Never in my wildest dreams did I picture myself going to a foreign country and using a language to help me form some of the greatest friendships I have ever had. After only 5 weeks, I have met some of the most incredible people here. From native Sienese citizens to friends from Mexico, Germany, France, and the Czech Republic, this experience has opened my eyes to possibility and promise.
One of my best friends from the program, pictured above, is continuing her journey in Florence studying fashion. She has told me all about the program at Polimoda, and I definitely want to apply for next summer so I can speak the Italian language when learning about my future career. She’ll be spending another month in Italy, so we made a promise to each other to call once a week and have a conversation in Italian all about what is going on in our lives. I’m also planning on taking a trip to see her in Mexico next spring. Who knows, maybe I’ll begin my journey learning Spanish soon!
Last night at dinner, our sweet host family surprised Sarah and me with a gift. We opened a small package to find a charm bracelet. The first charm is a giraffe, the sign of our Contrada. The second was a red pepper which indicates good fortune in Italy. Now I can take a piece of Siena with me wherever I go.
My flight leaves at 6:30am tomorrow, and I’m trying to do as much as I can before I leave today. This morning I woke up early to take a walk around the city and appreciate the landscape I’ve come to love so very much. This afternoon I will say goodbye to the program director and the other students at the school during our farewell lunch. My roommate and I plan on spending the evening in Piazza Del Campo looking at the sky and watching it fill with stars. I know I won’t be sleeping tonight. I’m going to miss Siena and everyone I have encountered so much. But I know that it’s not really a “goodbye”. It’s merely a “see you later”.
Ci vediamo a dopo, Italia…