Staying Connected vs Staying in the Moment
There are so many reasons why staying abroad can go from the best time of your life to questioning every decision you ever made. I often think of all of the amazing times I have had so far in Italy while simultaneously thinking about going back home right now because I miss everyone. A lot of people warned me about being homesick but I have realized that I don’t miss the places as much as the people. That is why I find it very important to stay connected with the people back home and talk to them as much as I can.
I have no shame in admitting that I call my parents on WhatsApp every single day. I am very close with my family and they are a very strong part of my support system. Whenever I am having a tough moment, I want to call my mom immediately just to have a comforting face to talk to. When I need a stern voice to remind me that I am on track I usually call my dad. Whenever I need a good rant session I know that either of my aunts would gladly take my call. The only rough part of this is the time difference. I usually have to wait until late at night to talk to all of them since I am six hours ahead. Sometimes I even stay up later than I probably should, honestly just because I need the comfort.
Another group of people who are very important to me are all of my friends back home. I was fortunate enough to meet some amazing people throughout my freshman year at Arcadia. Even when we were apart over the summer we stayed connected through Snapchat, texting, and Instagram. I even made a trip to visit one of my friends in Northern Pennsylvania. My friends are a great support system. Whenever I need to rant about something that’s been bothering me I know who to call and text and it makes me feel so loved. That’s why I try my very best to text them as often as I can. Even if I do not get a response from them right away, my day gets so much better once I hear from them. They are also very vocal about how proud they are of me. I love telling them all about my adventures abroad and we even make plans for me to cook for them once I come home.
I am so thankful for all of the support that I have received from all of my loved ones. They are also very quick to remind me how much of an amazing experience I am going through. I often let them know how much I miss them and the feelings are mutual. When I get really homesick though, it is always nice to have that reminder of why I chose to study abroad, which my dad is more than willing to say. I am very well aware that I am so lucky to be able to study abroad. I have experienced so many cool trips through the school and it’s only halfway through the semester!
Every time I go out with Umbra, my school in Perugia, I get to learn about the city I am in as well as more about the locals. I have learned some history about the culture through my classes and field trips that I would not have known if I just came here as a tourist. I was able to go to two different farms to learn about how farmers harvest a bunch of local foods. I also did not know much about the area before I got here so it feels really cool to get a firsthand experience of what it is like to be in a lesser-known region of Italy. One of my first field trips was to a local restaurant in Perugia where we learned some origins of Perugian food. I have also been able to do different day trips throughout the semester. There have just been so many amazing opportunities and people while in Perugia. Even though I miss my people, I know that I made the right choice by going abroad.
