...feels good to be lost in the right direction

"Take only memories, leave only footprints" This blog is dedicated to my time studying abroad here in Rome. I will try to blog as frequently as I could, sharing my stories, thoughts, and pictures with you guys. I'm just a regular girl trying to find herself in the world. Enjoy :) -clickformymainblog- disclaimer: **All pictures are taken and owned by me unless otherwise stated**

[romatiamo]

the last night <3 december 13th, 2013

[romatiamo]

home sweet home

so my time abroad is finally over, i'm back in the states! the good ol' american soil. but i still can't believe it's over. i arrived saturday and i've had nothing but mixed emotions. i missed my family and friends but it's weird not being in Rome anymore. the first day i got there, i talked about how different everything was. but after 4 months, you get used to the culture. my friends and i from study abroad would talk about how it's going to feel like a dream when we come back, like it never happen because it was honestly a trip of a lifetime. it was a semester that everyone envies. i experienced so many new things and i learned so much about myself. it's made me a better person, it's made me grow, it's made me appreciate the unknown. it's opened my eyes to other alternatives, to new perspectives on life. and i will always call italy my home, it was too good to me. i'll miss the uneven cobble stones, the little cafes, and our appertivos. i'll miss the fresh groceries from the markets, the Bangladeshis selling me scarves and toy cats every 5 minutes, and the nuns on their vespas. i'll miss the italian language, with sounds so similar to spanish but still so different and difficult to understand. i'll miss taking trips every weekend, experiencing the cultures that so many are unaware of. but most of all, i'll miss the friends i made, especially my girls. i don't know what i would've done without them. during the beginning of the semester, it was tough as i was dealing with some issues back at home. but they held me together, they made me see that there's so much more out there, with so many people i'm still waiting to meet and so many things i'm meant to see. and i want to thank them a million. my family helped me along the way too. my dad told me, "don't think backwards, think forwards." and that changed my whole perspective while i was in Rome. i didn't hold back for anyone, i just worried about myself and no one else. and today, i'm a better person.

[romatiamo]

omw to hogwarts

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THE ROYAL PALACE

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dem pounds doe

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the london eye experience

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takin on london with these girls

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just me, day 1 in london (november 28th, 2013)

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London, United Kingdom View from the London Eye, November 30th, 2013

[romatiamo]

you'd be lying if this little munchkin didn't make you smile. Everyone meet Rudolf :)

[romatiamo]

happy friday! love study breaks with Rudolf at Pimms, my new fav cafe.

[romatiamo]

so here i am, in a little cafe called Pimms Good. i came here to do some homework with my friend, and normally at home, that would suck. but it's so quaint here. there's jazz music playing the background, christmas decorations around, and some other college students sitting here just enjoying some coffee. i love everything about it. i wouldn't mind doing homework here everyday.

[romatiamo]

november 19th, 2013 took this lovely gem yesterday. the weather casts say rain, but all i saw was beautiful blue skies. i make it a point to remind myself of the beauty around me when i walk through this everyday. i'll miss these walks to class.

[romatiamo]

Your last post is literally exactly how I feel right now. I go home next week. Cannot sleep right now and it's 2am here. Aghhh

ah i'm not the only one. it literally sucks :\

[romatiamo]

sleep

my sleeping schedule all kinds of fucked up. i try to go to bed early, you know around 12 or 1. but there's no hope. i don't know if it's my uncomfortable shitty ass bed, or me. it could be me. once i hit the pillow, my mind wonders. i think about everything. about school, about homework, projects, about my trips and my upcoming trips. and then think about home and how it's going to be like when i go home. i think about how my friends and family will greet me when they see me again. i think about my parents reaction when they see me at the airport. i think about my dog and how excited i'll be when i get to snug him again. and then i think of him. i think about him constantly. he's always on my mind, especially at night and i don't always know how to get rid of him. i think about he's reaction when he sees me, it could honestly go either way. i don't know. but those thoughts sometimes make me ansy, so i think of other things. i think of the people i've met here and the other friendships i've formed. i think about my future, once i graduate college in may of 2014. it wonders and wonders and wonders and then i don't end up falling asleep until 4 or 5 am sometimes. i don't know, maybe i just need some sleeping pills.

[romatiamo]

Venice photo cred-- Alexa Hyman

[romatiamo]

let me stay.

i get nervous coming home. sometimes i wish i could just stay here and avoid going back to my reality. it all seems like it's up in the air, it seems unsure, it seems like it's not so enjoyable. i have probably my hardest semester coming up, which isn't the most ideal when you're a senior in college. my dog of 9 years isn't in the best health, but i know he's holding on for me until i get back. and then there's here, in rome. everything's easy and beautiful and wonderful. but what happens when i get back? my dog's passing, my semester of 6 classes, and me seeing the love of my life with someone else. why would i want to go back to that? it's hard enough seeing things through social media. it hurts. but what happens when i see it in real life? how am i going to handle it. i'm praying everyday that god gives me the strength to be strong. the best thing i could do is think positive, think that everything is going to work out and that i'll move on and finish my undergrad so hopefully get a job or some type of internship. but at the same time, i'm bracing myself for the worst.