Goodbye Paderno del Grappa...

Well today is December 6^th and I am on my way back to Arkansas! I always knew that this would be my last day in Italy/Europe (since I leave at 4 am tomorrow) but I don’t think I realized how much of an impact this day would have on me. I am sitting here in my room, waiting for my taxi to come in a little while and as much as I want to say I am excited to be home, I am also a little scared and sad. Being in Italy this last semester has helped me to not only become a world traveler but it has also helped me to develop as a person. I am now more aware of different peoples views/ways of doing things and I have more acceptance for them. Even though I wont miss waking up in my room freezing at night, or having to take scalding hot showers some mornings, there are a lot of things I will miss about Paderno del Grappa. To start I am going to miss all of the friends that I have made. We are all from different areas of the states so I know it will be hard to meet up, but hopefully we will find time to do it. Also, I never thought I would say it but I think I might miss some of the cafeteria food. I’ve never eaten so much pasta and red sauce in my life… but it was actually starting to grow on me. Ha! I’m going to miss being able to just go to Bassano and jump on a train, or getting a super cheap flight to another country. I have been fortunate enough to see lots of Europe, but there is still SO much more that I would like to see… Overall this semester has been amazing and I wouldn’t change one thing about it. I will always remember PdG, not just because of CIMBA and all of the great friends I have made but also the Prosecco, Al Sole, late night gelato and Tabacchi 1 and 2…

Okay… now also, I know that I just wrote about how much I was going to miss Paderno del Grappa, but now I am trying to look ahead and see how things are going to be back home. I am really excited to be back home and see my family and friends.. but at the same time I am scared. I have been gone for a semester and so I know that I have missed out on a lot of things and I just hope that it isn’t too hard for me. I ask for you all to pray for me in making the adjustments of being back home. I know that it is going to be a new challenge in my life and that I will be able to make it through; I just hope that it isn’t too hard on me. I have heard that when people go home from studying abroad they get more homesick then they were when they were actually away from home. As much as I want things to be just like they were when I left, I know they won’t be and that is just something I have to accept and begin to adapt to.

I would also like to put in a few thank yous to some of the people that made this semester so great. First, thanks SOOOO much to mom and dad for letting me have this experience. I know that none of this would have been possible if you weren’t behind me 100%. I am so thankful that you all have let me (and also Areta and Cara) have this experience, and maybe you will let me come again?!? Second, I would like to say thanks to Suzannah for coming with me. Last fall when I decided to study abroad I was a little hesitant because I wasn’t sure if I could do it alone. Thankfully Suzannah felt like she wanted to come too and so we did. Thanks Suzannah for traveling all across Europe with me… I couldn’t have done it without you, and some things probably would not have been as fun or funny if you hadn’t been with me. Hah. I would also like to thank Areta for being my personal secretary while I was gone. The internet in PdG is super slow, and so Areta was always there to look things up for me or even call and check my voicemail. I am so glad that you took time out of your busy workday to help me… Can’t wait to come visit in a few weeks! I also want to say thanks to Strigs, Laura, Courtney and Kelsi and lots of my other friends from home. Yall might not realize it, but the simple phone calls, emails, fbk messages or wall posts always made me so excited! It was hard to be away from all of you, but in just a few hours I will be back!!! I am sure that there are probably 10000 other people that I should say something to, but I am running out of time, and this is starting to get a little long.

I am not sure if I will continue to update my blog over the next few months or not. Since I made it just for my time in Italy, I hadn’t really planned on keeping up with it. But, once I get home I will have much faster internet and I might actually be able to add stories, etc from my various trips.

Thanks again for keeping up with me while I was gone.

Love, Blair