This morning I finished the first half of my exams and walked away feeling pretty lucky. The important classes are finished, and the tests seem to have gone well. (Of course, we’ll see in 3 to 6 weeks when I get my final grades back.) As of today, I have eight days before I head home. So, to anticipate saying goodbye, I just wanted to make a short list of some of the things I’m going to miss the most.

1. Italian Cafés 

Oh the joy of sitting in a café eating a Nutella cornetto and sipping a cappuccino (one sugar). I’ve never been a coffee drinker, and wasn’t even sure what a cappuccino was before I came here. But I will certainly miss this cozy experience so much. 

2. Gelato, everywhere you go

Do I even have to explain myself? I miss Dairy Queen and my local ice cream stops just like everybody else (shoutout to Captain Sundae), but there is nothing like a strange, signature flavor of fresh gelato. My favorite is stracciatella which you can get most anywhere, but when it’s done well… Let’s just say my scoop does not last long enough.

3. Incredible Art

I took a couple of different art history classes while I was here and wow… There was a lot I really did not know about art. I am so lucky to have been given so much context for all of the amazing churches, sculptures, and paintings decorating this city. FYI, Bernini over Borromini and Caravaggio over Carracci… But that’s just my opinion.

4. City Life

I won’t lie, the small town girl in my heart is so, deeply ready for the beautiful quietness of the country. Cities never shut up, for lack of a better word. That said, living in a city can be such an incredible experience, one that I’ve never really gotten before. I’m going to miss the air of opportunity and the accessibility of food equally (just kidding). 

5. Casual Beauty

Everywhere you go in Rome, there is something that will force your phone out of your bag so you can snag a quick picture. From the small trucks filled with flowers to the ancient buildings and artworks decorating the city, I will miss it all. 

That’s my tiny list. I’m working on soaking in every last minute of my time here. Thank you for reading my articles this semester. I hope you also had a great semester abroad/I hope this was helpful for you in deciding to go abroad/I hope this was fun to go down abroad memory lane for those of you that have already gone. 🙂 Ciao ciao! See you next semester, Holland.

Published by kathrynsmith

Class of 2023 Communications Major, Writing and Theatre Double Minor IES Rome, Italy

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