The End

Well, the follow up to that last post never happened, but I did go to Lake Como with my parents, and we had a wonderful week, biking around Tuscany, exploring Lucca, and taking in Florence. It was a really special thing to have them see my space and life here!

Florence can't handle this much Patagonia...

Chianti!

Morgan visited, too, and all we could think was "We're in Italy. Together." It was so fun to show her around, climb the Duomo, and eat yummy food!

Friends do Florence

On the last weekend in November, I went to Venice!

We saw glass blowing on Murano.

We saw the beautifully quaint and colorful town of Burano.

The Leaning Tower of Burano (jk. that's not its name...)

And of course, all the sights of Venice, including the house where Dad spent a semester when he was at Wake Forest. It was a packed trip, but it is such a unique place and a fun one to visit.

Casa Artom, where Dad spent his semester abroad, as viewed from the Guggenheim Museum

Just another study abroad gal in San Marco (but avoiding the pigeons at all cost)

Of course, these last few days in Florence have been magical as well. The lights are up all over the city and a giant LIVE tree and a huge nativity are up by the Duomo. I told Mary tonight that I feel like I've been in one of those film montages where the seasons change really fast in a matter of seconds, and all of a sudden the characters are wearing coats and scarves. It feels like yesterday that I was wearing shorts (bad move #1: no one wears shorts here...) and sandals. The time has flown.

The Gang after a final dinner with our professor

And now, after what was and will forever be the least stressful week of exams, it's over. Just like that. Tomorrow is our last day in Florence. On Saturday, Mary and I catch one last early-morning shuttle bus to the airport for our 7:30am flight to Rome, where we'll hop on a flight to Atlanta, where I'll say bye to my roomie of four months and head to the Bull City!

As we like to say at Camp DeSoto, an experience like this requires some emotional packing up, which is what I've tried to get my campers roommates to do these past few days.

I'm at such a strange point. I am incredibly excited to be home, to see family, to be back in the familiar. Where the tap water tastes normal, coffee shops are places to linger, and take out is a normal concept. Where I'll celebrate Christmas at Blacknall and rejoice in this time of year.

I love this city, but I've got to get back to my people.

But of course, how will I ever be able to express what this semester has meant to me? I still remember going to the "Study Abroad" session at the Explore Carolina day. This was something I've looked forward to for years, and it has happened. What a gift! I know for certain that I will continue to reflect on this period for months and years to come, grateful for the growth I have experienced.

Grateful for the ways I have experience God's love for me and for his Church that goes far beyond the cities of Durham and Chapel Hill.

Grateful for trips far and wide with good friends.

Grateful to live in a culture far different from my own and for the things I've learned from that.

Grateful for the unique adventures that can only happen when you throw 20 year old girls into a foreign city.

I'm excited to see that ways in which this semester will affect me long after I'm back on American soil.

For now, thanks for reading the 5(?) posts that this blog ended up being. I don't think it'll make me millions, but it's been fun to share from this little space of the internet!

Merry Christmas!