type of mood I’ll be in!” Disregarding practicality and weather, I pack for style, comfort, mood, and worst-case scenarios. Sure, I will be shopping in Italy. Who wouldn’t? But until I go shopping, I have to have options. This poses an enormous problem to my sanity and packing abilities. I am so unsure of what to pack and what to leave at home that I’m pretty sure I will still be packing the morning of my flight. I can imagine being in the car, halfway there, and wishing I had packed that extra pair of shoes, or that hat I might need for running. What is my solution to this packing dilemma? Well, for now, it’s to not think about it. Instead, I will just continue to focus on the mountains of gelato, coffee, cannoli, pasta, and pizza that I will be consuming. Some of you may be reading this and thinking, “by eating all that she’ll have to buy new clothes anyways.” Well…let’s just pray it doesn’t come to that. I guess that is what running is for!
While the next seven-ish weeks will, hopefully, give me plenty of time to prepare myself for all things foreign, it will be a struggle to contain my excitement. To me, studying in Rome means opportunities, traveling trips, immersion, growth, and the inevitable (and petrifying) experience of getting lost. It will be quite entertaining to see how these next several months turn out. Fingers crossed that I survive!
Ciao per ora,
Elizabeth