Roma Recap

I feel like I've gone through culture shock ten times over within the last five days...in the best way possible, though.

First things first, Italy is AMAZING and Rome is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. And the food was delicious, but you were expecting that. I'll go into more detail about what I didn't post during my actual trip!

Overall, this is how I felt the entire time:

Seeing Hope and spending so much time with her was the best feeling in the world. Last semester we were constantly talk about studying abroad and visiting one another and it finally came true. This photo wasn't even taken when we first met up, I just wanted to hug her all the time!

That also meant that saying goodbye last night was devastatingly hard :( I almost cried...

Our last dinner together :(

But it was delicious homemade gnocchi...my mouth is watering just thinking about it mmmmmm!!

I thought that when I got back to Rennes I would feel homesick because Hope and I talked a lot about Pittsburgh and our friends/families but actually I was thrilled to be back here. Even though the weather wasn't sunny and in the 50s like it was in Rome I admitted to myself that it wouldn't have been a proper "welcome back to Rennes" if it hadn't been gloomy and chilly!

 I'm glad to be back and even more motivated to speak French than I was before. Seeing Hope speak Italian with her family even made me realize that it's silly for me to be afraid of making mistakes. Hope's a great inspiration for doing things; she never lets her fear hold her back and look where she is now! In fact, she's come up with this new saying (full credit being given to you here, Hope!) "no reservations" which she says to herself whenever she makes herself do something she wouldn't ordinarily do. I think it's a great phrase. #nores

Hope and her aunt while we were walking to dinner for her birthday. Adorbs. (yes, I just wrote that)

Somehow I've had a lot of time to think over the last few days and mostly I've thought about my future. Every other month I have a crisis where I freak out about what I'm going to do with my life...what majors should I decide? what career will I have? where will I go to grad school? should I teach English abroad or do the peace corps? Can't someone just tell me what I'm supposed to do and I can just do it?!? That's how I feel most of the time...but that's what experiences like this semester are for, to figure out who you really are and who you want to become. Or at least to figure it out a little bit...I surely am though. But that'll have to be a different post, this one is already too text-heavy!

Ya know how it seems like they all ride vespas? WELL IT'S TRUE.

I decided that during the five days between when my program here in Rennes ends (at the end of May) and when I need to meet my grandpa in Venice for vacation, I'm going to go on a trip by myself to Florence. I was soooo tempted to buy a leather purse in Rome (they're so beautiful and so cheap there) but I told myself I would wait until I'm actually in Florence, where it's all made.

This is me touching ANCIENT ROMAN RUINS! They're just right on the side of the road on the walk to Hope's apartment...I just still can't believe that.

That independent trip will be safe (no need to worry family, I'm smart about what I do with my life!) and I figure I can call it a culmination of all of the self-improvements that I've been trying to make while I'm here, mainly with independence. I'll go there all by myself, stay in a hostel all by myself, spend five days in a town where I don't already know people. Believe me, it sounds scary to me too...but I think it's something that I have to do. Besides, I've got a few months to prepare!

Oh and I forgot to mention that when I was walking to meet my other friend from Hope's house two French people asked me how to get to the colosseum and I told them the general direction ALL IN FRENCH! WOOHOO!

And also I've talked to my host family/siblings more today and I also took out the trash so I'm feelin' preeettttyyyy good. And Sunday if it's nice out I'm going to go to the coast with my family! That'll by my first little trip with them. YEAH!