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classes are real here too...

So I just finished my final lit paper, due tomorrow. My class was all about women and men travelling in Italy in the 1800s basically. We read lots of narratives and books and short stories about people travelling through Italy during those times. And I just finished a ten page paper about it. What was really cool about the class was that I learned about how much I have in common with young travellers from different time periods. Travelling, studying abroad, taking a grand tour, whatever you're doing, its all the same. We have many of the same goals today as travellers had back then. See the monuments. Learn the language. Immerse yourself in the culture. See the art. Keep a diary. Make connections. So I started thinking to myself...which of these goals have I accomplished?

Okay well, I saw a HELL of a lot of art this semester. And churches, and monuments. I saw pretty much everything I wanted to see and more. I could probably last a good couple of years without having to see another fresco. Just saying.

Learn the language? Yeah. I mean, no, there's no way that I'm fluent, but I can have broken conversations with people, and I am SO HAPPY about how much I learned. My Italian class here was so high-paced and my school here has a really great Italian language program. It's required, and you have to go to Italian class four days a week...whereas all the other classes are only 2 days a week. I think that's awesome. I heard of other study abroad programs in Italy where the students only have Italian class once a week....Umbra does it best, in MY opinion.  Then again, in Rome or Florence you could probably get away with speaking English...but in Perugia if you don't speak Italian..a lot of the times you're screwed. It's been the coolest challenge. I seriously recommend it. If you want to learn the language, study in a city/town that's not known for tourism...you won't have a choice.

Immerse myself in the culture. I guess the true test of this will come out when I get back to America. I'm not sure how I've changed to adapt to Italian culture, but I know that I love the lifestyle here, sooooo I think I'm going to have severe culture shock in about a week. Woof.

Keep a diary? What can I say. I tried. Oh and I have this blog.

Make connections. There is literally NO DOUBT IN MY MIND that I have made friends this semester that will stay my friends forever. I love them. And I have the most incredible, hilarious roommates. I seriously lucked out. I now have people to visit in Boston, Philadelphia, Texas...and connections for when I DO come back to Italy. So cool.

I'm doing way too much thinking and not enough studying.

BUT I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE I'M LEAVING THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

Four days. New goal: Eat pizza and gelato every day until I leave. Starting with dinner tonight.

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