Dear Florence,

You gave me the best month of my life, one that I will not soon forget. I’ll never be able to repay you for the laughs, new friends, and abundance of cheap wine. You gave me so many lessons about life and myself.

Here are just a few of the things that you taught me.

1. Be positive. This seems like a lesson that you can learn anywhere, but while I was abroad everything that could go wrong did. From stolen credit cards and horrible guided tours, to losing our apartment. My roommates and I could have wasted our time sulking over these bad experiences. Instead we chose to move on. By employing a positive mindset, we changed the entire trip.

2. Be open to new people. This was the best lesson I learned from studying abroad. It gave me a chance to meet people that I would have never gotten the chance to know. A group of fifteen of us went to Florence together. They were the best part of my entire trip. The fifteen of us are the only people who can understand everything that happened during those four weeks. From five dollar beer specials to struggling through Italian class together, we made a lot of memories during our time there. We formed the kind of friendships that made saying goodbye the most difficult part of leaving Florence.

3. Plans aren’t always necessary. Flexibility is required when you’re studying abroad. Exploring a new city is the best way to experience it. There are hidden restaurants and shops that are waiting to be discovered. Some of my best days in Italy were spent wandering aimlessly. I learned to ditch the plans, to go out with only a map and a slight idea of where I was going.

4. Say ‘yes.’ I learned that the word 'no' should be used sparingly. I was able to experience so many things during my time abroad, from the Amalfi Coast to trying Zucchini flowers. I would not have gone on any of these adventures if I had said no. You have to try everything once before you can form an opinion.

5. Indulge yourself in the culture. Different countries have different ways of doing things and views of the world. Yet, many speak English and have adopted American concepts. I tried not to be drawn in by the American-like restaurants and stores. I chose to shop at small markets and attempted to speak the language. I was there to experience the culture. I forced myself out of my comfort zone and did the best I could to live fully in the Italian culture.

6. Being homesick is a real thing. On the flight over to Italy, I believed that I would never miss home. How could I? It was an awesome opportunity in a beautiful city. I am not a person that normally misses home, but I definitely felt homesick at different points throughout the trip. Being in a foreign country and trying to adopt their way of life is intimidating, especially because everything that was familiar was an eight hour plane ride away. I missed the comforts of home like air conditioning, cars, and my family. The homesickness was not constant, it came in waves. I did not let my wanting to go home affect my time in Florence. I accepted that it was normal to miss those aspects of my life and just waited for the feeling to pass. There were days when I wanted to jump on the next plane, but they were severely outnumbered by the days when I never wanted to leave.

7. Slow down. Everything from restaurant service to pedestrians are slower when you’re abroad. It took me some time to become accustomed to this, probably because I’m used to the fast paced lifestyle of the Northeast United State. After I adjusted to their speed, I enjoyed it. I looked up from my phone and took in my surroundings. Instead of brushing past the views and people, I let each moment soak in. By doing this I felt like I was savoring my time there, which was so fleeting. I gave myself a much different outlook on the city and a better appreciation for life.

Thank you for four amazing weeks. Words cannot accurately describe how I feel following the experience or the awe I felt during the last month, but I hope this begins to explain it all. I learned more living in Florence than I ever have in a classroom. My gratitude for this city and the opportunity I had to live there is never ending.

Until next time, Firenze.