With just under a month left in Italy, I struggle everyday with "not wanting it to be over" and being "beyond excited to see my family, and be home".
Things are just now getting good (can I even say that after how incredible these past month have been?) I've met so many people, and I've made some amazing friends. The weather has been INCREDIBLE. Sunny and 70s everyday (finally!!). Picnics, sunsets, markets, and gardens. Bike rides. Finding new places and new restaurants. I get to eat the best pasta, pizza, and paninis. I walk across the Ponte Vecchio everyday, which people travel from miles just to see. I love the little things. People watching at Piazzle Michelangelo. Hanging out on the roof because it's too nice to be inside. Acting like fools in Italian class because we still don't know what we're saying. Spending late night at Lion's and Kikuya. Going to eat at the diner for three hours (no rush!). Grabbing gelato because it's 1 euro and you can't say no when someone asks to go. I love it all and I can't embrace it enough.
As much as I have loved everything, and my parents joke that I'll "never want to come home", it never truly has felt like "home" to me. I think maybe it's because I live with Italians, which I always make sure to do things "their way" so I don't step on any toes. Or that I always feel as though people are thinking "oh she's American", because I'm not wearing a parka and three scarfs when its 70 degrees out. Or when I buy avocados and "peanut butter" in the grocery store. And in reality I have been living in THEIR home, and they don't consider me at "home" so I don't think I do either. But that's absolutely okay to me. Because as much as I've learned about myself, about others, and about life. I do truly miss my "home" so much. I can't wait for the familiarity of things. To no longer have a language barrier, or have to pull out google translate. To know my way around. To finding things at the grocery store (peanut butter!!! black beans! ranch! the list goes on and on!). To having cups bigger than 6 ounces. To be able to get in my car and take a drive. Having a washing machine AND a dryer (!!so excited!!). Not having to manually light the gas stove. To have water that tastes far better. To be able to go through a drive thru. (and just to get fast food, oh how I miss Chick-fil-a & Bojangles, sweet tea & biscuits). To go to the sweet sweet beaches of NC. To take the boat our with my family. To sit, enjoy, and soak it all up. To appreciate home more than ever.
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