Mia's Life

This past month has been full of introductions and adjustments. I met the family I’ll be living with for the next nine months, became a “new student” for the first time in my life, and quickly became known as “the American girl.” I formed friendships that feel like they’ve existed forever, navigated a 15-hour solo travel day, discovered a new love for biking, furthered my love for food, settled into a new home, began sharing a room, and immersed myself into a new culture.

From visiting Rome to Vatican City, Venice, The Dolomites, and of course my new home- Padova in just a month I have felt myself grow in ways I never thought possible. I’ve always been independent, but now it’s truly on display. You really start to understand who you are when you step outside the comfort zone you grew up in. I’ve learned that I love being around people just as much as I enjoy time alone. I see the world a bit like the introspective characters in books I used to cringe at. I’ve discovered a real passion for learning about new places and meeting new people, and I’ve realized how little social media actually matters to me. I’ve gotten better at reading people, understanding which relationships are meaningful, and recognizing who sticks around.

This months favorites have been FaceTiming friends on the treadmill, biking everywhere I go, taking myself on shopping dates around town, Italian tomatoes, stracciatella gelato, obsessing over American court cases, journaling, roaming super markets for new snacks, watching Peppa Pig in Italian, picking up various too good to go orders, helping other students learn english, Nutella biscuits, talking to cashiers in Italian, and eating lunch in the piazza by the fountain.

A lot of people volunteer here, and I think it’s amazing. The community is deeply involved in making the city a better place. They host massive food festivals where everyone comes together to hang out and eat, with all the proceeds going to charity. Every person working at these events is a volunteer, donating their time for a good cause. I’ve had the chance to volunteer twice with my host sister, Irene. The event started at 7 p.m. and went all the way until 1 a.m., and it seemed like everyone knew each other. I got to waitress around the tables, which really helped me practice my Italian. At the end of the night, the leftover food is divided among the volunteers. Both times, I was given spaghetti, roasted chicken, fries, and even a slice of cake from another group of volunteers.

School has definitely had some up and down moments, but I am handling them with ease and patience. I was told today that they would be having their first teachers meeting on Friday, and they would discuss me in it. My English teacher told me it can only go up from here. I think things always work their way out in the end, so there is nothing for me to get anxious over.

Coming from the suburbs of Dallas, Texas, I am loving the transition to living in the middle of a city. There are fruit markets set up everyday, and on weekends they have the whole floor of Prato Della Valle covered with all different types of Stands. From clothes, make-up, hygiene products, and jewelry to various pet options, you can find anything you’d ever want. I essentially live in the heart of a shopping paradise. The streets are lined with hundreds of Italian clothing boutiques, with a massive three-story Zara standing proudly among them. It’s a dream come true for any shopaholic. I am a 5-10 minute bike ride away from Louis Vuitton, Dior, Prada, and a Gucci. This is where most of the crowds form. Even though I’m far from being a local, I can’t help but laugh every time I see a crowd of tourists. I’ll be on my way home from school, when suddenly a woman holding a flag comes marching by, leading a flock of people wearing earphones and waving their phones in the air to capture the perfect photo. It’s a sight that never fails to amuse me.

This month I’ve also gotten to experience having a Nonna and Nanna. They actually live in the upstairs of my house. They take my host siblings and I to school each day. They are always cooking up something fun to bring down the stairs for us. The nonna makes a killer lasagna and the best buttered potatoes. This past week was nonno’s 76th birthday, so we celebrated with a family dinner upstairs. It was a heart warming evening filled with nothing but love.

To think this is only the beginning, radiates so much hope within me. There’s still so much left to explore and so many experiences waiting to unfold. I don’t want to take a single moment of this opportunity for granted.

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”- Paula Coelho