The Study in Study Abroad

I leave in exactly 30 days. I have been in Rome now two months now! It feels so natural to be here in this historical city and it makes me a little nervous to think I will be leaving in just a month. I walk without maps and alone. I frequently go on sweet runs and to the market where my Bangladesh friend is. I go to restaurants on my own and have gotten accustomed to the Italian customer service. I have gone lone bike riding to explore the city in a different way. I haven’t even left and I am missing my local Italian friends. It’s odd to think I’ll leave. I’ve just started making a ‘life’ for myself out here and I’m just going to leave it? What if I get home and feel homesick? Hahaha. What a weird thing to think about.

Before I went to study abroad I would hear how fast the time flies but how at the same time it can feel so slow. I definitely can relate to that now. This last month is going to go by in the blink of an eye. Kind of in between my study abroad experience I started struggling with balancing school work and my personal time. I don’t feel like many speak on how difficult it can be to balance personal time with school work. One thing about my studying abroad experience is that I am almost always busy and on the move. I have so much to do this last month and so little time. This month I am putting extra time aside for school work but I am confident in my time management. I also had to class registration from abroad for my next school semester. As well as fix and check my Fafsa for next semester because unfortunately due to not being informed about certain details I was unable to get Fafsa this fall semester. That has been a whole thing on its own. Dealing with the financial aspect, especially after realizing I wasn’t going to receive any funds from the state while I was already abroad. Sad but we move forward! There are solutions to everything, even if it’s not the ideal solution.

Anyway, my roommates and I went to Paris on our own and it was a success! We went to Disneyland and explored the city a little bit. Saw the Eiffel Tower of course! Met a couple who was a study abroad student in Paris. I met a lot of people during my time here but this couple stood out. She is a Muslim sister and she spoke a little about the violence going on in Palestine. I pray for everyone suffering and thank God for my privileges and blessings.