Mia's Life

This week, I celebrated my sixteenth birthday, a milestone I’d imagined for years. In my mind, my Sweet 16 was always a picture-perfect moment: me behind the wheel, driving with my friends, music blaring as we headed to Trader Joe’s or some other random spot, shouting “I JUST GOT MY LICENSE!” My mom, of course, snapping a cringey photo to post on Facebook, playfully warning everyone to “watch out” for me on the road. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be marking this occasion while building a new life on the other side of the world. Though I wasn’t celebrating at the DMV, this birthday turned out to be unforgettable in a way I never expected.

Last weekend, I went out with five girls from school to a little pizza spot called “Marechiaro.” It’s a tiny hole-in-the-wall, but apparently, it’s their favorite place for pizza. Four out of the six of us ordered the “Luna Caprese,” which is a classic tomato-based pizza topped with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and basil—basically the Italian version of an American Margherita. I added salami to mine for a little extra flavor. What still surprises me is how everyone here orders their own full-size pizzas!

These girls are so welcoming and genuinely kind. To my surprise, they even brought me a gift—a beautiful charm bracelet. I wasn’t expecting anything, so I was completely taken aback when I saw one of the charms engraved with the words “Sempre Insieme” (which means “Always together”). They said they hoped that when I go back to the States, I’d see it and remember them. Isn’t that the most thoughtful thing ever?

After dinner, we stopped for gelato. One of the best parts of making friends with locals is discovering all the hidden gems and authentic spots. I’ve learned that the best gelato places don’t have those massive, colorful displays; instead, the flavors are tucked away in metal tins, with just a few select options. I, of course, got Stracciatella and tried a honey ricotta flavor that was delicious.

For most of the night, I didn’t even know where we were headed—I just followed their lead. We ended up sitting outside the Torre dell’Orologio, a medieval clock tower, enjoying drinks at a table under the night sky. I love how, once the sun sets, the restaurants spill out onto the streets with tables and chairs lining the roads. One of the girls and I shared two drinks—a classic Aperol Spritz and a passion fruit martini—so we could try a little of everything. We sat there for a while, talking and soaking in the atmosphere before wandering through the city streets. It was such a fun, carefree night. I would relive the same agenda every day if I could!

The next day, my host dad and I took a trip to Chioggia, a charming seaside town just south of Venice. We had an amazing time. We started by strolling along the beach, eventually coming across a picturesque lighthouse. The water was full of boats some out fishing, others just riding the waves. Afterward, we headed into town, where the streets are divided by winding canals. Every boat and building added a burst of vibrant color to the scene, making the city feel like a living painting. It was absolutely stunning. We probably walked around the city center three times, and with each lap, it seemed to grow even more beautiful.

The day before my birthday, I decided to go on a little scavenger hunt around town to gather the special ingredients I needed to make my favorite chocolate chip cookies. You’d be surprised how many stores I had to visit—especially in the pouring rain! It ended up taking me four hours, if that gives you any idea of the challenge, but it was all worth it for a taste of home. I love any excuse to explore the city, and rain or shine, it was fun darting in and out of different shops. The rain actually made me love the cozy fall weather even more. That night, I baked the cookies for my host family, and they all gave them a thumbs-up. I saved most of the dough to bake in small batches throughout the week.

On my actual birthday, which fell on a Thursday, I had school until 1:15. Afterward, I headed upstairs to have lunch with my host nonna and nonno. We had a delicious spread of pork, potatoes, fruit, salad, and a unique egg white and rice flour dish. Lunch is always good, but what made it extra special was the surprise dessert—Pastaccini! It’s something I had on my bucket list, and I’m pretty sure they got it for me on purpose. They even lit a candle and gathered around to sing “Happy Birthday” to me in English, even though nonna and nonno don’t speak a word outside of Italian. Nonna also gave me two “Welcome to Padova” guides in English. A few weeks ago, Irene and I had gone on a shopping day, and I had my eye on a couple of gold bracelets at the market, but I didn’t get them at the time since I didn’t have any cash. To my surprise, for my birthday, Irene went back and got them for me! I had no idea they had so many thoughtful surprises planned for me. It made me feel so loved and appreciated.

It was pouring rain when I noticed a guy sprinting across the street, holding a bouquet of flowers and shouting my name. When I opened the card, I realized my family had sent them to my house. They’re absolutely gorgeous, though I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the poor guy who had to brave the storm to deliver them.

All week, I’ve been receiving letters from people back home wishing me a happy birthday, and I’ve been told there are still 30-40 more on the way, which is unbelievable. Throughout the day, so many people reached out with the kindest messages. Knowing that so many were thinking of me made me feel incredibly special.

Around 9:30, we sat down for our usual family dinner. We had chicken nuggets with the Chick-Fil-A sauce my mom had shipped over, along with a comforting rice soup. After we finished eating and cleaned up, they surprised me by pulling out an entire cake from outside the window. I couldn’t believe it had been sitting out there! We called my parents and sisters so they could join in for the candle-blowing. Everyone sang to me while I nervously eyed the candle, which was more like a 4th of July sparkler, worried it might set my hair on fire! The cake was vanilla with a creamy filling layered between two soft, moist layers. It was perfect, everything I could have wished for. My host parents went all out—they got me a sleeveless black sweater as a gift and decorated the kitchen with a “Buon Compleanno” banner, with another one hanging in the living room. It was such a sweet celebration! That night, there was also a full moon! What are the chances that the once a month occurrence, would fall on my birthday? I watched it sparkle in the dark before I headed to bed. I would consider this the ultimate way to end the best day.

Sunday rolled around, and I went on a day trip to Verona to meet up with another exchange student, Lola. She’s only here for three months, so this was probably the last time I’d get to see her. My day started bright and early at 8 a.m, driving to the train station. There’s something so euphoric about being on your own, gazing out the train window with your AirPods in. By 9:45, I was meeting Lola at the front of the station. We spent the day wandering through the city, stepping into just about every shop that caught our eye—which was almost all of them. We couldn’t resist splurging on the TikTok famous “European Candies,” even though they were ridiculously overpriced. Of course, we justified it with the classic excuse: “It’s for the experience.”

One of my goals in Verona was to find a bracelet that could tie together my silver and gold jewelry, so we checked out every jewelry store we came across. Though I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, a kind saleswoman convinced me to try something different, and I ended up with a stunning gold bracelet accented with tiny pearls, which she helped me pick to complement my skin tone. Lola and I also decided to get matching gold necklaces with our initials on them as a fun memory. After a few more hours of window shopping, we sat down for lunch at a charming spot along the streets near the Arena of Verona. I ordered truffle gnocchi, and Lola got lasagna. I was expecting small, bite-sized gnocchi with maybe a creamy sauce, but instead, I was served five enormous gnocchi balls! Despite the surprise, the dish was exquisite. It was a perfect day—filled with good company, shopping, and delicious food!

Next, I embraced my role as a tourist and picked up a postcard and a shot glass—adding to my collection of over 30 shot glasses back in Texas, one from every place I’ve visited. Lola and I wanted to get a photo together in front of the Arena of Verona, but we didn’t have anyone to take it. So, we spent about 30 minutes approaching random strangers to snap our picture. Each attempt left us unsatisfied, so we kept trying. One person even got down on the ground, over 10 feet away, to get a shot. We loved the dedication, but we couldn’t stop laughing. Eventually, we got a photo we didn’t hate, which felt like a victory! The rest of the day was spent people-watching, getting lost in the winding streets, guessing people’s accents, searching for Juliet’s house, and ordering gelato in our best Italian. We also had fun explaining to various shop owners that we live in Italy but don’t speak the language, which got us plenty of confused, yet entertaining, responses.

Sadly, we had to part ways when Lola left. I still had two hours until my train, so I wandered through a nearby garden, listening to music and soaking in the atmosphere. When my train finally arrived, I felt a sense of accomplishment—finding my train and securing a window seat 20 minutes early.

I’ll always cherish how I spent this birthday. It was far from traditional, which is a true reflection of who I am. I feel incredibly lucky to have this life, and I’m thankful for these experiences that I can look back on when things become more complicated. At the moment, my biggest concern is picking out outfits for various events! I also want to apologize to my future self for the planning stress it will take to outdo this birthday!

“That it will never come again is what makes life sweet.”- Emily Dickinson