Gioa Di Vivere

I am living in Milan, Italy studying at The Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. I shall blog about what I see, do, eat, and love. Life is pretty great at the moment. Benvenuto to my little corner of the interweb.

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  I miss Europe maaaan.

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I have officially said all my goodbyes.

:(

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Last thing on my agenda: Breakfast with one of the truest, most loyal, and kind hearted people I know: Albita! This girl did so much for me while I was in Milan…as a born and bread Milanese she took me under her wing and showed me the ropes to life in Milano. She is easily one of the hardest working people I have ever met with one of the sweetest dispositions. I look forward to May when she returns to Rider for graduation. Love her. Baciii.

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Ciao Italia

It's my last day in Italy and I am feeling rather...well, heartbroken.

After almost 6 months of living in Italy, I have a big change ahead of me as I return back to the United States. When I think about the realities of this change, I can't seem to untangle the knots in my stomach.

I know that these moments abroad are what we make of them. I didn't do Oktoberfest, visit Paris, or hit up Berlin instead I spent a majority of my time traveling within Italy and visiting my Italian friends that I met nearly 3 years ago. Those weekends outside of Milan were some of my favorite visiting Francy in Bergamo, Nick in Torino, Sergio in Somma, etc. For me, one of life’s greatest pleasures is sitting down and enjoying meals with family. With that said, I will treasure every meal--and memory--I had with the incredible people I stayed with.

I just want to understand how my parent's can drop me off curbside 4x a year at LAX when I fly from CA to NJ for school and not shed a tear. Yet, whenever I leave Italy I am a basket case of emotions.

When I return to America, my friends in Italy will snapchat me, send me pictures on whatsapp, and text me "we miss you!" and my heart swells when I daydream about the fun times we had in Mottola, Torino, Milan, etc. I am cognizant of the fact that I live in one of the most privileged and desirable countries in the world with the opportunity to study so close to NYC and call California "home." I know, I know, I know.

However, last night as these things often do, it came pouring out.

I cried. Hard. I sat up in bed and must've repeated to myself 40 times: This sucks. This really fucking sucks. This sucks so much.

I am clutching onto the hope that I will be back this August. So I will let myself be sad for a minute, but I really need to shift my attitude to one of gratitude... because there sure are a lot of people who can't wait to see me back in NJ (the US).  

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I hate goodbyes like you have no ideaaa.

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I mentioned before that every time I hear this song I am flooded with memories associated with my first time in Puglia due anni fa.  

Something tells me that So Good To Me will always bring me back to my time in Italy this time around. Studying at Cattolica, staying with friends throughout Italy, Xmas in Puglia, old & new friendships formed during the past 5.5 months.

I have met so many people that have been so good to me. They will be missed waaay more than the food, the language, the nightlife, etc.

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Napoli di notte.

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Throwback to Christmastime in Mottola (TA), Puglia!!!

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2 days left in Italy...

Cue Andrea Bocelli's TIME TO SAY GOODBYE.

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Sicily, you rocked!

One day I will be back to experience your beautiful beaches in the summer. 

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In the past 9 days,

we took 2 flight, 3 trains, 1 overnight bus, and ate like there was no tomorrow.

We're down to our final night together and I couldn't be more grateful to have shared this beautiful country that's served as home to me for the past 5.5 months with my Ma.

I got to grow up with a mother who taught me to believe in me. She encouraged me to go to school out of state (which I eventually made my way abroad), travel as often as possible, ignore the haters, and be independent.

I owe a lot of my success to the example my parent's have set before me and my younger sisters. Thank you Mom, for showing me the way! I love you with all my heart.

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Mottola (TA), Puglia. One of my favorite cities in Puglia.

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Hanging out at Locale, staying up til 3am laughing, joking around, doing absolutely nothing but being with one another is something I will truly miss when I return back to the US. This is only some of da group in Mottola, the rest of them have returned back to school, the marina, or work in other cities. Glad I got to see them once more before I left for the US.

Great people they are. I will miss them dearly.

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Oggi // Today 15 Gennaio 2014 Palermo (PA), Sicilia

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Things I Find Depressing:

I am down to single digits with the amount of days I have left in Italia.

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In Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns.

- Calo (Franco Zitti), The Godfather (via greatliteraryquotations)

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