The Last Blog in Italy!

     We are in our last week here in Italy. I cannot believe that it has already been 8 weeks. I feel like we just go here and we just started this incredible journey but it is coming to a close. I knew that it would go by quickly since we were having so much fun but I didn't realize this fast. As we finish up our last week here in Rome, I cannot help but think about the beginning and where it all started. Where we all were scared and did not know quite what to expect. This journey has made us all more aware of our surroundings and made us quite comfortable being any where in the world.
     I came to Italy a little bit scared but mostly excited. I was afraid of being that far away from everyone that I loved so much but I was so excited to be on this journey and make new friends. The few weeks leading up to this journey were the hardest. I did not even feel that I was ready to leave the country and be away from everyone yet. It came as a shock that I was leaving in such a short while, but the time had come. When we got to Italy, everyone was so excited to be there and see everything that we weren't even scared to be away anymore. I will never forget the firsts in Italy, the first time we saw the Coliseum will always be the most memorable for me. I will always remember that moment in time and the way that I felt seeing such a great monument to Rome.
      This experience has shaped me into a great person and a world traveler. I cannot imagine living my life now without traveling and going new places. It would just not be me to stay in the U.S. anymore. Without this journey to guide me, I would not know that I wanted to travel the globe. I appreciate this experience so much because it has made me more aware of what I want out of life now and who I am now. We visited so many cities in Italy that I had never heard of before coming on this trip and they were absolutely fantastic. It was very weird to be in another country and be so far away from the U.S. but it was well worth the flight. I cannot imagine my life without coming on this fantastic journey. It is weird for me to know how many places I have been in just a short while. It still does not seem real that I have been everywhere that I have.
       Walking around the streets of Italy, seems surreal still. I still feel like it a dream that I have not yet woken up from. In a few short days, we will go back to America and back to our everyday lives. This is quite the saddest thing I have ever said in a blog. We have to go back to reality. We can't just stay in Italy forever?! No, we have to make more money and finish our studies in America. This makes me sad because I have met so many great people on this trip. It is amazing to think that I would not have met any of these people if I had not come on this trip and my life would be totally different right now. I now have to go back to America and live my life and I hope that I do not just forget about this experience entirely, but I do not think that I will. I cannot imagine living my life without remembering and taking back my experience with me to the States.
      This journey has been full of amazing experiences and new learning experiences. I now know how to get around in the world's largest cities. It is amazing to think back on my experiences and laugh about the moments that I was crying during. Like almost missing my plane back to Rome from London this past weekend. Like missing my bus stop to campus and having to walk 2 miles. There were times that I just wanted to scream because I didn't understand something, but only a couple. Now, I think back on these past 8 weeks with full-hearted emotion. I think back on it with so much love. I had the time of my life and I want to take back this experience with me to the U.S. I cannot wait to tell everyone back home about my journey and share with them my experiences. Ciao for the last time from Italy!