Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A Bitter Sweet Return to the US of A


Ciao Roma, I will miss you!

In the cabin of the boeing 767-400 I fought hard to block out thoughts of doing an immediate turn around back to Rome. It was extremely difficult for me to be leaving my home of the last 4 and a half months.

I dreaded the moment of touching down in Newark, New Jersey and walking through the airport of predominantly English speaking people. It has become a harsh language to my ears and I find myself increasingly annoyed to hear people speaking it around me.

This will no longer be a part of my everyday landscape...
weird.
I won't be seeing too many of these in N.Y.
            Of course I was glad to be reunited with family back in New York, but with every joy of being home there was a pang of longing to go back. I wasn’t ready to leave and I know I have a long road of adjustments ahead of me.

I can say with every fiber of my being that living in Rome was one of the most spectacular times of my life. The adventures I had, new friends I made, and cultural experiences I had are irreplaceable.

This time in my life helped me to grow and become a more independent person. I will forever remember my time in Italy and know that I will be returning in the not so distant future.

For now, as difficult as it is going to be for me, I will re-acclimate to American life and never forget how lucky I was to have such an experience.

A note to my readers:

Travel. Let yourself experience a different culture and a different way of life. It is the best education you can ever have.

Try not to be a tourist. Really immerse yourself. If possible stay in one place and make a home their, even if for a brief time.

 Get to know the place around you, don’t just breeze in and hit the tourist spots. Find local spots, hidden unknown places, and meet real people- the true locals.

Hopefully you will gain an experience similar to the one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Making a wish to return to the beautiful city of Rome!
That’s all for now and remember to always try and live “La Dolce Vita,” The Sweet Life…

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