Mia's Life

Today marks 29 days that I have left living in Italy. Time is an interesting thing it seems to pick and choose when it speeds up and slows down. I’m torn between wanting to experience so much more and continue seeing all these incredible people I’ve met each day, and being ready to get into my routine again and rejuvenate myself and my health. As much as I’ve loved living here, this past month I’ve been taking on all the lows. Stomach and hormone problems I’ve had for years are especially flaring up now. I don’t feel like my healthy self here, I’ve gained weight and miss being able to choose what I put into my body on a daily basis. I know it’s part of the experience to take in everything you can while you’re here. I know these problems can always get fixed and I can always lose the weight, but I’ve never felt this uncomfortable in my life.

Although I started this reflection on a more negative note, the truth is there have been just as many highs as there have been lows. Little trips keep me grounded and remind me why I chose to be here in the first place. One of those moments came when I met up with Giorgia in Milan, an Italian girl I met in Texas last year during her exchange. It was fascinating to hear about life on the other side of the experience. We talked about the relationships she’s held on to, how it felt returning home, and how her perspective has shifted since then.

After wandering through a few shops, we hopped on the metro to our hotel in Assago. That, in itself, turned into a bit of an adventure since Assago is the last stop, we had to switch from the green line to the red. But right at the end, the line splits, and we accidentally took the train going in the wrong direction. Along the way, another girl approached us, also trying to get to the concert, and asked to follow us to Assago. Soon after, another girl joined. Both were going solo, and when I asked where they were from, they both said Russia. It was so cool to watch them become instant friends. One of them was even staying in our hotel, and I’m pretty sure she invited the other to her room before the show. It reminded me how simple and beautiful the world can be when we let it. The hotel itself was perfect—easy to reach, filled with other concertgoers, and surprisingly cozy. We took our time getting ready, singing through the setlist together and building up the excitement. The standing shower felt like a luxury, and the bed… honestly, the comfiest, softest mattress I’ve had since Texas.

We met up with Emilia and her friend from Puerto Rico outside the venue. I bought a simple blue shirt as a souvenir to remember the night by. Sneaking into Emilia’s section turned out to be more successful than expected. There was a crowd pushing to get in, with two security guards checking tickets. We just walked past them like we’d already been cleared by the guard on the other side and avoided eye contact completely. They were holding people back with their arms, so I’m still not sure how we managed to slip by—but we did. We took some photos in front of the stage and chatted for a bit before Giorgia and I made our way to our actual seats on the opposite side of the venue. We ended up standing at the bottom of our section for most of the show. It gave us a better view and a lot more space to move around.

The concert was incredible, easily one of the best I’ve ever been to. It made me love the band even more. They genuinely seemed like close friends, and the way they talked about each other was so supportive and heartfelt. There was one band member who totally stole the show. I couldn’t tell if he was drunk or just living his best life. He had no shoes on, kept tripping or falling, held a headstand way longer than I thought humanly possible, and even ran into the crowd. He was all over the place in the best way—and definitely my favorite. I’m so glad I went with Giorgia. She’s such a positive, easygoing person to be around, and it was really special to spend that time with her before heading back. After the show, we grabbed panini con salsiccia from one of the street food trucks outside. It completely hit the spot after all the singing and jumping. We got back to the hotel late and just chilled until we eventually crashed. The next morning, we dragged ourselves out of bed for the hotel breakfast before heading back to the train station.

Wilmer, Emilia, and I took a day trip to Verona the other week. It was their first time going, so I felt like a leader directing them into town. We wandered through a few shops, and in the city center, I stumbled upon the cutest dresses in a market. I would’ve bought a hundred of them if they weren’t all too long for me. We visited the Arena di Verona and took photos, then strolled around, talking and soaking in the atmosphere. For lunch, we ended up at a pretty underwhelming spot. It was definitely one of those overpriced places serving reheated frozen food to tourists, but it got the job done.

One of the best discoveries of the day was a store called Humana Vintage. I instantly fell in love. It had an incredible selection of second-hand pieces from the 1960s through the 1990s. One day, I want my closet to be made up of at least 90% thrifted or second-hand clothes. We also stopped into Kiko Milano to check out some of their TikTok-viral lip products. I found a shade I really loved, and I’m honestly so excited about it. lip products are always my favorite part of any makeup routine. After that, we wandered into a wine shop offering free tastings and ended up buying a cheap bottle of red. We made our way to PAM, an Italian grocery store, and picked up a baguette and some olive focaccia. Then we found a hilltop garden near the station and had a little feast up there. That might’ve been the highlight of the day—it was just so vibey.

Sadly, I think this past weekend was my last one for day trips. I stayed at Wilmer’s house in Pavia for both nights. Before heading to his place, we met up with his friend for aperitivo at the bar where he works—and honestly, it was the most stunning place you could possibly work at. We arrived around sunset, just in time to see the giant, deep red sun hovering above the bright green valleys. The bar had outdoor tables lined up along the edge, with vines woven throughout, adding even more charm to the already scenic view.

Wilmer’s house is amazing. It’s out in the countryside and feels like something out of a storybook: three huge boxers, a donkey, tons of cats, and chickens roaming around. I stayed in the guest house, which was fully set up: my own kitchen, two bathrooms, a standing shower, a balcony, an upstairs loft, a full-sized bed, and a TV—all just for me. His host parents were incredibly kind, too. We ended up talking for about two hours the first night I arrived.

On Sunday morning, we woke up early for a day trip to Lugano, Switzerland with Max and Emilia. We arrived around lunchtime, planning to have a little picnic together. But things didn’t quite go as expected, we got split up and couldn’t find each other. Normally, it would’ve been simple to call or text, but none of our phones had internet since we’d crossed into Switzerland. Emilia and I ended up getting McDonald’s instead and tried a few of the special menu items. The vegetarian curry burger was definitely the highlight. After searching for the guys for a while, we gave up and found a spot to sit overlooking the lake. About an hour later, they found us there. Once reunited, we took tons of photos with the stunning view and couldn’t stop talking. We wandered over to a beach-like area, and all of us jumped into the freezing lake just long enough to make our limbs feel like they were falling off. Then we lay out beside the water to sunbathe, soaking up the warmth with a UV of 7 (!!).

Later, we stopped by a gelato stand. I got mango and passion fruit; Emilia got lemon and passion fruit. We found a grassy field in the park nearby and just lay there in the sun. That was my favorite part: laughing, talking about everything and nothing. I don’t even remember most of the conversation. It was the last time we’d all be together like that. We eventually walked back to the station and said our goodbyes. Now, Emilia has been gone for 3 days. Before parting ways, we pinky promised to meet again and take a trip to Africa together in a few years. Now our group chat is called Africa 2030. I really hope we all, every exchange student, keep having reunions as we grow older. There’s something about these kinds of connections that deserves to last.

Wilmer and I headed back to his house, saying goodbye for what was probably the last time that night. He had to leave for school at 7:00 the next morning, and I was planning to sleep in a little before heading back to Milan. I left around 9, determined to visit all the places I had been wanting to explore. I extended my train ticket to Padova so I could spend my last day soaking in Milan.

Though I didn’t make it to everything on my list, I started with Starbucks Reserve. There are only six of these in the world, and let me tell you, it’s an experience. As soon as you step inside, the warm smell of coffee beans hits you. The place is surrounded by machinery, almost like a science lab for coffee, and there are three different stations selling unique products. The menu is unlike any Starbucks I’ve seen, even the regular coffee is made with special Milan beans- whatever that means. I ordered the best coffee I’ve ever had: a hot pistachio praline oat latte, along with a delicious cinnamon roll croissant.

Next, I hopped back on the metro. I think I spent about 7 hours that day just bouncing around on different forms of public transport. My next stop was Eataly. I know there’s one in North Park in Dallas, but I still wanted to experience the true Italian version. It was massive, packed with every Italian product you could imagine. At the top, there was a restaurant, and each section was dedicated to a different type of food: meat, cheese, pasta, wine, snacks, produce—you name it. It was heaven. While exploring, I stumbled into Frattelli’s, a bookstore. I found two books that sounded amazing, but I already have two sitting at home that I’ve been procrastinating to read.

The afternoon rolled around, and I met Max and his friend for sushi. It was nice to see Max one last time, and his friend was super friendly. However, the sushi didn’t sit well with us. I’m pretty sure we got food poisoning, so no more sushi for me anytime soon. Afterward, we walked around until we caught a bus back to Centrale. At Zara, they set up a competition to see who could put together the best beach/summer outfit. They spent a good amount of time assembling their “masterpieces” and even did their own little catwalks in the dressing room. I judged based on creativity, style, and how well they stuck to the theme. In the end, they both tied—what can I say, I’m indecisive. We wrapped up the day by strolling around and people-watching at the Duomo before they escorted me to the station for our final goodbyes.

It feels like my return has already started. 99% of the people I’ve met here are already gone, and I’m saying goodbye to people left and right. I mean, I have less than a month left now—how is that possible? I’m so mixed with emotions about my return. I’m ready, but I don’t want this to end. Can’t I just keep going back and forth every couple of months? This year has definitely been filled with its highs and lows, but regardless of both, a memory is a memory, and I’m full of a bunch of them.

”Even the darkest night will end and sun will rise.”- Victor Hugo