A Farewell to Italy:

As I sit here less than twelve hours from departing from Italy, I cannot help but think back at my last few months here in Italy and reflect upon what I’ll miss and some of the things I won’t miss at all. As a goodbye, I’d thought I’d sum up my travels with sharing those very thoughts with you. Enjoy and thank you so much for reading. It’s been a lot of fun sharing my adventures with you.
Things I won’t miss:

The shower:
For the last two months, the shower here has been the bane of my existence. Not only has the water heater gone out more times than I have fingers to count on, but it has flooded continuously and without a doubt every single day of my stay. I cannot tell you how many near death experiences Katie and I have had slipping and sliding on our water-ridden floors. By the end of this trip, the puddles of water that leaked out of the bathroom and down the hall became such a regular fixture in our apartment that we gave up mopping and let evaporation take its course. Thank goodness for the humidity.

Italian Driving:
Road rage and aggression took on a whole new meaning here in Italy where they drive with the fervor of a Kobayashi eating a hotdog(Zach, that joke is for you). I took my life in my hands every time I rode on my valiant steed the Tornado. Now that I’m coming home and it won’t worry my mom I don’t feel afraid of sharing that I had three near misses on my bike. We’re talking inches separating me and steel—if that’s even what those damn smart cars are made of. It will be nice to go home and take a leisurely bike ride without having to consider who I’ll leave my most prized possession, my ipod, to in my will.

Lack of Milk:
For the last two months I have been suffering and battling serious milk withdrawal symptoms. I didn’t share this with you because I didn’t want you to worry, but not a night has gone by that I haven’t fought my shaking body into submission and forced myself to sleep without my daily three tall glass hits of ice cold skim milk. It took a lot of self-restraint and perseverance, but I can proudly say that I’ve been milk-free for 71 days. Too bad, I have every intention of indulging in a tall glass of milk the minute I make it back home. Sadly, I’m not made of stronger will-power, but all dairy cows have been warned.
The Italian Language:
Although I have perfected the art form of charades, it will be nice to return to the English speaking world again. There’s only so many ways one can embarrass themselves trying to pantomime the need of a bathroom. It will be totally bizarre to be able to understand everyone once I get home. I’ll probably feel like I’m eavesdropping on every English conversation I hear simply because I’ll be able to understand what they’re saying. Oh well, I welcome knowing everyone’s business.


Things I’ll miss:

My Cooperating Teacher:
Although I was originally suspicious that my overly flamboyant cooperating teacher from England was gay, I will certainly miss him. It turns out he is simply corky and a bit of a dorky clown. He actually proposed right before I left. Not to me thank goodness, but to another teacher at the school. I will miss our daily banter over who’s cooler—Americans or Englanders (Americans hands down) and the proper name for the sport of soccer—soccer or football.

The Food:
I don’t think pizza will be the same after I come home. The pizza here is simply beyond words, and I will miss being able to go out and polish a whole one off for dinner followed by a couple scoops of gelato. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to find my favorite chocolate rum gelato back in the States. Only in Italy do they mix the best of two indulgences—ice cream and hard alcohol. The lasagna here was also amazing. I know I’ll probably get a good kick in the ass from my mom for admitting this, but it was even better than her homemade lasagna. Sorry mom, I cannot tell a lie.
Italian Streets:
The labyrinth narrow cobble-stone streets will surely be missed. Some of the best times I had involved getting lost on those streets while riding the Tornado. Riding my bike back home on the smooth, wide open roads won’t be nearly as exciting.

The Tornado:
Speaking of bike riding, my heart strings are already pulling at the fact that I must leave my loyal and gallant steed, the Tornado, behind. She may have been old, but she was my faithful companion through rainstorms and many grocery runs. I’ll miss her rickety clacking as I jumped sidewalks and puddles I should have probably avoided. She was the bicycle a girl could ever have.

My Italian Students:
Most of all I’ll miss my small and unbelievably adorable and sometimes naughty students. Whether I was choreographing their music concert song with them or yelling at Leonardo for the sixth time in a single day, they always managed to keep things exciting. Their stories of fake shark attacks, fear of neutron stars, and who was naughty on the playground will forever stay with me.

Other small things I’ll miss:
-the choice of using the toilet or the bidet in our bathroom
-the beyond ridiculous alfits the mothers wore to pick up their children
-the many accents of my co-teachers
-living next to Venice